Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich

The bacon, egg, and cheese is my first love, but the sausage, egg, and cheese? That’s my weekend warrior. It’s heftier, more herbaceous, and feels like a genuine reward for making it through the week. My husband, Mark, is the Sausage Sandwich Connoisseur in our house. He judges them not by the egg or the cheese, but by the quality and flavor of the sausage patty itself. After one too many disappointing, bland, and greasy diner versions, he declared, “Clara, you can do better.” Challenge accepted. After a deep dive into sausage blends and a few… let’s call them ‘over-herbed’ failures… I landed on this simple, flavor-packed method. The secret isn’t a long list of spices; it’s one simple, transformative step.

Quick Look

Prep	Cook	Total	Feeds	Level
5 mins	12 mins	17 mins	1 (easily scaled)	Easy

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A truly phenomenal homemade sausage patty: Forget the frozen pucks. This one is juicy, well-seasoned, and has the perfect coarse grind.
• The “cheesy skirt”: We’re cooking the egg inside a ring of cheese that gets crispy in the pan. It’s a textural game-changer.
• It feels like a diner classic, but better: You control the grease, the salt, and the quality of every single component.

Grab These

• For the Sausage Patty:
  • ¼ pound ground pork (not too lean, you need some fat for flavor!)
  • ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed (this is the magic ingredient)
  • ¼ teaspoon dried sage
  • A generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon maple syrup (sounds weird, makes it amazing)
  • A good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
• The Rest of the Crew:
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 slice of sharp cheddar or provolone cheese (see, we’re branching out from American here!)
  • 1 sturdy English muffin, split (my preferred vessel for this heavyweight)
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Let’s Make It

First, let’s make the sausage. In a small bowl, combine the ground pork, crushed fennel seeds, sage, red pepper flakes, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix it gently but thoroughly. Don’t overwork it, just make sure the seasonings are evenly distributed. Form it into a ball, then press it into a patty that’s about the same diameter as your English muffin. Use your thumb to make a slight indentation in the center of the patty—this will help it cook evenly and prevent it from puffing up into a meatball.

Get a skillet over medium heat. Add your sausage patty and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, until it’s deeply browned and cooked through. Transfer it to a plate. Don’t wipe out the skillet! All those browned, herby bits are about to work their magic.

While the sausage cooks, toast your English muffin until it’s golden and crisp. Butter it lightly if you like.

Now, for the pièce de résistance: the cheesy-skirted egg. Take your slice of cheese and tear it into shreds or small pieces. Place your skillet back over medium heat. Scatter the cheese pieces in a loose circle roughly the size of your English muffin. Let it melt and start to bubble and fry for about 30 seconds.

Now, carefully crack your egg right into the center of the melting cheese circle. The white will start to set immediately, fusing with the frying cheese. Sprinkle the egg with a little salt and pepper. Let it cook until the white is set and the yolk is still runny, about 2-3 minutes. The cheese around the edges will become a beautiful, lacy, crispy crown.

To assemble, place the sausage patty on the bottom half of the English muffin. Use your spatula to slide the entire cheesy egg creation on top of the sausage. The cheese acts as a built-in plate, holding everything together. Top with the other muffin half. You’ve just built a masterpiece.

Nutritional Facts (Per Serving)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	~620 kcal
Protein	~32g
Carbohydrates	~28g
Fat	~42g
Fiber	~2g
Sugar	~4g

Note: Values are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients used.

Variations & Add-Ins

• The Apple & Sage: Mix 2 tablespoons of very finely chopped apple into the sausage mixture along with the spices. It adds a subtle sweetness and keeps the patty incredibly moist.
• The Spicy Chorizo-Inspired: Swap the sage and fennel for a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. It’s a completely different, deeply flavorful vibe.
• On a Biscuit: For the ultimate Southern treat, ditch the English muffin and serve your patty and egg on a warm, flaky, homemade buttermilk biscuit.

Serving Ideas

This is a knife-and-fork situation if you’ve made the cheesy skirt, and I highly recommend you embrace the mess. A side of home fries or hash browns is the natural companion here. And a tall glass of orange juice or a spicy Bloody Mary if it’s that kind of weekend morning.

Storage & Reheating

You can mix and form the sausage patties ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two, or freeze them for up to a month (separate with parchment paper). Cook from frozen, just add a few extra minutes per side. A fully assembled sandwich does not reheat well.

My Two Cents

Crush those fennel seeds. Don’t just toss them in whole. I give them a quick bash with the bottom of a heavy skillet or in a mortar and pestle. It releases their incredible, sweet, licorice-like aroma and ensures you don’t get a mouthful of whole seeds. This one step elevates your patty from “ground pork” to “sausage.”

You Asked, I’m Answering

• “Can I use pre-made sausage patties?” You can, but you’ll be missing out on the custom flavor. If you do, seek out a good quality brand from your butcher counter and let it come to room temperature before cooking.
• “My cheese skirt stuck to the pan!” A good non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is key here. If you’re worried, a very light film of butter or oil in the pan before scattering the cheese will help.
• “What if I don’t like a runny yolk?” No problem! Just cook the egg a minute or two longer, or you can even flip it for an over-medium style. The cheesy skirt will still be delicious.