There's nothing quite as iconic as the Full English Breakfast—a hearty meal of sizzling bacon, eggs, and all the delicious trimmings. I've been making this for family and friends for years, and it’s always a celebration of tradition and comfort.
This classic British breakfast has its roots in the traditional "fried breakfast" dating back to the 13th century when it was essential for farm workers and labourers. Over time, it became a symbol of British hospitality, often served in homes, inns, and hotels across the UK.
Today, the Full English is enjoyed in homes, cafes, and pubs. Though it traditionally includes items like bacon, eggs, sausages, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, and toast, regional variations like the Full Irish and Welsh breakfast add their own specialities. A timeless dish, the Full English remains beloved for its comfort, history, and place in British culture.
In this post, I’ll share how I cook up this timeless dish at home. Ready to discover the charm of the Full English? Let’s tuck in!
Ingredients: (per person, adjust amount to preference) 🍳🥓
2 eggs (fried, poached, or scrambled)
2 slices of back bacon
2 sausages (pork or your choice)
1 plum tomato or fresh sliced tomato
1 cup of baked beans
Mushrooms (a handful, sliced)
2 slices of bread (for toast or fried bread)
Butter (for frying and spreading)
1-2 slices of black pudding (optional)
Salt and pepper
Thyme and Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Optional: Hash browns or bubble and squeak
Brown sauce to tomato sauce (as preferred)
Cooking Plan 🍳🥓
By using separate pans, you can keep everything cooking at the same time, and serve a freshly made, hot 🔥 Full English Breakfast.
So, here it is...
Cook the sausages in one pan 🍳🥓
Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
Add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and fully cooked through (about 10-12 minutes). Remove from the pan and set aside.
Cook the bacon in a second pan 🍳🥩
In a separate pan, heat over medium heat.
Add the bacon and cook until crispy (about 4-5 minutes). Once done, remove and set aside.
Cook the black pudding in the third pan 🍳⚫
In the third pan, add a little butter or oil.
Fry the black pudding on each side for 3-4 minutes until crispy.
Cook the mushrooms in the fourth pan 🍳🍄
In the fourth pan, heat a little oil with some thyme to infuse.
Add the button mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes until tender; toss in butter, add salt and pepper to taste.
Toast the bread 🍳🍞
While the meat and mushrooms are cooking, you can toast the bread in a toaster or one of the pans for fried bread.
Make sure you spread the butter up to the edge of the bread.
Set aside the cooked meat and continue to cook the rest:
Cook the eggs 🍳🥚
In a separate pan, heat some olive oil.
Crack the eggs into the pan and cook them to your preferred style: sunny side up scrambled or poached.
Heat the baked beans and tomatoes 🍳🍅
In a small saucepan, heat the baked beans over low heat until warmed through.
In the other pan, heat the plum tomatoes. Fresh sliced tomatoes can also be fried if preferred.
Add salt and pepper to the tomatoes.
add Worcestershire sauce, salt and paper to the beans.
Assemble 🍳
Once all the components are cooked, arrange them on a plate: sausages, bacon, black pudding, mushrooms, eggs, beans, tomatoes, and toast.
If you like, add a hash brown or some bubble and squeak (a potato and vegetable dish made from leftovers, often served in the UK). Don't forget the sauce, brown sauce or tomato sauce.
Serve 🍳
A full English breakfast with a hot cup of tea or coffee is the perfect start to your day!
A lovely day to all,
Mariah 😊💗