Pepper and egg sandwich is a hearty meal where pan-roasted bell peppers and onions with eggs and cheese are stuffed into a butter-toasted bun. An Italian American staple that an Indian chai lover adopted for her family. 🙂
Our go-to weekend breakfast always include sandwiches from simple fried egg and cheese sandwich to a fancy Korean street toast. Then we got hooked on this pepper and egg sandwich recipe. I feared F would pick out all bell peppers like usual but surprisingly he did only for the green peppers! He loved it so much that this got added to our weekly menu!
Is bell pepper different from capsicum? No, not. Growing up in India, I knew it only as capsicum. There is no difference between the two because a bell pepper is just a kind of capsicum. Quick research told me that it is called capsicum in India, New Zealand, and Australia and the British call it red pepper or green pepper or chilli pepper. And yes, you guessed it.. the USA and Canada, call them bell pepper.
Ingredients
- Bell pepper: you can use red, yellow, orange or good old green or a mix of whatever you have!
- Red onion: you may replace it with some shallots
- Cheese slice: I have tried with cheddar, mozzarella, Havarti, etc so use whatever cheese slice you have in hand!
- Milk: use full-fat or half milk and half cream
- Parmesan: freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano is my go-to now but you can use parmesan or pre-grated parmesan.
- Buns/rolls: I have tried using plain sliced bread but that did not appeal to us the way the buns did! I have used long rolls, hot dog buns, and even bakery-bought freshly baked Samoon bread. Whatever kind you use, you must butter them and toast them in the oven.
- Butter: use melted butter or somedays I feel lazy to melt so used ghee instead!
- Hot sauce and mustard sauce: Optional. I recently started adding this to the sandwich but very little so it doesn't overpower!
- Olive oil
- Eggs
- Salt & Pepper
I urge you to try this in this same simple form before you make it Indian. Thank you!
How to make?
I have made this Pepper and Egg sandwich several times by now but I wanted to find out if I can skip the oven task and use the stove-top to toast the buns/rolls. But I went back to using the oven because... let me tell you - it makes a BIG difference in the "experience" of eating.
The taste may not differ but the way the buns/rolls become light and crisp after being under the grill/broiler cannot be mimicked on the stove-top. And that is what makes this bell peppers and egg sandwich superior!
No oven?
If you do not have an oven, and you still want to make this... then I would suggest that you toast the rolls/buns on low flame for a longer time with just a dab of butter.
Let's make bell peppers egg sandwich!
Preheat your oven grill to a medium or switch on the broiler. Line a baking tray with foil and place the bread rolls. Split your rolls lengthwise but not all the way through. Brush the inside of the rolls with melted butter or ghee.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bell peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes or until the peppers develop some colour and soften.
Take a medium bowl and whisk together the eggs, milk, grated parmesan, salt and pepper and set aside.
Make sure the bell peppers are well roasted.
Pour the egg mixture over the bell peppers and use a spatula to move the mixture lightly to prevent it from getting firm. We need it silky smooth and lightly scrambled and NOT like a thick omelette.
Your oven must be ready by now. Place the baking tray top-level rack or under the broiler cut side up for about 1 or 2 mins max or until the rolls turn golden brown. Keep a watch as it can get burnt easily in seconds. Remove it immediately.
silky smooth where eggs are almost done but not fully cooked yet.
Top the eggs and bell pepper with the cheese slices and cover the skillet so the cheese melts.
Divide the mixture and stuff it in your warm buttery toasted rolls. Squeeze some hot sauce or mustard sauce or mayo which are only optional and serve immediately.
📖 Recipe
Bell Peppers and Egg Sandwich
Ingredients
For the stuffing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bell pepper diced into one-inch pieces
- 1 medium-sized red onion diced finely
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 to 3 cheese slice
For the egg mixture
- ¼ cup milk
- 4 large eggs
- 3 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano you may use parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
For the sandwich
- 4 hot dog rolls
- 1 tablespoon melted butter to lightly brush inside of the rolls
Other optional
- hot sauce
- ketchup
- mustard sauce
- mayonnaise
Instructions
- Preheat your oven grill to a medium. Line a baking tray with foil and place the bread rolls. Split your rolls lengthwise but not all the way through. Brush the inside of the rolls with melted butter or ghee.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bell peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes or until the peppers develop some colour and soften. Meanwhile...
- Take a medium bowl and whisk together the eggs, milk, grated parmesan, salt and pepper and set aside.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bell peppers and use a spatula to move the mixture lightly to prevent it from getting firm. We need it silky smooth and lightly scrambled and NOT like a thick omelette. Meanwhile...
- Your oven must be ready by now. Place the baking tray top-level rack or under the broiler cut side up for about 2 to 4 mins or until the rolls turn golden brown. Keep a watch and remove it immediately.
- Top the eggs and bell pepper with the cheese slices and cover the skillet so the cheese melts.
- Divide the mixture and stuff it in your warm buttery toasted rolls.
- Squeeze some hot sauce or mustard sauce and serve immediately.
Recipe inspired and adapted from Laura's famous Peppers and Egg Sandwich.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!