Full English Breakfast
The Traditional Full English Breakfast is a beloved British classic and one of the most iconic ways to start the day in England. This hearty breakfast includes favorites like eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, and surprisingly not toast, but fried brea. Plus a few traditional British items you might not know, like black pudding. This is a real British fry-up that defines British breakfast culture. Hungry? Let’s break down what’s on a proper Full English Breakfast plate.
There’s nothing more British than a Full English Breakfast. Often called England’s national breakfast, this hearty meal dates back to the Victorian era in the 19th century. It remains a popular choice today in pubs, hotels, and traditional “greasy spoon” cafes across the UK.
Table of contents
- What is included in a Full English breakfast?
- Full English Breakfast Recipe – How to Make a Proper Full English Breakfast
- Bacon – The Difference between English and American Bacon
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Beans
- Eggs in a Full English
- Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Black Pudding (don’t be afraid)
- Fried bread not toast
- Hash browns
- Full English breakfast sauces
- What to drink with a Full English breakfast
- Variations on the Full Breakfast Around the UK
- Conclusion
What is included in a Full English breakfast?
This is the epitome of an English fry-up—a traditional breakfast in England where nearly everything is fried in a pan. A classic Full English breakfast typically includes:
- Bacon
- Pork sausage
- Baked beans
- Eggs
- Mushrooms
- Tomatoes
- Black pudding/sausage
- Fried bread slices
Full English Breakfast Recipe –
How to Make a Proper Full English Breakfast
There are usually 5-8 items that make up a traditional English breakfast , depending on which items are included. If I’m going for it, I’m going for all 8, aka the Full Monty (more in this below).
Before diving into the recipe, let’s shed light on the term “Full Monty” used in British slang. It simply means “everything” or “all of it,” which perfectly describes this hearty breakfast. The movie, well that’s the other meaning (wink).
Bacon – The Difference between English and American Bacon
American bacon, while delicious, isn’t the traditional choice—or the right kind—for a Full English breakfast. In England, we favor back bacon. Cut from the pork loin, it’s similar to Canadian bacon. Unlike American bacon (or streaky bacon, as we call it), back bacon has less marbled fat and doesn’t crisp up as easily. It has a ham-like texture with fat concentrated around the edge, and is unsmoked.
Bacon
American bacon, while delicious, isn’t the traditional choice and the right kind for a Full English breakfast. Here in England, we favor back bacon. Cut from the pork loin, it’s similar to Canadian bacon. Unlike American bacon (streaky bacon, as we call it), back bacon has less marbled fat and won’t crisp up as easily. It has a ham-like texture with fat concentrated around the edge, and it’s often unsmoked.
Sausage
A good-quality pork sausage is key here. Ideally, you’d want British-style bangers. These are typically thicker and more coarsely ground than American sausages, and often have a stronger, savory flavor. Luckily, many supermarkets now carry British-style sausages. If all else fails, you can make your own using my British sausage recipe—or just use your favorite sausage; anything with good flavor will work.
Beans
When it comes to the beans in a classic English breakfast, the go-to choice is Heinz baked beans. These are a far cry from American barbecue beans—they’re much simpler, cooked in a savory tomato sauce without the smoky sweetness. Canned beans are perfectly acceptable, but if you’re feeling adventurous, I have the perfect recipe for homemade British Baked Beans that you’ve got to try.
Eggs in a Full English
For a perfect Full English breakfast, fried eggs are the way to go. Sunny-side up is the classic choice, allowing that glorious runny yolk to mingle with the other flavors on your plate. Scrambled eggs, while delicious, don’t quite fit the bill here – that beautiful runny yolk is essential! (see picture below). Think of it as the breakfast gravy, adding a touch of richness and creaminess to tie everything together.
Tomatoes
For the tomatoes, fresh is the way to go. Simply halve them and sear them flesh-side down until softened and lightly browned. This adds a welcome burst of fresh flavor to this hearty breakfast. In more modern variations, cherry tomatoes are also a popular choice. I have seen some used canned/tinned tomatoes and this is acceptable when fresh tomatoes are not in season.
Mushrooms
Fresh mushrooms, whether brown or white, work perfectly here. No need for anything fancy, just grab your favorite kind from the grocery store. Slice them up and sauté them simply for a delicious addition to your breakfast.
Black Pudding (don’t be afraid)
Black pudding might sound intimidating, but don’t be afraid! It’s a seasoned, all-natural pork sausage (also known as blood sausage), bursting with flavor – not a sweet pudding like the name might suggest. This delicious option adds a richer note to your breakfast for those who enjoy it.
Let’s be honest, black pudding isn’t for everyone. But I want to re-iterate that is does tastes savory and good. The apprehension often comes from the name and appearance, not the actual flavor. If you’re aiming for the full English breakfast experience (and for me a personal preference), then black pudding is worth a try.
Fried bread not toast
While buttered toast is a perfectly acceptable option, for the full English breakfast experience, fried bread is the way to go. It’s simply white bread fried in vegetable oil until golden brown – a quick and easy way to elevate your breakfast. Let’s be honest, no one ever claimed this was a health food!
Hash browns
While hash browns are a common addition to some Full English breakfasts, it’s not something I grew up with. I prefer the classic English components on my plate, but feel free to add them in if that’s how you like yours!
Full English breakfast sauces
No Full English breakfast is complete without the perfect condiments. Brown sauce (HP Sauce brand) is a must-have. It’s a tangy sauce with a depth of flavor, similar to a steak sauce. Ketchup is also an acceptable addition for those who prefer it.
What to drink with a Full English breakfast
The classic choice? A cup of strong English breakfast tea, freshly brewed in a teapot and, if you’re feeling fancy, served in fine china cups. It’s the perfect pairing for a hearty traditional breakfast. You can, of course, opt for coffee instead, especially if that’s your morning go-to.
Variations on the Full Breakfast Around the UK
The Full English breakfast might be the most famous, but it’s not the only game in town! Across the United Kingdom, you’ll find delicious variations on this hearty morning meal:
- Full Irish: Similar to the English breakfast, but often featuring white pudding (a sausage without blood) instead of black pudding.
- Full Scottish: This breakfast includes all the usual suspects, plus some Scottish specialties like tattie scones (potato scones) and haggis (a savory sausage made with sheep’s organs).
- Full Welsh: A Welsh breakfast incorporates some unique ingredients from the region. Look for cockles (similar to clams) and laverbread, a savory spread made from seaweed.
These are just a few examples, and there may be regional variations within each country. No matter which version you try, you’re sure to be in for a delicious and satisfying breakfast experience.
Conclusion
And that’s the full scoop on a Full English breakfast recipe! It’s a hearty and delicious meal, best enjoyed occasionally – like a special Sunday morning treat. After all, a breakfast this big can definitely leave you feeling satisfied for the rest of the day.
If you’ve tried this Full English Breakfast or any other recipe then please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love to hear from my readers!
Full English Breakfast
A hearty British morning meal featuring fried eggs, sausages, bacon (back bacon, not streaky smoked bacon), baked beans, grilled tomatoes, and mushrooms. It's often served with fried bread or toast and sometimes includes black pudding (blood sausage).
Ingredients
- 1 cup (136 grams) baked beans
- 4 slices bacon
- 4 pork sausages
- 6 ounces (170 grams) mushrooms
- 2 ripe tomatoes, cut in half
- Small pinch of salt
- 2 slices black pudding
- 2 slices white bread
- 4 large eggs
- Lard or cooking oil of your choice (if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F/95°C. Place a large, ovenproof dish in the oven to keep warm.
- To a small saucepan, add the beans and keep warm over medium low heat.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat add the bacon and sausages. Cook until the bacon is cooked and the sausage browned (turning to brown evenly). Transfer to the dish in the oven to keep warm.
- To the fat from the bacon (add lard or oil if needed). Cook the mushrooms over medium heat until browned. Transfer to the oven, keeping the fat in the pan.
- Season the tomatoes with salt and add them flesh down to the same pan. Add the black pudding and cook each for 2 minutes per side. Remove and transfer to the dish in the oven.
- If needed, add more lard or oil to the pan over medium high heat. Add the bread to the oil (test it by putting in a corner of bread, if it sizzles, it’s ready) and cook until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel to drain.
- To the same oil add the eggs and spoon hot oil over the yolks until cooked.
- Serve all the components on a plate with the bread on the side.
Notes
Video:
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 431Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 235mgSodium 868mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 5gSugar 9gProtein 22g
This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.
This full English breakfast recipe was first featured on Food Fanatic, where I am a contributor.
Janette is a professionally trained chef based in California who channels her passion for cooking into thoughtfully crafted recipes. Her culinary creations are inspired by her English heritage as well as her favorite global cuisines, including Indian and Italian. Connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for more delicious inspiration. More About Janette…
23 Comments on “Full English Breakfast”
Well, I have only been to London one time back in 2017, but I remember eating this at a restaurant since I had heard about it online. I got to try it out myself at home one of these days. I do remember the sausages were huge and thick too, typically they don’t come that size where I was born, raised, and still live in Los Angeles.
Thank you for sharing!
Looks awesome! What size skillet did you use?
I use my 10-inch cast iron skillet to cook in, the one from the picture. Not everything is cooked at the same time, that picture was just for styling the photo. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions.
As I am from the US some of your terms do not mean what I expect. With this in mind, I am wondering why you call them baked beans, they look like veg pork and beans simular to Van Camps which I use to start my baked beans.
I am a British expat living in the U.S., so I am familiar with all of the American canned beans and can clarify for you. British baked beans are beans prepared in pork and tomato sauce that are started on the stove top then baked in the oven. They taste very similar to Van Camp’s baked beans as well as their pork & beans and these are delicious with the Full English Breakfast too. I hope I was able to answer all your questions and please feel free to email me back if you have any more questions.
I clicked on this because your pictures were so spot on on Google and everything looks perfect. I never thought about making my own beans, I think I’ll try this.
That is so nice of you to say, thank you. Enjoy the beans.
I often see FEB being offered with baked beans, or hash browns, or little cubed potaoes, and whilst delicious I am not sure they belong in FEB. Fried bread, although unhealthy is scrumptious and always a welcome addition to the FEB, but toast must also be served, just the usual medium or thick sliced rubbish, no need for artisanal nonsense. Toast should be served as full slices. Spread is usually undetectable, and so unimportant. Mushrooms need to be something special to be worth bothering with. Rather than a slice of tasteless beef tomatoe I am tending toward a dozen cherry tomatoes grilled with the thick sliced back bacon. There you have it.
Thank you for sharing. I agree with you on the fried bread, but I have to have beans and mushrooms with mine 🙂
Hello Janette ! Love these full English breakfas , very healthy and easy to prepare. Thanks for sharing with us 🙂
HEALTHY? LOL
Would rather drop nonveg and take other ingredients
Good healthy …
It is not meant to be a healthy breakfast, this is just how it is traditionally made.
Looking great, Jeanette. Loving the copper saucepan for the beans. Never have they been treated so well.
Such a great post! Never had a real English Breakfast, but would love to try it!
OMG you will not regret ordering it!! I’m from Newcastle upon Tyne and as someone that enjoys hearts food (meat and potato man with no sophistication) I would have this meal four times per week. However, I don’t like mushrooms, beans or black pudding so my interpretation of this delicious meal is probably considered sacrilege. I usually supplement the bacon, sausage and egg with hash brown/rosti instead. I cook the sausages until they are as black as the ace of spades (this is trial and error and rest assured they will not be burned), have the bacon approaching crispy and over cook the eggs until the whites are crispy around the outside-I’m a little American and usually turn my eggs gently (sometimes holding them with tongs…providing your white is firm enough) to cook the yolk just enough to keep them runny! Bread of at least 1 inch thickness plastered in butter dipped in these bad boys is the epitome of perfection. After moving to China a few months back this is not something I can enjoy terribly often!
Thanks for the great comment, it’s a shame you can’t enjoy the breakfast in its entirety 🙂
This looks wonderful, Janette! I love a great, hearty breakfast – especially with the cooler weather coming. I have a dumb question – a few years ago when we were in Ireland, we often had a full Irish breakfast in the mornings (black sausage and all – yum) 🙂 An Irish Breakfast and English Breakfast appear similar – is there a distinct difference? Either way – a fabulous way to start your morning!
That’s a lot of food! I’ve never seen the black sausage before. Interesting.
Breakfast of champions!
I love a full English, but it really is a rare treat – usually cooked for me by someone else.
This looks like a great way to start the day! Being a savory girl, I love this kind of meal!
This looks hearty and delicious! I really want to try that black sausage – we have something in my family called boudin noir – made from pigs blood and scotch bonnet peppers — it’s spicy and so freakin’ good! Would love to try this breakfast!