Fluffy dinner rolls. Crispy bacon. Butter. A little bit of ketchup. British
bacon sandwiches are a classic for a reason.
inspiration
If America has the BLT, England has the bacon sandwich. Typically called a “bacon butty,” they consist of white bread, bacon, butter, and ketchup or brown sauce. They may sound simple, but this sandwich is more than the sum of its parts.
American bacon and British bacon are a little bit different. They come from different cuts of meat and have texture differences. American bacon is crispier and British bacon tends to be thicker and chewier, more like what Americans think of as Canadian bacon.
This version of traditional British bacon sandwiches use American thick-cut bacon and dinner rolls rather than slices of white bread to bring them over to this side of the sea. You won’t believe how delicious they are!
why i love this recipe
Fluffy dinner rolls. Crispy bacon. Melty butter. A little bit of sweet and savory ketchup. British bacon sandwiches are a classic for a reason! And I bet you already have one or two ingredients on hand.
British bacon sandwiches are absolutely delicious, super easy, and low-effort. The only cooked ingredients are rolls (which you can totally skip by using storebought) and bacon (which is cooked entirely hands-off in the oven). These would be a great struggle meal. With British bacon, they’re good. With thick-cut American bacon, they’re transcendent. They hit the spot every time.
If you want, you can prep them all at once and have grab-and-go meals for a few days. They keep and reheat beautifully, and make a lovely packed breakfast, lunch, or lazy rainy-day dinner.
details
Stick this recipe in your back pocket for no-energy days, because it is that easy. Use storebought rolls for maximum ease, or follow the instructions on a package of frozen ones. I used Rhodes because I already had them on hand, but your favorite brand will be just fine.
For the bacon, I almost always opt to cook it in the oven for more even cooking and less oil splatter. Crispy works best here, but cook it to whatever doneness you prefer. Thick-cut is crucial. Regular thin bacon will be okay in a pinch, but you’ll need a lot more and it won’t have the heft of thick-cut.
Don’t skimp on the butter, and use a light hand with the ketchup until you know how much you like. We don’t want it to overpower any of the other ingredients.
British bacon sandwiches are best served warm.
notes
Dinner rolls: use storebought or homemade–whatever you have the time or inclination to do. King’s Hawaiian would probably be good here.
Bacon: thick cut, not regular.
Butter: no need to buy something special. use whatever you usually use.
Ketchup: I always use good old Heinz, but use whatever you like. Taste of home did a best ketchup test if it’s not something you usually buy and you’d like some guidance!
What to serve with them: Salad for veggies, potato salad for summer vibes, chips for grab-and go, tomato soup for maximum coziness on a rainy day. The options are endless!
Leftovers: British bacon sandwiches keep for 4-5 days in the fridge, wrapped or covered tightly. To reheat, pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time until they’re warmed through.
Looking for more sandwiches? Try late night cubanish croissants, lunchbox blts, or grilled pb&j with cinnamon honey butter.
british bacon sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 package thick-cut bacon
- 9 dinner rolls
- butter to taste
- ketchup to taste
Instructions
- Make bacon. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and lay bacon strips on it in a single layer. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until desired doneness. (I recommend crispy.) Once done, move to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
- Assemble sandwiches. Heat up the rolls, if desired, and add butter and ketchup to taste. Put 1 to 1 ½ strips of bacon on each sandwich. Close sandwiches and serve!