This bacon butty sandwich has a great balance of salty, sweet and tangy with its sauce, caramelized onions, and crispy bacon between two slices of toasted bread. The classic British bacon sandwich is great for a hot, hearty breakfast, lunch or dinner but if you want more flavor and texture, this version of the recipe is for you.
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🤎 What Makes This Bacon Butty Special?
- A simple yet iconic English bacon sandwich.
- Perfect for breakfast (but not only breakfast), hangovers, or a quick comfort meal.
- Loads of crispy bacon and bold flavors.
Most bacon sandwiches do not have caramelized onions, but that is what makes this version more satisfying. Another idea is to grill the onions to add smoky flavor. Check out how to grill onions here.
Caramelizing the yellow onions adds a natural sweetness to the ingredient. The caramel comes from cooked sugar, so when you slowly cook onions for a long period of time, the sugar in them caramelizes and makes them sweeter.
If you're a bacon lover like myself, you'll also love these bacon wrapped sea scallops and smoky, keto bacon wrapped pickles.
❓ What exactly is a Bacon Butty?
It is a bacon sandwich that usually consists of bacon, butter, and a sauce like brown sauce (HP) or ketchup between two slices of bread; simple but oh so good.
If you are willing to take the time to read about and make the bacon butty, you may just have a tasty and filling hangover cure. There is a science to it that involves increasing your metabolism and replenishing amino acids.
It is a popular British food for hangovers and can be enjoyed by anybody; even the royals like Prince Harry enjoyed them the morning after Prince William’s wedding.
🥓 Ingredients
- onions - I use yellow onions because they are great for caramelizing.
- balsamic vinegar - To add a little more flavor to the caramelized onions.
- white bread - White bread is a classic but feel free to change it up. Brioche is slightly sweet, buttery, and soft and would taste amazing in this London bacon butty.
- smoked bacon strips - You can use classic bacon strips, center-cut or thick-cut. Whatever you have on hand should work.
- brown sauce or BBQ sauce - This is optional. HP sauce is a type of brown sauce that we use at home. You can even try my homemade white BBQ sauce if you want to get adventurous. Mayo is a game-changer for creaminess. Mustard or hot sauce will give some kick.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
🥪 How to Make a Bacon Sandwich
Step 1. Caramelize the onions. Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden (around 20 minutes).
Step 2. Cook the bacon. Place two paper towels on a plate. Arrange the slices of bacon on the paper towel, separately. Place 2 more pieces of paper towel on top of the bacon. (You may need to cook half of the bacon at a time, in order to fit the plate.) Microwave on high until the bacon is slightly crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes. It will crisp up more as it cools.
Step 3. Toast the bread. While the bacon is cooling, toast the bread slices. You can use a toaster or frying pan.
Step 4. Serve the bacon butty. Place the crispy bacon in between the bread slices with the caramelized onions. Add some brown sauce or BBQ sauce and serve.
✔️ Joss' Top Tips
- Oven-Baked Bacon Method: Crispy, Easy, and Less Mess! Microwaving bacon is quick and easy, but if you prefer perfectly crispy bacon from the oven, check out my tutorial for how to cook your bacon until crispy. By the time the bacon is done, so will your caramelized onions. The best part is: all you have to do for cleanup is throw away the aluminum foil and paper towels.
- Smoky Perfection. Or, check out this recipe tutorial on how to grill bacon for smokier results, depending on the season.
- Even Slices, Perfect Cook. Slice the onions consistently for even cooking. Use an adjustable mandolin if you have.
- Diagonal Cut: Better Bites, Perfect Presentation! Slice the bacon sandwiches diagonally for the perfect bite ratio and visual appeal. This also makes it easier to hold and bite into.
🥗 Side Suggestions
- A Hot Drink – A strong cup of tea or coffee.
- Chips – A crunchy side like plain or ripple-cut chips.
- Avocado - Try grilled avocado or simply slices.
- Salad - This hemp heart salad is nice and light.
❓ Bacon Butty FAQs
The bacon butty gets its name from British slang: butty is a term in the UK for a sandwich (bread and butter).
Yes! If you need to store your sandwiches in the fridge for later, consume them within 3 days for best results.
You can reheat bacon butties in an oven or toaster oven to retain the crispiness.
My preference is to cut them about ¼" thick. When cooked, onions shrink significantly, so it's best to avoid slicing them too thin.
❤️ More Sandwich Recipes You Will Love
What’s your favorite hangover food? If you tried this 🥓 Bacon Butty (Bacon Sandwich) Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Bacon Butty (Bacon Sandwich)
Ingredients
For the Caramelized Onions
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large yellow onion - sliced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
For the Sandwich
- 4 slices white bread - or your favorite bread
- 8-10 slices smoked bacon strips
- brown sauce (HP) or BBQ sauce - optional
Instructions
For the Caramelized Onions
- Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften (about 5 minutes).2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 large yellow onion
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden (around 20 minutes).1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
For the Bacon Butty
- Place two paper towels on a plate. Arrange the slices of bacon on the paper towel, separately. Place 2 more pieces of paper towel on top of the bacon. (You may need to cook half of the bacon at a time, in order to fit the plate.)8-10 slices smoked bacon strips
- Microwave on high until the bacon is slightly crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes. It will crisp up more as it cools.
- While the bacon is cooling, toast the bread slices.4 slices white bread
- Place the crispy bacon in between the bread slices with the caramelized onions. Add some brown sauce or BBQ sauce and serve.
Notes
- If you want to cook your bacon in the oven instead, here’s how to do it: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, cover a baking pan with aluminum foil, put the bacon strips on top (do not overlap), and bake for about 10-20 minutes , or until crispy (keep an eye on them as time will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon).
- If you need to store your sandwiches in the fridge for later, consume them within 3 days for best results. You can reheat them in an oven or toaster oven to retain the crispiness.
- Slice the onions consistently for even cooking. Use an adjustable mandolin if you have. My preference is to cut them about ¼" thick. When cooked, onions shrink significantly, so it's best to avoid slicing them too thin.
- Slice the sandwich diagonally for the perfect bite ratio and visual appeal. This also makes it easier to hold and bite into.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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