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GET IT NOWWho Says You Can’t Have Salad For Breakfast?
I don’t usually think of salad for breakfast, but lately I’ve been buying these huge packages of microgreens from my local warehouse club and honestly, struggling to get through them before they go bad. So, one day I slid my usual eggs and air fryer bacon onto a pile of the greens. Before I knew it, I was adding tomatoes and pesto, and making a whole breakfast salad out of it. It was a random creation, but here’s why I kept making it ever since:
- Way more exciting than plain eggs – Creamy avocado, crispy bacon, tender eggs, juicy tomatoes, and fresh greens make every bite interesting, and much more exciting than plain old eggs on a plate.
- Unique dressing – Honestly, any kind of salad can be a breakfast salad if you slide fried eggs over it, but I really liked using pesto as the dressing for this one. It feels more summery and more breakfast-y than other dressings. You’ll love this combo if you like my pesto eggs!
- Ready in 15 minutes – Once the bacon hits the skillet, the rest comes together fast while it cooks. I also have shortcuts below to make it even faster.
- Healthier breakfast idea – Unlike sweet options, my healthy breakfast salad is packed with fiber, good fats, and plenty of protein to start your day.
I wasn’t expecting this to become one of my favorite healthy breakfast recipes, but it really has. Make it with me and you might be surprised, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my breakfast salad recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Eggs – I like them sunny-side up, with a little sea salt and black pepper. Over-easy, poached, or coddled eggs also taste great here. I’ve even used hard boiled eggs and grated them on top for texture. You’ll also need salt and pepper for the eggs.
- Bacon – You can swap it with breakfast sausage or even turkey bacon if you prefer.
- Greens – I love using microgreens for a fresh, delicate base. But feel free to use other leafy greens, like spinach, arugula, romaine lettuce, or baby kale.
- Cherry Tomatoes – What I always have on hand these days because my kids are obsessed. Grape tomatoes or chopped larger tomatoes totally work, too.
- Avocado – Or if you want to get fancy, try a dollop of guacamole.
- Pesto Sauce – I usually make my own pesto, so this is my shortcut to big flavor without much effort. Store-bought works too, or you could use my simple lemon vinaigrette or creamy balsamic dressing.
- Optional Extras – A squeeze of lemon adds brightness, and extra fresh basil is a nice touch if you have some left from making the pesto.
How To Make A Breakfast Salad
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Make the pesto (if you want your own). See my pesto recipe here. I didn’t include it in the recipe prep time because I usually make this ahead or keep extra in the freezer. But I’ve totally grabbed a jar of store-bought and it’s still amazing!
- Cook the bacon. Start the bacon in a cold skillet and cook it until it’s nice and crispy. Set it aside, and chop or crumble. Leave the flavorful grease in the pan so you can cook the eggs in it.
- Build the salad base. While the bacon cooks, pile the greens, tomatoes, and avocado into a large bowl. Drizzle on some pesto… I usually just eyeball it, but measured an amount for the recipe card below.
- Fry the eggs. Crack the eggs into the hot pan and cook them however you like. I usually go for sunny-side up, so the yolk runs into everything.
- Combine it all. Top the breakfast salad with eggs and bacon. I like to finish with a squeeze of lemon, a little more pesto, and basil. And while I usually serve it all by itself, it goes nicely with a side of fresh fruit or my banana smoothie if you want something sweet.
My Tips & Variations
- Make sure to get pesto on the greens, as this acts as the dressing. I tried adding the pesto only at the end and got most on the eggs while the greens felt kind of dry, so it works best to add it to the greens first. You can toss lightly if needed.
- Don’t overdo the pesto, though. The delicate greens can get soggy if they are drenched.
- Try these add-ins for extra flavor: Sprinkle on feta cheese or shaved parmesan for a cheesy finish, pine nuts or sliced almonds for some crunch, or blueberries for a pop of sweetness. This week I tossed in leftover air fryer veggies from the night before!
- Make it more hearty: This breakfast salad is already pretty filling, but I’ve added roasted sweet potatoes when I wanted more starch. I usually get two servings out of it that way.
- Vegetarian option: You can skip the bacon and fry the eggs in extra virgin olive oil instead of the bacon grease. This also cuts the time to make this recipe down to just 5-10 minutes.
- Prep ahead to save time in the morning: Cook bacon in the oven, make the pesto (if using homemade), and slice the tomatoes the night before. The day-of, you can fry the eggs in oil and assemble the breakfast salad in minutes.
- Make more servings: I created this as a single-serve recipe for just me, but feel free to double the recipe without changing anything else. If you want to make it for a bigger crowd, I recommend prepping the bacon like I mentioned above, and baking the eggs in a muffin tin.
Breakfast Salad
My breakfast salad has all your morning favorites like eggs, bacon, avocado, and greens, with the perfect dressing for extra flavor. So easy!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Place the bacon slices in a cold, large skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low. Cook the bacon for about 10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until crispy. Drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon grease behind in the pan.
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While the bacon cooks, assemble the microgreens, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced avocado in a serving bowl. Drizzle with pesto sauce.
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When the bacon is done, chop or crumble it and set aside.
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With the skillet still hot over medium-low heat, crack the eggs into the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes for sunny side up, or until done to your liking. You can cover the pan, or flip for over easy. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
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Slide the cooked eggs over the greens. Sprinkle with chopped bacon. If you like, serve your breakfast salad with lemon wedges, more pesto, and/or fresh basil.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 breakfast salad (entire recipe)
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best texture in every bite, a few variations I’ve made, shortcuts to save time or prep ahead, and how to scale the recipe for a crowd.
- Storage: This salad tastes best fresh, but I have instructions to meal prep parts if you want it quicker in the morning.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Breakfast Salad
6 Comments
Jennifer Reyes
0Delicious! I mean to eat more salads, and having one for breakfast is delightful.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you liked it, Jennifer! Starting the day with a salad is such a fresh and satisfying idea, love that you’re making it part of your routine!
~Chrissie O.
0Oooooh! This was so good! I used a spring mix-baby spinach-baby kale blend of greens because I nearly always have that on hand. Quartered cherry tomatoes from the garden. Homemade pesto for the win! lol I’ve been doing salad as an elegant brunch on the weekends for ages – my go-to has been a bowl of my greens blend, 2 sunny side-up eggs, crumbled bacon all around; a drizzle of olive oil over the whole thing, a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmesan or a Parmesan/Asiago/Romano blend, and several healthy grinds of a 4-peppercorn blend (green/black/pink/white) over the bowl (the yolks, olive oil, and cheese make the sauce). I’m so glad you posted another variation of salad for breakfast!! Another winner to put into the rotation!! We’ve been loving your recipes – Keith loves they’re keto, I love that I love them even though I’m not doing keto!! lol Double-win!!! That they’re delicious? The trifecta!! In this one, the pesto against the tomatoes is the PERFECT pop; I sprinkled with grated Parmesan and ground some fresh pepper over the top. Chef’s kiss!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Chrissie, wow… what an amazing review! I love how you elevated this recipe with your own garden tomatoes and homemade pesto.
Frankie carrera
0So delicious, this has to been my favorite!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy to hear that, Frankie! Thank you!