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English Muffin with Ham, Tomatoes, & Pesto

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Submitted by kites

English muffin with ham, tomato, and basil pesto baked under a garlic cream cheese topping. An open-face brunch bite with crisped edges and a fresh homemade pesto drizzle.

YIELD

6 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

20 min

READY

40 min

This English muffin bite is what happens when a proper brunch host raids the refrigerator and builds something much better than the sum of its parts. An open-face sandwich, toasted under heat, with four distinct layers stacked on a split English muffin.

First comes a garlic cream cheese spread: softened butter and cream cheese creamed until fluffy with minced garlic. Then a slice of baked deli ham trimmed to fit the muffin, a slice of ripe tomato, a teaspoon of fresh basil pesto, and a final dollop of the garlic cream cheese. Into a 400°F (205°C) oven for 20 minutes until the cheese melts and lightly browns and the edges of the muffin crisp.

The pesto here is homemade and worth the extra minute. A blender handles this one better than a food processor because the smaller jar forces the basil down into the blades, which is exactly what chef-level pesto needs. Leftover pesto freezes beautifully in ice cube trays for future pasta nights.

Kitchen Tips

  • Toast the English muffin halves lightly before assembling. A five-minute pre-toast keeps the bottom from going soggy under the cream cheese.
  • Drain the tomato slices on paper towels for a minute. Tomato water leaks into the pesto and muddies the flavor.
  • Use a blender, not a food processor, for the pesto as the recipe warns. You may need to shove the basil down several times with a spatula.
  • Freeze extra pesto in 1-inch ice cube trays, then bag the cubes. A single cube thaws into a quick pasta sauce.

Variations

  • Smoked salmon: Swap ham for smoked salmon and sprinkle capers on top.
  • Prosciutto and arugula: Use prosciutto and finish with fresh arugula after baking for a peppery lift.
  • Sun-dried tomato pesto: Swap the basil pesto for sun-dried tomato pesto for a deeper, winter version.

Ingredients

1 113
STICK G BUTTER
8 231.2
OUNCES ML/G CREAM CHEESE
1 1
CLOVES EACH GARLIC
minced
6 6
EACH EACH ENGLISH MUFFIN
halved *
12 12
SLICES SLICES DELI HAM
baked, cut to fit muffin halves *
12 12
SLICES SLICES TOMATOES *
4 60
TABLESPOONS ML BASIL PESTO *
Pesto
4 946
CUPS ML BASIL
washed, stripped from stems *
4 4
CLOVES EACH GARLIC
¼ 59
CUP ML OLIVE OIL
¼ 59
CUP ML PINE NUTS
1 237
CUP ML PARMESAN CHEESE
grated

Directions

Remove butter and cream cheese from fridge and allow to soften.

Cream together until fluffy.

Blend in minced garlic.

Place the muffin halves on a baking sheet.

Spead each with a portion of the cheese mixture.

Then top each muffin with a slice of ham and a slice of tomato.

Spread pesto on top of each tomato, using about 1 teaspoon per tomato.

Place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture on top of that and bake at 400℉ (200℃) for about 20 mintes or until the cheese has melted and is slightly browned.

Pesto: Blend until a paste forms, you may have to shove it down with a spatula several times in the blender container.

A food processor does not do this as well as a blender.

Freeze and cut into 1 inch cubes any left over pesto and serve with pasta.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 96g (3.4 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 470 89% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 46g 71%
Saturated Fat 23g 113%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 98mg 33%
Sodium 479mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Sugars g
Protein 21g
Vitamin A 21% Vitamin C 4%
Calcium 23% Iron 6%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, Low Carb
 
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