Use Frozen Scallion Pancakes for Excellent Breakfast Sandwiches (Patreon)

If you’ve read The Wok, you’ve seen me talk about scallion pancakes as more than just something you eat alongside a meal. Across Taiwan and parts of China, flaky pancakes and flatbreads are often folded or wrapped around eggs, meats, and sauces to make fast, satisfying breakfasts. In the book, I leaned into that idea with a bacon-and-Cheddar version, frying the pancake in rendered bacon fat and folding it around a fried egg.

I wasn’t the first to look at scallion pancakes this way, either. At Mei Mei in Boston, siblings Irene Li, Andrew Li, and Margaret Li use scallion pancakes as the base for a whole range of sandwiches. One of my favorites is their “Double Awesome,” brushed with pesto, layered with melted Cheddar, and folded around a fried egg with a runny yolk. It’s a great example of how naturally scallion pancakes lend themselves to being treated as sandwich bread.

This version starts in the same place—using a frozen scallion pancake as the base—but heads in a different flavor direction.

After gently browning the frozen pancake in a skillet with butter (I use my non-coated, nonstick Titanium Pro pan for eggs these days), I flip it and melt pepper jack directly onto it, then add a few dollops of Calabrian chile paste for heat and depth. Once the second side is crisp, and the cheese nice and melty, I transfer the whole thing to a paper towel-lined cutting board, while I add a bit more butter and fry a couple eggs.

Psst: By the way, the secret to getting perfectly-shaped fried eggs is the same as the secret to getting perfectly-shaped poached eggs: strain them before you cook them to remove the excess watery whites.

Once the eggs are set and lightly crisp on the bottom, I like to add a small splash of water and cook them under a lid for just a few moments (10 to 15 seconds, really) in order to set the whites on top of the egg without overcooking it.

A big handful of arugula (lightly seasoned and dressed with olive oil) adds peppery bite and crunch, while thin slices of prosciutto bring salt and richness without making the sandwich feel heavy. A couple of fried eggs go on top, and the whole thing gets folded up into something spicy, creamy, peppery, and deeply satisfying.

As with the version in The Wok, the real trick is keeping scallion pancakes in your freezer. Store-bought frozen pancakes cook straight from frozen and work beautifully, which means this is a 10-minute breakfast or lunch that feels far more indulgent than the effort suggests.

Recipe: Scallion Pancake Egg Sandwiches with Arugula, Cheese, Chilies, and Prosciutto

Yield: 2 sandwichesActive Time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 15 minutesNotes: Store-bought frozen scallion pancakes cook directly from frozen and work perfectly here.

What I love about this recipe:

Melting the cheese directly on the pancake locks everything together

Calabrian chile adds heat without overpowering the eggs

Draining the eggs keep them

Arugula keeps the whole thing bright and balanced

Ingredients

Butter, as needed

1 frozen scallion pancake (about 8 inches / 20 cm)

2 to 3 ounces (60–85 g) pepper jack cheese, grated

1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30ml) Calabrian chile paste, to taste

2 large eggs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large handful arugula (about 1 ounce / 30 g)

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 to 3 thin slices prosciutto

Method

Cook the scallion pancake.Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Rub with a stick of butter to lightly coat. The butter should foam immediately. Add the frozen scallion pancake and cook until deeply golden and crisp on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip.

Add cheese and chile.Sprinkle the grated pepper jack evenly over the pancake, then dot with the Calabrian chile paste. Continue cooking until the second side is crisp and the cheese is fully melted. Transfer to a cutting board.

Drain and fry the eggs.Crack the eggs into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and let the loose whites drain by swirling gently. Transfer the eggs to a small bowl. Return the pan to medium-high heat and rub with a little more butter. Add the eggs and cook until the bottoms are set and crisp around the edges. Add a splash of water, cover, and cook until the whites are fully set but the yolks remain runny, about 15 to 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Dress the arugula.Place the arugula on top of half of the pancake. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add a few slices of prosciutto, then top with the eggs. Fold the pancake over the fillings, press gently, and cut in half if desired. Serve immediately, with plenty of napkins.