BEST Bacon Sandwich with Caramelized Onions & Chipotle Mayo
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If you’re looking for the best bacon sandwich, look no further. Lightly pan-toasted bread, crispy bacon, sweet caramelized onions, smoky chipotle mayo, thin slices of tomato, and a little arugula come together to make one irresistible sandwich.
This is the kind of sandwich that makes you stop whatever you’re doing and give it your full attention. If you’re looking for the best bacon sandwich, this is it. Lightly pan-toasted bread, crispy bacon, sweet caramelized onions, smoky chipotle mayo, juicy tomato slices, and a handful of arugula come together to make something truly irresistible.
It’s messy, gooey, and absolutely not a first-date sandwich—and that’s part of the charm. Rich, sweet, smoky, and just a little spicy, every bite hits hard. Fair warning: when you’re finished, you’ll already be thinking about when you can make it again.
Key ingredient notes
- Bacon – Use thick-cut bacon for the best sandwich.
- Chipotle mayonnaise – We mix some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to make this. You can also look for some store-bought chipotle mayo.
- Caramelized onions – These are best sauteed in some of the leftover bacon oil.
- Bread – We like soft sandwich bread the best for this recipe. Sourdough is great, too.
- Tomatoes – If tomatoes aren’t in season either omit them or use cherry tomatoes.
- Arugula – The slightly spicy bite works well in the recipe. You can also substitute another type of lettuce.
Bacon sandwich ideas
The great thing about sandwiches is that they are incredibly versatile. Here are a few tasty variations to try:
- Bacon Egger – fry an egg and put it in the middle of this sandwich. Yum!
- Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich – start and finish the sandwich with a layer of cheddar cheese, butter the bread, then sear it in a pan until the bread is golden and cheese has melted.
- Avocado Bacon Sandwich – scoop a generous amount of guacamole on top of the bacon.
Serving suggestions
While you can easily eat one of these bacon sandwiches and call it a meal, sometimes we like to add a side dish. Here are a few that go well together:
BEST Bacon Sandwich with Caramelized Onions & Chipotle Mayo
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon
- ½ medium onion ( sliced thin)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon adobo sauce (see notes)
- 2 slices sandwich bread
- 1 small tomato (sliced)
- ¼ cup arugula
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a medium-sized pan over medium heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon oil.2 slices bacon
- Add the onion to the pan and cook until they are golden brown, about 10 minutes.½ medium onion
- While the onions are cooking, mix the mayonnaise and chipotle peppers in a small bowl.2 tablespoons mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon adobo sauce
- Remove the onions from the pan and put the bread into the pan. Let it toast for 1-2 minutes, until lightly golden.2 slices sandwich bread
- Spread the chipotle mayo on the toasted bread then top with the caramelized onions, crispy bacon, tomato slices, and arugula. Put the other slice of bread on top then serve right away.1 small tomato, ¼ cup arugula
Equipment Used
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
This recipe was inspired by Simone’s comment on our chipotle sea salt post about how she mixes chipotle peppers in mayonnaise. The bacon and caramelized onions seemed like the only logical things that belonged with chipotle mayonnaise on a sandwich.
This was so delicious! Each component was perfect (and just the right amount). Can’t wait to make it again.
Thanks so much, Maureen!
LOL… The “Best Bacon Sandwich” has only TWO slices of bacon? That was strange to see, but, it does sound good. I may try this sometime for my husband, but with more bacon.
Haha you can always add more!