Savory Breakfast Muffins
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Our hearty Savory Breakfast Muffins, also known as “Bisquick Sausage Muffins” to some, are the perfect grab-and-go morning meal for a wholesome start to your day. They are a cornbread-type muffin with meat, eggs, cheese, and vegetables in them.
“Great flavor and perfect to fill the freezer so your kiddo can grab and go with a hearty option to catch the early bus! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️” -KViall
Why We Love This Recipe
- They are a great make-ahead breakfast recipe.
- Savory muffins are satiating. The recipe is full of protein and some fiber which will keep you full longer, while being low in sugar.
- They are freezer-friendly. I make a big batch and freeze these in freezer bags.
- Savory muffins pair perfectly with a smoothie. Try one of our 7 smoothie freezer pack recipes.
Ingredient Notes
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for these breakfast muffins…
Ingredient Notes:
- Cooking spray – Whether I’m making these Savory Muffins, our Pumpkin Spice Muffins, or our Breakfast Egg Muffins, I prefer to use avocado oil as my spray. It’s healthier than vegetable oil.
- All-purpose baking mix – I’ve tested this the most of with the name brand Bisquick baking mix, so that is what will give you the most consistent results with our recipe. But we have homemade and gluten-free options in the cooking notes at the bottom of the recipe!
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own! Put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup, then add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir well and let sit until it curdles, about 5-10 minutes. I use this for our Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits all the time.
- Breakfast sausage – You can substitute this with chopped ham or cooked, crumbled bacon. You can also double the amount of meat in the recipe for a heartier muffin, but it will likely take longer to bake.
Variations and Substitutions
- You can easily double the amount of meat in these if you want a heartier muffin! They might just take a little longer to bake, though.
- Substitute the cooked sausage with diced ham or cooked, crumbled bacon.
- Use any color of bell pepper.
- Make them gluten-free (instructions for this in the recipe card).
How to Make Savory Breakfast Muffins
Here’s an overview of how these sausage muffins come together, but you can find the full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Prep
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray one or two regular muffin tins (this recipe makes 17 muffins) with cooking spray and set aside.
Cook Sausage, Onion, and Pepper
Heat the oil in a medium-sized saute pan over medium-high heat until shimmery. Saute the onion and peppers for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Set aside.
Prepare Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the baking mix, cornmeal, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl.
Prepare Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and butter. Stir in the sausage or ham, bell pepper, onion, and cheese to this wet mixture until combined.
Mix Wet & Dry Ingredients
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined (do not over-mix).
Fill Muffin Tin
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling three-fourths of the way up.
Bake
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Muffins are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for a couple minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.
Muffin Pan Tip
I highly recommend using a non-toxic, non-stick pan like this Caraway Muffin Pan. The muffins fall right out and clean up is a cinch! Note: This pan does bake a little faster than other pans, so check it on the early end of the baking time.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze For Later: Bake and let the muffins cool completely. Then place in a single layer in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Squeeze out excess air and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Prepare From Frozen: Wrap an individual frozen muffin in a moist paper towel. Microwave on high for 30-second increments until warmed through (usually about 1 1/2 minutes total).
FAQs
Crumbled and browned breakfast sausage (pork or turkey), cooked and crumbled bacon, or chopped deli ham would all work.
To avoid sugar, trans fats, and additives in a store-bought baking mix like Bisquick, try making your own with pantry ingredients. Here’s how:
To a food processor, add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons cold butter. Pulse until combined and course crumbs form.
If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own! Put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup, then add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir well and let sit until it curdles, about 5 minutes.
Sure, use what you like! These are great with shredded pepper jack cheese.
More Breakfast Recipes You Might Like
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Savory Breakfast Muffins
Our hearty Savory Breakfast Muffins, also known as “Bisquick Sausage Muffins” to some, are the perfect grab-and-go morning meal for a wholesome start to your day.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, divided
- 1/2 lb cooked, drained, and crumbled breakfast sausage (sub: 1 cup diced ham)
- 1 medium-sized green or red pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose baking mix like Biscuit (see homemade and gluten-free options in Cooking Notes)
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (see Cooking Notes)
- 5 tablespoons melted salted butter
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
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Instructions
- Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray one or two muffin pans with cooking spray and set aside.
- Brown Sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat until shimmery. Saute the sausage until browned, about 5-7 minutes, breaking it up into tiny pieces while it cooks. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Saute Veggies: Wipe out the pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmery. Saute the onion and peppers for 4-5 minutes, until softened, seasoning with salt and pepper while they cook. Set aside.
- Dry Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the baking mix, cornmeal, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Wet Mix: In another bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and butter. Stir in the sausage or ham, pepper/onion mixture, and cheese to this wet mixture until combined.
- Combine: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined (do not over mix). Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling almost to the top.
- Bake: Bake for 15-18 minutes. Muffins are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for a couple of minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.
- Serve: I like to serve these warm with a little butter.
Notes/Tips
Freezer Instructions
- Freeze For Later: Bake and let the muffins cool completely. Then place in a single layer in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Squeeze out excess air and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prepare From Frozen: Wrap an individual frozen muffin in a moist paper towel. Microwave on high for 30-second increments until warmed through (usually about 1 1/2 minutes total).
- To make this Gluten-Free, make the following alterations to the recipe:
- Replace all the Bisquick with King Arthur’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Mix (1:1 ratio).
- Reduce cornmeal from 1 cup to only a 1/2 cup
- Add an extra 1/4 cup buttermilk
- Add an extra 1 tablespoon butter
- Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- My tests showed that this gluten-free version bakes at the same rate as the normal recipe.
- Homemade Baking Mix: To avoid sugar, trans fats, and additives in a store-bought baking mix like Bisquick, try making your own from pantry ingredients. To a food processor, add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons cold butter. Pulse until combined and course crumbs form.
- Make your own buttermilk: If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own! Put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup, then add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir well and let sit until it curdles, about 5 minutes.
- You can definitely double the amount of meat used in this recipe to make them heartier, but you’ll likely need to bake the muffins longer.
- Muffin Pan Rec: I highly recommend using a non-toxic, non-stick pan like this Caraway Muffin Pan. The muffins fall right out and clean up is a cinch! Note: This pan does bake a little faster than other pans, so check it on the early end of the baking time.
Make 6 Grab-and-Go Breakfasts in 1 Hour!
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- Serving suggestions & dietary substitutions & more
I just made these for the first time and really like them-but I felt the cornmeal came through really strong (not a huge fan of cornmeal). Has anyone adjusted with more bisquick and less cornmeal? Just wondering if it still gives proper consistency. Thanks!
Hi Megan. Thanks for the review. If you’re not a big cornmeal fan, you could try replacing some of it with whole wheat or all purpose flour perhaps. I would not add more Bisquick, since it has leavening agents in it and will mess up the ratios. Hope that helps!
Love these, and all your freezer meals! In fact, I’ve been making so many of your freezer meals that I’m running out of room in the freezer, which leads me to wonder…
How long would these last if stored in the refrigerator instead of the freezer?
HI Kelsey! They are best in the refrigerator for just 2-3 days… you could probably make it 4-5 days, but they might not taste as good. So fun to hear that you’ve filled your freezer up!
Absolutely LOVE this recipe and add so many veggies and spices. Perfect for drive-by eating of something healthy and delicious. I make this at least once a week for my husband and I. Thanks for sharing this excellent recipe.
So glad you enjoy this recipe regularly Patricia! Thank you for leaving a review.
We didn’t love this one. It has too much bread flavor and not enough “mix in stuff” flavor. It is a good a grab and go item. But when we have a sit down breakfast I add an over easy egg and more shredded cheese. If i make it again i will add more sausage and veggies.
Hi Michal. Thank you for your honest feedback. I do love that many of our grab-and-go recipes are customizable in what veggies/meat/cheese you choose and how much you use. Everyone’s preferences are so different.
Great flavor and perfect to fill the freezer so your kiddo can grab and go with a hearty option to catch the early bus!
Glad to hear these are helping your family with those busy mornings!
I’ve been spending way too much time, money and calories picking up fast food breakfast on my way to work. Taste great and love the texture. Glad I came across this recipe; it’s a keeper.
Thanks for leaving a review. So glad you found a keeper to help with cost, time, and quality of food! 🙂
I just made these for tomorrow morning, but realize I don’t know how to store them overnight! Can I refrigerate them or do I still need to freeze them? I hope you see this!
Hi Mel. Sorry we didn’t see this until now. Yes! You can absolutely refrigerate instead of freezing them.
Really good and a quick and healthier snack than a regular sweet muffin. I added deli ham extra sharp cheddar, a bit of red and green bell pepper with a seeded and deveined jalapeño and topped them with sliced scallions and a bit more cheese. Recipe made 16 regular size muffins- plenty to keep on hand for hot days this week and to stow a few in the freezer.
Thanks for sharing your additions, Gayle. I love the idea of adding in some veggies.
I made some substitutions based on what I had and what our family likes. Turned out really good. Here’s what I did:
-used turkey bacon bits
-added a cup of spinach to the sautéed onions
-substituted thawed hash browns for the cornmeal
Such great ideas! Thanks for sharing, Rebecca.
Easy to make and so good. My family has requested that I make these again soon.
Thanks for sharing your review, Kathy. Love to hear that these were a success.
Love these!!
Oh great!
I would like to try this recipe, however, I have to have gluten free. Do you think King Arthur All-Purpose Baking Mix would work? It is gluten free. If not, could I use gluten free Bisquick?
I haven’t tried it with a GF mix, but it sounds like it should work. Please let me know if you do, because I’ve got gluten-free myself and love these muffins!
Doesn’t say how many this makes?
I just updated the recipe. It makes a lot!
Love these!!! Have made them several times. So quick and easy and so delicious. Love that these can be made ahead and frozen. Pop them in microwave on busy mornings and they taste just the same as if I made them that morning.
Awesome, Melissa. Thanks for the review. You’ve motivated me to make these again for my family.
What is in the baking mix. Didn’t guite understand the directions. Sorry.
They look delicious and I can’t wait to make them.
Look for a generic baking mix like Bisquick, in the baking aisle. There are often all-natural versions of this in the health food section of a store.