Brunson Egg and Cheese

Cultural Context

The Brunson Egg and Cheese is a June 2026 New York pop-culture breakfast trend inspired by Knicks guard Jalen Brunson's viral bodega order: an everything bagel with egg and cheese, hash browns, spicy mayo, toasted, with peach Snapple and purple Doritos on the side. After the order circulated through social media and food press, bagel shops and diners began selling versions as "The Brunson" or the "Brunson egg and cheese." This home version is adapted from the reported order, creator/shop builds, and standard hash-brown breakfast sandwich technique.

Ingredients

Sandwiches

• 2 everything bagels, split
• 2 frozen hash brown patties, about 64 g (2 1/4 oz) each
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil or olive oil, for the hash browns
• 4 large eggs
• 1 g (1/4 tsp) kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 g (1/4 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• 14 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 4 slices white American cheese

Spicy Mayo

• 60 g (1/4 cup) mayonnaise
• 15 g (1 tbsp) sriracha or Calabrian chile paste
• 5 ml (1 tsp) pickle brine or lemon juice
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) smoked paprika or hot paprika

For Serving

• Peach Snapple, chilled (optional, for the full viral order)
• Purple-bag Doritos, such as Spicy Sweet Chili (optional, for the full viral order)

Substitutions:

• Everything bagels -> plain, sesame, or poppy bagels, though the everything seasoning is part of the signature order
• American cheese -> cheddar, pepper jack, or provolone; American melts closest to a bodega egg-and-cheese
• Sriracha -> chipotle mayo, hot sauce, gochujang, or chile crisp blended into mayonnaise
• Frozen hash brown patties -> 180 g (about 2 cups) shredded potato, squeezed dry and pan-fried in two thin patties

Equipment

• Large nonstick skillet or griddle
• Small mixing bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Spatula
• Toaster, toaster oven, or broiler
• Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

Preparation (Active time: 8 min)

1. Mix the spicy mayo: Stir together the mayonnaise, sriracha, pickle brine, and paprika. Taste and adjust with more chile paste for heat or more brine for tang. Set aside.

2. Toast the bagels: Toast the split everything bagels until the cut sides are crisp but the centers are still chewy. Spread spicy mayo on both cut sides of each bagel.

3. Beat the eggs: Whisk the eggs with the kosher salt and black pepper until no large streaks of white remain.

Cooking (Active time: 12 min)

4. Crisp the hash browns: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the frozen hash brown patties and cook until deeply golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and keep warm.

5. Cook the folded eggs: Wipe the skillet clean, lower the heat to medium-low, and melt the butter. Add the beaten eggs. Let them set for 20 to 30 seconds, then gently push the edges toward the center so loose egg flows outward. When the eggs are mostly set but still glossy on top, fold them into two rough squares sized to fit the bagels.

6. Melt the cheese: Place 2 slices of American cheese on each egg square. Cover the pan for 30 to 60 seconds, just until the cheese softens and the eggs reach 160°F (71°C).

Assembly & Finishing

7. Build the sandwiches: Place one cheesy egg square on each sauced bagel bottom. Top each with a crisp hash brown patty, then close with the sauced bagel top.

8. Toast the assembled sandwich: For the bodega-style finish, return the sandwiches to the dry skillet or a toaster oven for 1 to 2 minutes per side, pressing lightly, until the bagel exterior is hot and the cheese clings to the hash brown.

9. Serve immediately: Cut in half if desired. Serve hot with the optional peach Snapple and purple Doritos for the full Brunson order.

Food Safety & Storage

• Minimum safe internal temperature: Cook egg mixtures to 160°F (71°C). Reheat refrigerated leftovers to 165°F (74°C).
• Storage: Best eaten immediately while the hash brown is crisp. Refrigerate wrapped sandwiches within 2 hours and keep for up to 2 days.
• Freezing: Not recommended after assembly because the hash brown and toasted bagel soften. For meal prep, freeze cooked egg-and-cheese portions separately and add fresh bagels, sauce, and hash browns when serving.
• Reheating: Reheat wrapped loosely in foil at 350°F (177°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, then open the foil for 3 to 5 minutes to re-crisp. Avoid microwaving unless speed matters more than texture.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve as a complete breakfast sandwich with a cold peach iced tea or peach Snapple.
• Add purple-bag Doritos on the side, as in Brunson's reported bodega order.
• For a diner plate, add a few pickle spears, hot sauce, and extra spicy mayo for dipping.
• Traditional serving style: wrapped hot in deli paper or foil, then eaten right away while commuting or watching a game.

Scaling Notes

Half recipe (1/2x): Make 1 sandwich with 2 eggs, 1 bagel, 1 hash brown patty, 2 cheese slices, and half the spicy mayo.

Double recipe (2x): Use a griddle or two skillets so the hash browns stay crisp. Keep cooked hash browns on a rack in a 225°F (107°C) oven while finishing the eggs.

Chef's Notes

• Sourcing: Choose sturdy deli-style everything bagels that can hold the egg, cheese, and hash brown without tearing. Frozen rectangular hash brown patties are closest to the bodega/shop builds seen online.
• Make-ahead: The spicy mayo keeps for 5 days refrigerated. Bagels can be sliced in advance and frozen; toast straight from frozen.
• Variations: Use chipotle mayo instead of sriracha mayo, add hot sauce to the eggs, or swap in pepper jack for a sharper sandwich. Some shop versions use a Knicks-colored bagel, but a standard everything bagel keeps the home version practical.
• Common pitfalls: Do not under-toast the bagel or under-crisp the hash brown; the sandwich becomes soft quickly. Keep the eggs folded rather than loose-scrambled so they stay inside the bagel.

Nutrition Information (Optional)

Per sandwich: approximately 705 kcal

• Protein: 28g | Fat: 43g | Carbohydrates: 53g | Fiber: 4g

Sources

• Current trend reference: https://people.com/jalen-brunsons-bodega-order-has-gone-viral-11998314
• Current trend reference: https://nypost.com/2026/06/16/sports/jalen-brunsons-bodega-order-starts-new-egg-and-cheese-trend/
• Creator/shop build reference: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZnyR4ixMvp/
• Shop menu/build reference: https://www.bongiornobagels.com/menu
• Hash brown breakfast sandwich technique reference: https://www.southernliving.com/cowboy-hash-brown-breakfast-sandwich-8417116
• Hero image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egg_%26_potato_bagel_sandwich.JPG

Version History:

• v1 (2026-06-20): Initial recipe by @Codex

Credits:

• Recipe development: @Codex, adapted from Jalen Brunson's reported bodega order and the sources listed above
• Testing: @Codex
• Verification: @Coordinator
• Photography: Malcolm Koo / Mk2010, "Egg & potato bagel sandwich.JPG," Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egg_%26_potato_bagel_sandwich.JPG

Recipe Location: /Recipe-of-the-Week/Recipes/2026-06-20_brunson-egg-and-cheese.md
Images Location: /Recipe-of-the-Week/Images/brunson-egg-and-cheese/