Breakfast Skillet
on Jul 10, 2023, Updated Jun 27, 2024
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You can enjoy all your favorite savory breakfast foods in one bite with my easy Breakfast Skillet recipe! Packed with bacon, eggs, potatoes, bell peppers, and cheddar cheese, this breakfast skillet is a hearty dish that’s sure to please.
When you’re craving something savory for breakfast, but don’t want to decide between potatoes, veggies, bacon, and eggs, whip up this quick and easy breakfast skillet! Made in a single pan in 30 minutes, this filling breakfast is a fan-favorite in our household. I love that it doesn’t dirty a ton of dishes and my kids love how salty, savory, and hearty it is!
Breakfast Skillet
Most of the time, I serve this loaded breakfast skillet as-is, but when I’m feeling fancy, I’ll top it with some guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo. This recipe makes enough to serve a family, or if you’re just making it for yourself, freeze the leftovers and reheat them again later in the week. You can even use the leftover country breakfast skillet as the filling in breakfast burritos or tacos! Trust me, this is a recipe you’ll want to have in your back pocket.
This loaded breakfast skillet can be served all on its own, with some fun garnishes, or with other side dishes for special occasions. I like topping my easy breakfast skillet with some sour cream, hot sauce, freshly chopped parsley, salsa, or sausage gravy. Because this skillet is such a filling dish, I recommend serving it with lighter breakfast sides such as fruit, toast, or yogurt.
Ingredients
- Bacon—Cooked to your preferred level of crispiness and chopped.
- Eggs—Thoroughly whisked.
- Potatoes—Diced into half-inch bites.
- Bell Pepper—Diced. Any color will do.
- Onion—A white onion will give this dish a mild, savory flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese—I prefer the bite of a sharp cheddar, but you can also use medium or mild.
- Olive Oil—Softens the vegetables and crisps the potatoes.
- Spices—A simple blend of garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
How to Make a Loaded Breakfast Skillet
- In a large cast iron skillet, sauté together the bell pepper, onion, and olive oil until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the potatoes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and cook until the potatoes are fluffy in the middle and crispy on the outside.
- Move the potato mixture to one side of the pan before adding the whisked eggs. Cook the eggs until scrambled.
- Finally, add the cooked bacon and cheese and give everything one last stir to combine.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Combining eggs, bacon or sausage, and potatoes in a skillet is a popular breakfast dish that goes by many names. It’s most commonly called a breakfast skillet or a country breakfast skillet. However, you may also see it referred to as a cowboy breakfast, a hash, or even a hobo skillet.
A skillet is a simple sautéed mixture of potatoes, bacon, scrambled eggs, and veggies. The individual components are often chopped into bite-sized pieces and are mixed together. Sometimes skillets are garnished with a sauce or cheese. An omelet on the other hand is a whisked egg mixture that is cooked and folded over any variety of savory fillings. Think of an omelet as the calzone of the breakfast world! Both dishes are enjoyed for breakfast.
I love making this breakfast dish in a cast iron skillet because it cooks so evenly! The cast iron retains heat well, making it easy to get an even sear on everything in the pan. Additionally, cast iron skillets are notoriously durable and naturally nonstick.
If you happen to have any breakfast skillet left over, transfer it to a reusable airtight container before storing. It should stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat the chilled or frozen skillet in the microwave in 60-second increments, stirring frequently.
Recipe Variations
Add a little color and sweetness to this savory breakfast dish by swapping out the russet potatoes for Yukon gold or sweet potatoes. Simply cube, season, and sauté your potato of choice as normal.
Love pan-seared veggies? Toss some asparagus, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, cauliflower, spinach, or cherry tomatoes into your skillet with the bell pepper and onion. This will add some deep earthy flavor and some extra nutrition to your meal.
If bacon isn’t your thing, you can swap it out for your favorite breakfast protein. Sausage, ham, steak, chickpeas, and tofu bacon are all delicious options.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Don’t have a cast iron skillet? That’s ok! You can still make this dish in any high-sided pan.
- Instead of eating this skillet straight from the pan, try wrapping it in a tortilla for a quick and easy on-the-go breakfast burrito!
- Swap out the cheddar cheese for pepper jack, add some diced jalapeño, and season the potatoes with some red pepper flakes to give this skillet a bit of a kick.
More Recipes
- Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
- Easy Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole
- Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches for a Crowd
If you’ve tried this Breakfast Skillet recipe or any other recipe on Bless This Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
Breakfast Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion, about ½ large onion
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 medium sized russet potatoes, diced
- 4 large eggs
- 5 slices bacon, cooked
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and diced bell pepper and saute until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the diced potatoes and spices to the skillet and cook until the potatoes are soft and slightly crispy on the outside. This may take about 10-15 depending on the size of the potato pieces.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, move the ingredients to the side of the pan and add the eggs to the empty side. Whisk the eggs continuously until scrambled and fully cooked.
- Chop the bacon into small pieces and add it to the skillet along with the cheese. Fold to combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- This skillet is great topped with some avocado, salsa, sour cream, or hot sauce.
- We prefer to use russet potatoes but you can also use yukon gold potatoes. This will add a little bit of sweetness to the skillet that compliments the sweetness of the bell pepper.
- While I like green bell peppers best in this recipe, you can really use any color.
- Store your leftover skillet in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat it in the microwave for about a minute.
- For some extra spice, exchange the cheddar cheese for pepper jack cheese or add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the dish.
Nutrition
This recipe for a hearty, breakfast skillet is one that you will want to make over and over again. It is delicious, quick to make and so filling.
