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Skillet Breakfast Potatoes

Skillet breakfast potatoes are delicious with crispy browned edges and cheese, bacon and onion. Skip going out and make your own classic diner-style home fries at home!

If you love breakfast recipes with potatoes, you’ll also love skillet potatoes, this egg skillet recipe and for a make-ahead option try overnight breakfast casserole!

Breakfast potatoes in skillet.
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Savory Breakfast Potatoes

This skillet breakfast potatoes recipe is one of those basic dishes that goes perfect with just about anything! We love to serve them with scrambled eggs or omelettes, but they go great with buttermilk pancakes, Belgian waffles or my best french toast recipe as well.

They don’t just have to be served with breakfast, though! They taste great served with a big, juicy steak in the oven just like my mashed potato pancakes or combine the two for a steak and potatoes recipe!

Serve with a big dollop of sour cream and you’ve got yourself some delicious loaded baked potatoes. Mmm… seriously, there is nothing better than potatoes loaded with bacon, cheese and sour cream.

Breakfast potatoes in cast iron skillet.

Best Type of Potatoes to Use

I typically use russet potatoes (aka baking potatoes), but you could also use red potatoes as well. I’ve found that these types get the crispiest on the outside, while still remaining soft and tender on the inside.

How to Make Skillet Breakfast Potatoes

  • Wash and piece potatoes. Cook for 10-15 minutes in microwave until tender. Remove and let cool.
  • While potatoes are cooking, cook bacon in frying pan over medium heat. Cook until crisp, then place on a paper towel lined plate.
  • Add onions and chiles in pan with bacon grease and saute until translucent. Then dice potatoes and place in pan. Add S&P and then stir. Then add cheese and bacon on top and turn heat to low until cheese is melted.
  • Enjoy with a fried egg, salsa and sour cream on top. Yum!
Breakfast potatoes on white plate.

Variations

  • Make if a full meal: Add a few eggs on top by creating wells in the potatoes, then cracking the eggs into the wells. Cover and let cook until set!
  • Protein: Instead of bacon add in cooked sausage or diced ham.
  • Heat: Add in some red pepper flakes or top with hot sauce.
  • Garnish: Fresh herbs add a pop of color or fresh taste! Try fresh parsley or cilantro.

FAQs

Do you have to boil the potatoes before frying?

Yes, I recommend either boiling or microwaving the potatoes prior to frying them. I typically microwave mine, as I find that method easier and more convenient. To microwave, pierce with a fork a few times then cook in microwave for 10-15 minutes, until fork tender.

If boiling, add water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and add pierced potatoes and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender.

Do I need to peel the potatoes?

I like to remove some of the skin, but not all. Keeping some of the skin helps to make for crispy breakfast potatoes. I’d recommend peeling about half of the skin prior to frying.

How to dice potatoes evenly?

To start, slice the potato in half vertically. Then turn each half over so that it’s laying flat side down. Slice each half into vertical slices that are about half an inch wide. Once you’ve vertically sliced all your pieces, lay the slices flat side down on your cutting board.

This is when you’ll dice the pieces horizontally to make cubes. Each cube should be about half inch to an inch wide. I like to line my slices up in a row, then dice them horizontally all at once so that they’re all the same size. This is also way quicker too!

Breakfast potatoes and egg on plate.

Need more hearty breakfast recipes? Try my homemade biscuits and gravy recipe, breakfast burritos or this cheesy bacon breakfast skillet!

Favorite Breakfast Recipes

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breakfast potatoes recipe

Breakfast Potatoes

5 from 8 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
Skillet breakfast potatoes are delicious with crispy browned edges and cheese, bacon and onion. Skip going out and make your own classic diner-style home fries at home!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6

Video

Ingredients 

  • 3 large baking potatoes , or 6 small red potatoes
  • 6 pieces bacon , cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup onion , chopped
  • 4 ounce can chopped green chiles , or 1/4 cup salsa verde
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheese

Instructions

  • Wash your potatoes and then pierce several times with a fork. Cook in the microwave for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and allow to cool.
  • While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a frying pan or large skillet over medium heat. Cook until crisp and then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate.
  • Place onions and green chiles in the pan with bacon grease and saute until the onions are translucent. Next, dice the potatoes (I like to remove some of the skin first) and then place in the pan. Add salt and pepper and then stir around, breaking up any large pieces. Add cheese and bacon on top and turn heat to low and allow to cook until the cheese is melted.
  • Enjoy with a fried egg, salsa and sour cream on top. We also like to roll these potatoes up in a tortilla with scrambled eggs to make breakfast burritos. They even taste great as a dinner side. So many yummy ways to enjoy them!

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 930mg | Potassium: 557mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 20.5mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 3.9mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

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