Farmers Breakfast Skillet With Bacon and Eggs

Breakfast egg and potato skillet
Spencer Jones/StockFood Creative/Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This farmer's breakfast is a whole breakfast for four in one skillet. Rather than making individual omelets and hash browns or breakfast potatoes, you have it all in one dish.

Once you've gotten the knack of making a skillet breakfast, you can go wild with variations. There are lots of different vegetables you can add to this dish. Practically any leftover cooked vegetables can be added. As well, you may have "aspirational vegetables" going to waste in your refrigerator and this is a chance to dice them and add them to the skillet. Change it up with breakfast meats other than bacon, or leave out the meat altogether for a vegetarian option. Season the eggs with your favorite herbs or seasoning blends.

If you have a trusted cast iron skillet, be sure to keep stirring the eggs so they don't stick or burn. Using a nonstick pan can help.

Ingredients

  • 5 strips bacon, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

  • 3 medium potatoes, cooked, cubed

  • 6 large eggs, beaten

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large, heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. In the bacon drippings, cook the onion and potatoes until browned, about 5 minutes. Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet.

  3. Cook, stirring gently until the eggs are set and cooked through. Be sure to reduce the heat and keep stirring so the egg mixture doesn't stick or burn on the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle it and the shredded cheese onto the cooked eggs. Let it stand a minute or two, just until the cheese melts.

  5. Serve warm and enjoy. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Recipe Tips

  • To save time for cooking the cubed potatoes and any other hard vegetable you might add, place them in a covered dish in the microwave and cook them on high for 3 to 5 minutes until they are softened.
  • For food safety, cooked eggs should reach 160 F as determined with an instant-read thermometer.
  • Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave and can be rolled in a tortilla for a breakfast burrito.

Skillet Breakfast Variations

  • Green onions: Add chopped green onion tops to the potatoes about 1 minute before you add the eggs.
  • Bell peppers: Add a few tablespoons of chopped bell peppers along with the onion, sauteeing it with the onion to cook and soften the peppers. This will add color as well as flavor.
  • Mushrooms: Sauté mushrooms ahead of time and then added them with the egg, or add canned mushrooms when you add the egg.
  • Spinach: Tear fresh spinach into 1-inch pieces. Add it in the last minute of cooking the potatoes and onions.
  • Ham: Instead of bacon, brown about 8 ounces of diced ham in the skillet. Sprinkle it over the top of the egg and potatoes along with the shredded cheese.
  • Pork sausage: Instead of bacon, brown about 8 ounces of bulk pork sausage in the skillet. Sprinkle it over the top of the egg and potato mixture with the cheese.

 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
361 Calories
17g Fat
30g Carbs
21g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 361
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 308mg 103%
Sodium 607mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 13mg 64%
Calcium 174mg 13%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 895mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)