Eggs and Potatoes

When breakfast potatoes are combined with eggs and cheese, something special happens. A hearty, savory, crispy, creamy and gooey combination of flavors and textures emerges. But what’s truly special about this eggs and potatoes recipe is how it creates these tasty layers in a single skillet.

This skillet potato and egg recipe is perfect for weekend breakfast, holiday brunch or any time you’re looking for dinner dishes with an egg on top. Serve the skillet with an easy side salad, or alter the recipe to incorporate your favorite vegetables, herbs and spices.

Ingredients for Eggs and Potatoes

• Butter: Browning the potatoes in butter creates rich, savory, crispy potatoes that are soft and fluffy on the inside. As the butter browns and caramelizes, the potatoes develop a nutty flavor and a slight sweetness.
• Potatoes: This recipe calls for diced, waxy red potatoes. This type of potato is terrific for sauteing and roasting due to its low starch and high moisture content.
• Parsley: Bright, herbal and mildly peppery, fresh minced parsley brings a refreshing contrast to the heavier flavors in this skillet potatoes recipe.
• Garlic: Two cloves of minced garlic add an aromatic spiciness to the skillet while adding depth and complexity to the dish.
• Eggs: Eight large, fresh eggs are added to the skillet before it’s popped into the oven.
• Cheese: Shredded cheddar is the cheese of choice because of its savory, buttery and slightly tangy character. If you don’t have cheddar or prefer to use another cheese, choose another melting cheese for this recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the potatoes

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Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a 10-inch cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced potatoes. Cook and stir until golden brown and fork tender.

Step 2: Add the eggs

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Stir in the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. With the back of a spoon, make four wells in the potato mixture. Break two eggs into each well.

Step 3: Bake the skillet

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Place the skillet into the preheated oven and bake until the egg whites are completely set and the yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 9 to 11 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, about one minute.

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Recipe Variations 

• Add meat: This baked egg and potato skillet pairs well with the salty and savory flavor of ground breakfast sausage, diced ham or chopped, smoky bacon.
• Include vegetables: For a delicious and vitamin-rich variation, add Brussels spouts, bell peppers or kale to the skillet while sauteing the potatoes. In addition to adding a dose of colorful green vegetables to your meal, these additions will add a subtly sweet earthiness.
• Give it south-of-the-border flair: To turn this recipe into a Mexican-inspired breakfast recipe, brown bulk chorizo sausage in the skillet before cooking the potatoes, and replace the parsley with chopped cilantro. Serve the dish with a dollop of sour cream and any of your favorite salsa recipes.

How to Store Eggs and Potatoes

Store leftover eggs and potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave, on the stovetop or in the oven until heated through.

Can you make eggs and potatoes ahead of time?

You can prepare the potatoes ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but we don’t recommend cooking the eggs in advance. Leftover fried eggs will become completely hard-cooked during reheating. Instead, reheat the potatoes in the skillet and add the eggs as directed. Alternatively, you can simply make an over-easy egg and add it to the top of the reheated leftovers.

Eggs and Potatoes Tips

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Can you make breakfast burritos with this egg and potato recipe?

It’s easy to turn this eggs and potatoes skillet into a breakfast burrito recipe. Simply spoon the finished dish into a warm flour tortilla and add the desired toppings, like salsa or hot sauce. Then, fold the burrito around the fillings.

How do you make baked potatoes and eggs with firm egg yolks?

Our eggs and potatoes skillet creates thick but not hard yolks, but you can easily bake the skillet longer until the yolks are firm and no longer runny. Alternatively, add scrambled eggs to the skillet, top with cheese and bake until melted.

If you want to turn this skillet into a potato frittata with cheese, prepare the potatoes as directed. Beat the eggs in a medium-sized bowl and pour them over the sauteed potatoes. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, until the eggs are nearly set, five to seven minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat until the eggs are completely set, two to three minutes.