Hearty Cowboy Breakfast Skillet
A comforting skillet breakfast with crispy bacon, browned sausage, sautéed vegetables, golden potatoes, runny eggs, and melted cheddar cheese, perfect for family-style serving and versatile flavor variations.
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 420 kcal
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 8 oz breakfast sausage pork, beef, or turkey
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 medium russet potatoes peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon grease
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or cheese of choice
- Optional toppings: sliced green onions chopped cilantro, hot sauce, salsa, avocado slices
Cook chopped bacon slowly in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until crispy and fat is rendered, about 8–10 minutes. Remove bacon and leave 1 tablespoon of fat.
Add sausage to the skillet, break up with a spatula, and brown thoroughly for 5–7 minutes. Remove cooked sausage and set aside with bacon.
Sauté diced onion and bell peppers in the skillet for 5–6 minutes until onions are translucent and peppers soften. Add minced garlic last minute and stir until fragrant.
Push vegetables aside, add olive oil or bacon grease, and place diced potatoes evenly. Season with smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook undisturbed 4–5 minutes to brown, then stir and cook 10–12 minutes until tender and crispy.
Combine cooked vegetables, bacon, and sausage in the skillet. Toss and cook 2–3 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Create six wells in the potato mixture and crack one egg into each. Cover skillet and cook on medium-low heat until whites are set and yolks runny, about 5–7 minutes.
Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the skillet, cover again, and cook 1–2 minutes until cheese melts. Remove from heat and garnish with optional toppings before serving family-style.
- Russet potatoes provide crispiness, Yukon Golds add creaminess.
- Parboil potatoes for faster cooking and fluffier texture.
- Scramble eggs separately for firmer yolks if preferred.
- Leftovers keep 3-4 days refrigerated; reheat in skillet or oven.
- Freeze skillet base for meal prepping; add fresh eggs when reheating.
- For more heat, add jalapeños or chorizo and use pepper jack cheese.