Start your day with this hearty Cowboy Breakfast Skillet featuring crispy bacon, tender potatoes, fluffy scrambled eggs, and melty cheese all in one satisfying and hearty breakfast dish. Ready in about 20 minutes, it’s a great way to fuel up for a busy morning or a lazy weekend brunch.

I love a good breakfast skillet, and anything with cowboy in the name! I make a Cowboy Coffee Cake and I’m super excited to whip up some Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookies soon. There’s also cowboy breakfast casserole, pasta salad, beans, stew, and even pie. I’ll definitely be making some of those in the future.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a satisfying breakfast made with simple, everyday ingredients.
- There’s almost no prep, so it comes together in about 20 minutes making it perfect for busy mornings.
- The recipe serves four people, but you can easily scale it up or down to feed the whole family, no matter the size, in about the same amount of time.
Ingredient Photo
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Bacon: I usually use thick center-cut bacon, but ground sausage or even pre-cooked sausage work great too. If you’re using sausage, about 2 ounces per person is a good rule of thumb.
- Potatoes: I use frozen potatoes with chopped onion, green, and red bell pepper already added (also called O’Brien Potatoes). How easy is that?! You can also use refrigerated diced potatoes or shredded frozen or refrigerated hash browns, just cook them according to the package directions before adding the eggs.
- Eggs: Use your favorite eggs—whether regular, organic, or free-range. You can also use the equivalent amount of egg whites or an egg substitute if you prefer.
- Cheese: We like cheddar cheese for this, but any kind will work. In the photos for this post, I used freshly grated cheese because that’s what I had on hand. Most of the time, I use pre-shredded for convenience even though freshly grated melts and looks better.
- Oil: I use a little canola oil, but you can use your favorite oil or even a bit of bacon grease for extra flavor.
- Seasoning: We keep it simple with just a little salt and black pepper.
Step-By-Step Instructions (with photos)
See recipe card below for complete directions with amounts.
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook until heated through and starting to turn golden brown, about 12–15 minutes.
Step 2: While the potatoes are cooking, fry the bacon in a separate pan. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and let it cool enough to handle, then cut or crumble it into pieces.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper.
Step 4: Pour the eggs into the skillet with the potatoes, add the crumbled bacon and cook, stirring frequently, about 2–4 minutes or until the eggs are just set.
Additional Add-Ins
This breakfast skillet is easy and satisfying just the way it is, but if you’re looking for ideas to switch it up, here are some of our favorite add-ins and toppings.
- Spinach or kale: 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh, roughly chopped (it cooks down)
- Tomatoes: 1 medium tomato, diced (or 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped)
- Jalapeños/green chiles: 1 small jalapeño (seeded if you want less heat) or 1/4 cup canned green chiles
Optional Toppings
- Avocado: 1 medium, sliced or diced
- Salsa or hot sauce: to taste
- Fresh herbs: 2 tablespoons chopped (parsley, chives, or cilantro)
Storage and Reheating
- While this breakfast skillet is best enjoyed fresh, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, simply warm it in the microwave in short intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically yes, you can make it ahead and reheat it later. However, it’s definitely best fresh, since the texture of the eggs is better right after cooking.
Yes! Just dice them small so they cook faster. You’ll want to par-cook them in the skillet first, which may take extra time compared to frozen potatoes.
A large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet works best. Nonstick makes cleanup easy, while cast iron gives a nice crisp to the potatoes.
Yes! Swap the potatoes for cauliflower or diced turnips to lower the carb count while still keeping it hearty.
Definitely. If you’re feeding more people or want it more protein-packed, you can add an extra 2-4 eggs without needing to adjust much else.
Try These Easy Breakfast Recipes Next!
Copycat Waffle House Cheese Eggs
Cheese and eggs are cooked in melted butter and the end results is cheesy eggs that are so delicious!
Cowboy Breakfast Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 4 cups frozen potatoes with onions and peppers
- 8 strips bacon
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/3 cup shredded cheese
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Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook until heated through and starting to turn golden brown, about 12–15 minutes.1/4 cup canola oil, 4 cups frozen potatoes with onions and peppers
- While the potatoes are cooking, fry the bacon in a separate pan. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and let it cool enough to handle, then cut or crumble it into pieces.8 strips bacon
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper. Pour the eggs into the skillet with the potatoes, add the crumbled bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are just set, about 2–4 minutes.8 eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Top with cheese, then let it sit for a minute or two until the cheese melts a little.1 1/3 cup shredded cheese
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