There is something about a hearty cast iron breakfast skillet that feels like the perfect weekend breakfast, or easy breakfast-for-dinner idea. This Cheesy Breakfast Skillet combines crispy potatoes, savory sausage, sautéed peppers and onions, fresh spinach, and perfectly cooked eggs all in one pan.
Why You Will Love This Cheesy Breakfast Skillet Recipe
- Easy One Pan Breakfast – Everything cooks in a single cast iron skillet which means less cleanup, and an easy breakfast recipe for busy mornings or dinner.
- Loaded With Flavor – Savory breakfast sausage, crispy seasoned potatoes, cheddar cheese, and perfectly cooked eggs create the ultimate hearty breakfast skillet.
- Great For Breakfast Or Dinner – This cheesy skillet breakfast skillet recipe works perfectly for brunch, breakfast meal prep, or a quick breakfast-for-dinner option.
- Customizable Recipe – Swap the sausage, vegetables, cheese, or potatoes based on what you already have on hand.
- Perfect Cast Iron Breakfast – Cooking this recipe in a cast iron skillet helps create crispy potatoes and evenly cooked eggs.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Country Sausage: Substitute with spicy breakfast sausage, turkey sausage, chorizo, bacon, or even diced ham.
- Potatoes: Frozen diced hash browns or Yukon Gold potatoes work great in this cheesy breakfast skillet recipe.
- Cheddar Cheese: Pepper jack, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or smoked gouda are all delicious options. Omit, for a dairy-free breakfast skillet.
- Baby Spinach: Kale or arugula can be substituted, or simply leave the greens out altogether.
- Jalapeño: Omit for a milder skillet breakfast, or substitute with poblano peppers for less heat.
- Add-Ins: Sliced mushrooms, crumbled bacon, tomatoes and/or avocado are great additions to this breakfast skillet.
How to Prepare Cheesy Breakfast Skillet
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add the country sausage and break it apart as it cooks. Continue cooking until browned and fully cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the sausage from the skillet and reserve.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet along with the diced potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with the seasoning blend and toss to coat evenly.
- Cook the potatoes for about 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and lightly crisp.
- Add the minced onion, diced red bell pepper, and jalapeño. Continue cooking until the vegetables are softened to your liking, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir the cooked sausage back into the skillet along with the chopped spinach. Toss everything together just until the spinach wilts.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Create 4 to 5 small wells in the skillet mixture and crack an egg into each well.
- Season the eggs lightly with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the whites set, or to your liking. For softer yolks, cook about 4 to 5 minutes. For firmer yolks, cook longer.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
How to Serve and Store
- Serve this cheesy breakfast skillet with toast, biscuits, sourdough bread, avocado slices, or fresh fruit.
- Top with hot sauce, salsa, or sour cream for extra flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
- If meal prepping, consider cooking the eggs separately for the best texture when reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. After adding the eggs, place the skillet into a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven. Bake for about 8 minutes for creamy yolks, or slightly longer for firmer eggs.
Yes. You can fully cook the sausage, potatoes, and vegetables ahead of time. Reheat the skillet mixture and add the eggs fresh before serving.
A cast iron skillet works best because it helps crisp the potatoes and evenly distributes the heat throughout the breakfast skillet.
Absolutely. Frozen diced hash browns or breakfast potatoes work very well and save prep time.
Yes. Omit the sausage or substitute with plant-based breakfast sausage or extra vegetables like mushrooms and zucchini.
Remove the skillet from the heat once the egg whites are set but the yolks still look slightly soft. The residual heat will continue cooking the eggs slightly.
More Breakfast Skillet Recipes to Love
This cheesy skillet breakfast is the kind of easy one pan breakfast recipe that works any time of day. Crispy potatoes, savory sausage, melted cheddar cheese, sautéed vegetables, and perfectly cooked eggs come together in a hearty cast iron breakfast skillet that is perfect for brunch, meal prep, or breakfast-for-dinner nights. Whether you use fresh potatoes or frozen hash browns, this comforting breakfast recipe is packed with flavor and comes together with simple ingredients.
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Cheesy Breakfast Skillet
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 to 4 servings 1x
Description
Cheesy Breakfast Skillet made with sausage, potatoes, eggs, peppers, spinach, and cheddar cheese in one easy cast iron skillet breakfast recipe.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bulk country sausage
- 4 to 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for the eggs
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 red potatoes, diced small (or 1 1/2 cups frozen diced potatoes)
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced small
- 1 jalapeño, diced (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add the country sausage and break it apart as it cooks. Continue cooking until browned and fully cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the sausage from the skillet and reserve.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet along with the diced potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with the seasoning blend and toss to coat evenly.
- Cook the potatoes for about 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and lightly crisp.
- Add the minced onion, diced red bell pepper, and jalapeño. Continue cooking until the vegetables are softened to your liking, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir the cooked sausage back into the skillet along with the chopped spinach. Toss everything together just until the spinach wilts.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Create 4 to 5 small wells in the skillet mixture and crack an egg into each well.
- Season the eggs lightly with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the whites set, or to your liking. For softer yolks, cook about 4 to 5 minutes. For firmer yolks, cook longer.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
- ENJOY!
Equipment
Notes
- Dice the potatoes small so they cook faster and become tender in the skillet.
- Frozen diced potatoes help make this breakfast skillet even quicker for busy mornings.
- If your skillet seems dry while cooking the potatoes, add a small splash of additional olive oil.
- For extra crispy potatoes, avoid stirring too often while they cook.
- A lid helps the eggs cook evenly, without drying out the skillet mixture.
- This recipe can easily be doubled for feeding a crowd.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American
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