Breakfast baked potatoes make brunch feel like it got promoted. They take a humble baked potato, hollow it out just enough, then fill it with everything that usually makes breakfast worth showing up for in the first place: eggs, bacon, cheese, a little color and whatever toppings make you happiest.
Why You’ll Love These Breakfast Potatoes
- Easy to customize with your favorite breakfast fillings
- Great for leftovers like baked potatoes, cooked bacon, veggies, ham or sausage
- Perfect for brunch holidays, weekends or meal prep
- Naturally portioned for serving a crowd
- Loaded with flavor from eggs, cheese, bacon and fresh veggies
Ingredients for Breakfast Baked Potatoes
This is a great weekend breakfast recipe because you can use up all of the odds and ends in the fridge. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Baked Potatoes– Russet potatoes work best because they have sturdy skins and fluffy centers. Medium potatoes are ideal; giant steakhouse potatoes are delicious, but they can need more than 1 egg and additional cooking time.
- Eggs– Each potato half gets one egg. If your potatoes are smaller, use small eggs or remove a little extra potato from the center so the egg has room.
- Cheddar Cheese– Sharp cheddar adds the best flavor, but Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Swiss, gouda, or a Mexican cheese blend all work beautifully and are super melty.
- Bacon– Cooked and crumbled bacon adds salty crunch. You can also use diced ham, breakfast sausage, turkey bacon, or leave it out for a vegetarian version.
- Vegetables– Green bell pepper, tomato, and chives add color, freshness, and texture. This is also a great place to use leftover sautéed mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, roasted peppers, or caramelized onions or anything else you have leftover in the crisper.
- Seasoning– A little salt and pepper goes a long way. You can also add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Cajun seasoning, or everything bagel seasoning.
How to Make Breakfast Baked Potatoes (Step-by-Step)
You will have your new favorite breakfast recipe ready in no time!
- Bake and Cool the Potatoes. Start with fully baked potatoes. For the best texture, bake them the night before and refrigerate until chilled. Cold potatoes are easier to cut and scoop without falling apart.
- Slice and Scoop. Cut each baked potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out some of the fluffy center, leaving enough potato around the skin to keep the shell sturdy. Gently press down around the edges so the boat won’t tip over when you add the egg. Save the scooped potato for another use. Stir it into scrambled eggs, make potato pancakes, add it to soup, or mash it with butter and sour cream for a dinner side dish.
- Add Cheese, Fillings & Egg. Sprinkle half the cheese into the bottom of each potato half. Add the fillings you love. Crack one egg into each potato boat. Top with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake. Bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking. For runnier yolks, pull them earlier. For fully set yolks, bake a few minutes longer.
- Garnish and Serve. Finish with extra chives, cheese, bacon, hot sauce, sour cream, salsa, or avocado.
More Filling Ideas
One of the best things about these breakfast baked potatoes is how flexible they are. Here are a few easy variations:
- Classic Bacon, Egg, and Cheese: Cheddar, bacon, egg, chives, and a little black pepper.
- Southwest Style: Pepper jack cheese, black beans, bell peppers, onions, salsa, avocado, and cilantro.
- Sausage and Gravy Style: Crumbled breakfast sausage, cheddar, egg, and a spoonful of warm country gravy after baking.
- Veggie Breakfast Potato Boats: Spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and Swiss or feta cheese.
- Ham and Cheese (Western/Denver): Diced ham, cheddar or Swiss, egg, and green onions.
- Mediterranean Style: Spinach, tomato, feta, oregano, and a drizzle of tzatziki or Greek yogurt after baking.
What to Serve with Breakfast Baked Potatoes
These potatoes are hearty enough to stand on their own, but a few fresh and simple sides can make the meal feel complete.
Serve these breakfast baked potato boats with fresh fruit, a simple green salad, toast or English muffins, homemade breakfast sausage, yogurt parfaits, or even Bloody Marys and mimosas for brunch.
Chef Tips
I’ve made these breakfast baked potatoes in my test kitchen to be able to provide you with the best tips and tricks.
- Use baked and cooled potatoes. This makes them much easier to cut and scoop without falling apart.
- Leave a border of potato in the skin. Keeping about 1/4 inch of potato around the shell helps the boats stay sturdy enough to hold the filling.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl first if needed. This is especially helpful for smaller potatoes so you can control the amount and avoid overflow.
- Don’t overload the fillings before adding the egg. Too much filling can leave no room for the egg and make the boats spill over.
- Bake on a rimmed sheet pan. This keeps everything stable and catches any egg that escapes.
- Add toppings at the end. Fresh toppings like chives, avocado, salsa, or sour cream are best once the potatoes come out of the oven.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating
Make Ahead- These are a great make-ahead breakfast option, especially if you are hosting brunch. Bake the potatoes up to 2 days in advance and store them in the refrigerator. You can also cook the bacon and chop the vegetables ahead of time. When ready to serve, slice, scoop, fill, and bake.
Storage & Reheating- Store leftover breakfast potato boats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them in a 350°F oven until warmed through. The microwave works too, but the potato skin will be softer. Still tasty, just less crispy. Life is full of trade-offs.
Freezing- Yes, but with one note: eggs can change texture after freezing. If you plan to freeze them, the best option is to assemble the potato boats without the egg, freeze them, then add a fresh egg before baking. To freeze, wrap the filled potato halves tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding the egg and baking.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes! Leftover baked potatoes are perfect for this recipe. In fact, chilled baked potatoes are easier to slice and scoop, making them ideal for breakfast potato boats.
Absolutely. Skip the bacon and use sautéed mushrooms, spinach, peppers, onions, tomatoes, black beans, or vegetarian sausage.
Use medium or large russet potatoes and scoop out enough of the center to create a deep well. You can also crack the egg into a small bowl first and add only as much as will fit.
Yes. Line the filled potatoes on a sheet pan and bake them all at once. This makes them a great brunch recipe because every serving is already portioned.
More Breakfast Recipe Ideas
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I have to say I agree! Here are some of my favorites breakfast potato ideas and more.
Breakfast Baked Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes , baked and cooled
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced tomato
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives , plus more for garnish
- Optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, avocado, extra cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly coat it with cooking spray.
- Slice each 4 medium russet potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, gently scoop out some of the center of each potato, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato around the skin so the potato keeps its shape.
- Place the potato halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
- Evenly divide half of the shredded 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese into each potato half. Add the cooked and crumbled 6 slices bacon, diced 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper seeded and diced 1/2 cup diced tomato.
- Carefully crack one egg into each potato half. If the potato is smaller, crack the egg into a bowl first and spoon it into the potato to prevent overflow. Season each potato with the salt and pepper.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking. Add a few extra minutes for firm yolks.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with the chives and other optional toppings.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I made this 11/30/19 10 of them. since people where having a hard time with the whites not setting thus over cooking the yolks I scrambled the eggs. turned out great but would have been better if you would include butter in the potato after scooping the inside out, before adding the rest of the ingrediants.
Thanks for the feedback, Scott!
Love this recipe! Made it this morning, however took me twice as long to cook, egg whites were still translucent!
Hi Kim! Thanks for stopping by to let me know! Cooking times can vary so greatly on a recipe like this based on the size of the potato, egg and your oven. I’ll put a note in the recipe to let others know too. Thanks!
Wow this is creative! I really want to make this and this would be fun to eat!