We don’t hold back on the spices for this breakfast potatoes recipe! The potatoes are crispy, golden-brown on the outside, and soft and tender on the inside.
I’m always so happy when these breakfast potatoes are in my fridge. I love making a batch, but saving some in the fridge for lunch or dinner the next day. The secret to these potatoes is the spice mix. Potatoes can take a lot of seasoning without it being too much, so we lean into that for this recipe!
Our recipe below uses a skillet on the stovetop for cooking the potatoes, but we’ve included tips for baking them instead if that’s more your style!
Key Ingredients
- Potatoes: Our go-to potato for this recipe is Yukon Gold, but any variety will work. Yellow potatoes turn out buttery and creamy, while russets, or baking potatoes, are a bit fluffier in the middle. We also use Yukon Gold potatoes when roasting potatoes.
- Spice Mix: We are generous and combine garlic powder, onion powder, both smoked paprika and sweet paprika, dried thyme (oregano works, too), salt, and a good amount of black pepper.
- Olive Oil: This works nicely, but ghee, melted butter, avocado oil, or any neutral oil will work.
- Bell Pepper and Onion: I love the extra color and texture from bell pepper and chopped onion, with a finish of sliced green onions. Feel free to omit one or all of them if you want to streamline the recipe a bit.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Breakfast Potatoes
Tip 1: Make a really good spice mix. Potatoes are not the time to hold back on spices. They can handle a lot and still taste just right. So that each piece of potato is perfectly spiced, we like to stir our mix together first, then use it as the potatoes cook. If you find yourself making these breakfast potatoes on repeat (which you probably will), make a big batch of the spice mix and stash it in a jar for next time.
Tip 2: Dice your potatoes small. The smaller the pieces, the faster they’ll cook. I go for about 1/2-inch cubes and skip the peeling.
Tip 3: Add the spice mix towards the end. If you’re making these in a skillet (which is my favorite way), you’ll cook the potatoes in two steps. First, toss them in the skillet with a little oil and let them cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then. They’ll start to soften up, but won’t be totally tender yet. That’s when you add the bell pepper, onion, and all those lovely spices, and cook for another 10 minutes or so until everything is perfectly tender.
Tip 4: You can make these in the oven. While I’m partial to the skillet, the oven is a great option too. Just toss everything together, spread it out on a baking sheet, and bake until the potatoes are tender (15 to 20 minutes). I’ve added detailed instructions below.
Serving Suggestions
I love these for breakfast just as much as I do a side for dinner. One of my easiest dinners is a bowl with a layer of these potatoes, topped with two fried eggs and some salsa or a chopped tomato salad. If you are making these for breakfast, though, here’s a list of breakfast recipes you might want to bookmark:
More Potato Recipes
Easy Breakfast Potatoes
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These easy skillet breakfast potatoes are perfect for a cozy morning, but they’re just as good for dinner. They keep beautifully in the fridge and reheat like a dream, so go ahead and make extra! If you want to make them in the oven, we’ve got you covered with some oven-baked tips below the recipe.
4 to 5 Servings, Makes about 4 cups
You Will Need
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds yellow potatoes, chopped into ½ inch pieces (900 g)
1 large bell pepper, chopped, about 1 ¼ cups (170 g)
1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup (170 g)
1 bunch green onions, about 6, thinly sliced
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Directions
1Make spice mix: In a bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2Cook the potatoes: Pat the potatoes dry, then heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (12-inch) over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown.
3Lower the heat to medium, add the bell pepper, yellow onion, and spice mix, and cook for 8 to 12 more minutes, or until the onions begin to soften and the potatoes are tender. Don’t be afraid to add a little color to them. Add the green onions, then cook for 1 minute. Serve with flaky salt sprinkled over the top.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Storing: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or oven.
- Oven-baked potatoes: Add the potatoes, olive oil, pepper, yellow onion, and spice mix to a bowl. Toss well, then spread into a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. Stir halfway through baking for the best results. Scatter over the green onions and stir. The heat from the potatoes will wilt them nicely.
- The nutrition facts provided are estimates.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1 cup (1/4 of the recipe)
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Calories
285
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Total Fat
11.1g
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Saturated Fat
1.6g
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Cholesterol
0mg
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Sodium
622.9mg
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Carbohydrate
43.9g
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Dietary Fiber
7.8g
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Total Sugars
6.2g
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Protein
5.1g
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