- 5 slices bacon*
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 small or ½ a large onion)
- 6 large eggs
- ⅓ cup (80ml) nonfat milk (may substitute 2% or whole)
- 3 cups (205g or 7¼ ounces) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
- 1¼ cups (5 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cheesy Bacon, Egg & Hash Brown Skillet
Yield: 6-8 servings
This easy, one pan meal tastes great any time of day. Feel free to customize by using some leftover ham or a bit of sausage in place of the bacon－or go meatless for a vegetarian meal. (For added ease, there's no need to squeeze the moisture from the potatoes in this recipe!)
Ingredients
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add 1 cup of the shredded Cheddar cheese, and set aside.
- In a 10-inch oven-proof skillet set over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain, crumble, and set aside. (You could use a 9-inch skillet, adding a few minutes as needed to the cook time, but a 12-inch will make the finished product rather thin.)
- Remove all but a few teaspoons of the grease from the pan. (You want enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, you may wipe the skillet clean and use olive oil.) Add the onion and cook over medium heat until softened. Add the thawed potatoes** and cook, stirring occasionally, until turning golden. Sometimes, I turn the heat down to low and allow the potatoes to sit, undisturbed, in a single layer (checking occasionally) until lightly browned. If you find your skillet seems dry at any point, drizzle with a little olive oil. You don’t want the potatoes to be sticking to the pan.
- When the potatoes are cooked to your liking, scatter the cooked bacon over the top. At this point, I usually sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and fresh black pepper. (I have skipped the salt and this will be okay if watching sodium intake.) Then pour in the egg mixture and, if necessary, use a fork to evenly distribute the mixture.
- Immediately transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the center is not quite set in the center. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and continue baking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the center is just cooked through. Remove from the oven, and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
*Sometimes I use leftover bacon, in which case I stir it in after the first few minutes of browning the potatoes to re-crisp it. On occasion, I have used pepperoni (I cut the pieces in quarters) or ham instead of (or mixed with) a couple of pieces of leftover bacon. Feel free to experiment with prosciutto or sausage. For a vegetarian option, the meat may be omitted altogether. If not using a meat that will produce a little grease for the pan, simply use olive oil instead.
**I don’t squeeze the excess moisture from the potatoes, as they tend to feel fairly dry once thawed. If for some reason yours seem wet, you may wish to squeeze them in a clean tea towel before sautéing so they brown a little for you.