These Potato Breakfast Bowls are loaded with hearty red potatoes, scrambled eggs and sausage. The best part is that you can have them on the table in 30 minutes. This is my entry for the Potato Lovers Club Speedy Spud Challenge blogger recipe contest. This post was sponsored by the U.S. Potato Board.
I’m not what you would call a quick cook. I’m the first to admit that I lack swiftness in the kitchen.
It’s not that I have loads of time to kill or that I dislike quick recipes, I just have a very short attention span. When I’m cooking for myself, I only get about 5 minutes in before I catch something out of the corner of my eye and my head jerks quickly to the right.
Squirrel!
It often goes something like this. I’m chopping the onion. Oh, is that an episode of Gilmore Girls on T.V.? I need to turn the volume up. Then I open the sliding glass door to let out a whining pug so she can go fake potty and come back in to beg for her free treat.
Then I get back to the onion. I open the fridge for something. Oh, I really need to throw that out. Oh man, I forgot to empty the dishwasher.
You get the idea. A recipe might say it takes 20 minutes to make, but it’s not going to take me 20 minutes.
So when I got the invitation for this year’s Potato Lovers Club blogger recipe competition from the U.S. Potato Board, my first thought was — oh, this is going to be tough. But while I may not be timely in the kitchen, one thing I am up for is a good challenge.
You might remember the recipe competition from last year. I entered my Gold Potato and Bacon Croquettes with Jackpot Beer Cheese Sauce. Believe it or not, I won! Crazy, I know!
I was sent to Food, Fight, Write in Las Vegas by the U.S. Potato Board with Nancy of A Communal Table ,who also won. What a fun time it was! So when I learned I could enter to win again, I was on it.
So about that challenge. This year’s recipe had to be made in 30 minutes flat. Yep, from start to finish.
With the timer set, I got started. It was easier than I thought. It turns out that when you actually stay focused on a recipe, it doesn’t take you quite as long to make it.
Plated in 25 minutes and I even made an espresso while I waited for the sausage to finish cooking!
If you need a quick, filling breakfast, this is it. It has hearty red potatoes, with scrambled eggs and zesty sausage. The eggs even have a little spinach in them to help you get your greens. With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, I kept the spices and condiments Mexican-inspired — cilantro, salsa and Cotija cheese.
To leave a little room for distractions, I rounded the time up to 30 minutes. This recipe is also written a little differently than my normal style. I wanted everything to be included in the 30 minutes, so the ingredient list is all whole foods with nothing prepped. All the chopping and cooking are included in the steps of the recipe. You’ll also be starting the next step as other ingredients finish cooking, so be sure to give the instructions a thorough read through before you get started.
Go ahead and set the timer, but I know you will have no problem getting this tasty potato breakfast on the table any morning of the week!
- 4 medium red potatoes (about 1 lb.)
- 3/4 lb. any variety ground breakfast sausage (I used turkey sausage)
- 2 cups spinach leaves
- Large handful of cilantro leaves
- 3 green onions
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 oz. Cotija cheese
- Optional toppings: salsa, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, hot sauce
- Prick each potato in several places with a fork. Microwave on high for about 9 minutes, or according to the microwave manufacturer instructions. Once tender, carefully move to a cutting board and cut each in half. Let cool.
- While the potatoes are cooking in the microwave, get started on cooking the sausage. Place the sausage in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Stir it occasionally, breaking it into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- While the sausage is cooking, chop all your vegetables and herbs. Roughly chop the spinach. Finely chop the cilantro. Slice the green onions and separate the whites and the greens.
- As the sausage finishes cooking, add the eggs to a medium bowl. Whisk in 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, the garlic powder and chili powder. Continue to whisk until the whites and yolks are blended, about 15 seconds.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook just until the eggs cook through and the spinach begins to wilt, 1 or 2 more minutes.
- While the eggs cook, you can begin to work on the potatoes. Roughly chop the potatoes (leave the skins on) and place in a medium bowl. Stir in the white portions of the green onions, 1/2 of the chopped cilantro, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and the sea salt. The ingredients should be mixed into the potatoes, but the potatoes should still be chunky.
- To assemble, arrange and equal portion of potatoes, eggs and sausage in each of 4 bowls. Crumble the cotija cheese and sprinkle an equal amount over each bowl. Divide the remaining cilantro and the green portions of the green onions and sprinkle them into each bowl. Add your favorite toppings and serve.
Also remember to check out #TopTater from Potato Goodness Unearthed and the U.S. Potato Board. You don’t have to be a blogger to participate. Anyone can join in the fun! Just hashtag your favorite photos that include potatoes with #TopTater on Instagram. Each week (yes, each week!) a winner is selected to win $100. Simplest contest to enter, ever. And lots of potato fun! You can check out Potato Goodness Unearthed for more details.
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Why, oh why do I do this to myself??? I sit down and peruse my reader with my first cup of coffee while I wait for my toast – and then I see THIS!! Fabulous recipe Lori – I think you have a winner here! And no, I did not really enjoy my toast Thank You Very Much – LOL!!!
Haha! So sorry I ruined your toast, Nancy! Thanks so much! And yes, one must be very strategic about when to read food blogs. 🙂
I am terrible at making 30 minute meals also…even the most simplest of things somehow turns into an ordeal! Love this idea for a hearty breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner though.
In general, cooking always seems to be an ordeal for me, too. Surprising that I love it! Ha!
Love the sound of this hearty bowl, Lori!
Thanks so much, Emily!
I can barely make oatmeal in less than 30 minutes! I am the same way. Never able to make quick meals, except for maybe breakfast! This looks fantastic as always and great use of the microwave oven to shave some time off of the cooking process. Good luck with your entry!
Thanks, Tracey! Yeah, I knew if I was going to use fresh potatoes that the microwave was going to be essential!