Root around for a few potatoes, dice up some leftover ham and veggies, throw on an egg if you like and you’ve got yourself a yummy, easy potato skillet breakfast (or dinner).

A perfect way to serve comfort food on the weekend.

potato breakfast ham hash with eggs in skillet

My inspiration for this recipe was leftover ham. The added potatoes, peppers, green onion, smoky seasoning and, if you like, eggs make a pretty substantial breakfast. You can also check out our pasta ham and peas with creamy Parmesan sauce -another leftover ham recipe.

Use the recipe as a basic guideline and vary it to your liking. Exact measurements aren’t necessary. One of the great things about this recipe is its versatility. It’s a great way to use up stuff in your fridge.

One more thing to note. The recipe has good amounts of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C and iron. Always a bonus.

Ways to serve this potato breakfast skillet

as part of a brunch buffet straight out of the skillet
as a hearty breakfast with a fried egg (or a sous vide poached egg) on top.
wrapped in a tortilla as a breakfast burrito
as a main dish for dinner with a green salad, citrus salad or coleslaw.

Tailor To Your Taste

Here are a few suggestions for variations and substitutions:

Potatoes: Use Yukon Gold, baby potatoes, red potatoes or sweet potatoes – or a mix.

Vegetables: I use red bell pepper (green pepper is fine too) and green onions. Other good options are sweet onions, frozen corn niblets and mushrooms. I sometimes add chopped fresh baby spinach at the end and let it wilt for a minute. Great extra nutrition.

Seasonings and heat: If you like to spice things up, add a jalapeno pepper, red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can also add cajun seasoning if you prefer those flavors. I like to use smoked paprika for a mildly smoky flavor. Italian seasonings or taco seasonings would work too.

Protein: I use leftover ham or a thick slice of diced smoked ham. You can also used bacon or sausage that you would cook first, set aside then incorporate at the end. Or try it with shredded sous vide corned beef. For a vegetarian version, use plant based meat, rinsed canned black beans or tofu.

Toppings and garnish options:

fried eggs
chopped fresh summer tomatoes.
a dollop of sour cream or salsa.
grated cheddar cheese – added at the end – sprinkle cheese on the potatoes and ham, cover the skillet and cook for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
garnish with fresh chopped parsley, chives or cilantro.

How to make this potato skillet recipe with ham (and eggs)

ham, potatoes, bell pepper, green onions, seasoning, butter — **Ingredients**: potatoes, butter, red pepper, seasonings, cooked ham, green onions (and optional eggs)

Pierce and microwave potatoes for about 6 minutes. Dice ham, peppers and potatoes.

Melt butter in hot cast iron skillet. Sauté potatoes and peppers on one side.

Flip potatoes and peppers and cook on other side until browned.

Add green onions, diced ham and seasonings. Combine well and cook for a minute or two until ham is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning.

potato skillet breakfast finished — If desired. fry eggs in a a separate pan and lay over the breakfast hash. Or see recipe instructions for an alternative to make the eggs right in the pan. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Shortcut

The key shortcut in this recipe is microwaving the potatoes before pan frying them. Alternatively, you can dice them first and parboil them for about 5 minutes until soft but not mushy. Both options create soft creamy centers and browning on the outside.

Make Ahead

Cool potato mixture, then refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use. To reheat, spread on a foil lined pan sprayed with oil and heat at 425F/218C for about 7-10 minutes. Cover it with foil if you like so the ham doesn’t dry out.
You can also reheat the dish on the stove top or in the microwave for a minute or two.