Budget Cheesy Potato and Egg Skillet
Crispy potatoes + eggs + cheese. Done in 30 minutes for practically nothing.
When your wallet is as empty as your energy, this skillet is the answer. It's built on the humble potato hash — a dish that's been feeding people cheaply and well forever — with eggs cracked right in and cheddar melted over the top. You probably have everything already. It takes about 30 minutes, makes enough for two hungry people, and tastes way more satisfying than it has any right to for the price. Expect crispy edges, soft centers, and yolks that run into everything. No fancy technique required.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Yukon Gold or russet potatoes — cut into ½-inch cubes, no need to peel
- 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 0.5 unit yellow onion — diced
- 2 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp salt — plus more to taste
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 4 unit large eggs
- 0.75 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 unit green onions — sliced, for topping
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes — optional, for heat
Method
- 1 Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- 2 Add the cubed potatoes in a single layer. Don't stir for 4–5 minutes — let them get a golden crust on the bottom.
- 3 Flip the potatoes and cook another 4–5 minutes until mostly tender and browned on multiple sides.
- 4 Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until softened.
- 5 Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 6 Reduce heat to medium. Use a spoon to create 4 small wells in the potato mixture.
- 7 Crack one egg into each well. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and cook 3–4 minutes, until the whites are set but yolks are still runny (or cook longer if you prefer firm yolks).
- 8 Sprinkle shredded cheddar evenly over the skillet. Cover for 1 more minute until cheese melts.
- 9 Top with sliced green onions and red pepper flakes if using. Serve straight from the pan.
Variations
- Add a veggie — Toss in a big handful of baby spinach or frozen peas when you add the garlic — they wilt right in and add color and nutrition for almost no extra cost.
- Faster version — Use frozen diced hash browns straight from the bag. Skip the first potato-cooking steps and just brown the hash browns for 6–8 minutes total before adding the onion.
- Different cheese — Pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or whatever shredded cheese you have in the fridge all work great here. Even a slice of American cheese melted on top is delicious.
Notes
Microwaving the potato cubes for 3 minutes before adding to the skillet cuts cook time significantly if you're in a hurry. Leftovers reheat okay in a skillet with a splash of oil — the eggs will firm up but it still tastes good.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet with a lid — A lid traps steam to cook the egg whites through without overcooking the yolks, which is the trickiest part of this dish.
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