The Ultimate Hearty Cheesy Potato Egg Scramble Recipe

Are your mornings becoming a bit predictable? Do you often find yourself having the same cereal or slice of toast each day? We understand completely. There is a special kind of comfort that comes from a warm, substantial breakfast, particularly on a relaxed weekend morning. It’s a meal that ought to set a positive tone for the rest of your day, leaving you feeling well-fed, content, and prepared for anything. This is precisely why we developed our Hearty Cheesy Potato Egg Scramble Recipe. It’s the perfect answer to your breakfast dilemmas: a fantastic one-pan meal that combines fluffy scrambled eggs, perfectly crisp potatoes, and a generous amount of gooey, melted cheese. It really is everything one could wish for in a breakfast, all cooked up in a single pan.

This dish is far more than a simple set of instructions; it’s a blueprint for a perfect morning. It is substantial enough to be the star of a brunch gathering, yet straightforward enough for a speedy and satisfying weekday breakfast. We have carefully balanced the textures and flavours to create a truly outstanding scramble that we are confident will become a new staple in your household.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Pure Breakfast Comfort: There is something uniquely satisfying about the combination of potatoes, eggs, and cheese. It is a timeless trio that offers pure comfort and will certainly start your day with a smile.
• An Effortless One-Pan Meal: We are big fans of an easy breakfast skillet because it means less washing up. Everything, from crisping the potatoes to melting the cheese, happens in a single pan, making the clean-up remarkably simple.
• Wonderfully Adaptable: This recipe serves as a brilliant foundation. You can effortlessly customise it by adding your favourite vegetables, such as mushrooms or spinach, or perhaps some smoky chorizo or veggie sausages for an additional protein hit.

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• Balanced and Sustaining: Filled with protein from the eggs and complex carbohydrates from the potatoes, this dish will keep you feeling full and energised throughout the morning, helping you to avoid those mid-morning energy dips.
• Budget-Friendly and Simple: This recipe uses staple ingredients that are kind to your wallet. It’s very likely you already have most of the necessary items in your pantry and refrigerator!

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 8 large free-range eggs
• 60ml whole milk or single cream
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 150g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Step-by-Step Instructions: Crafting the Perfect Scramble

Putting together this delicious Breakfast potato scramble is very straightforward. We have broken the process down into a few simple stages to help you achieve perfect results every time.

Step 1: Prepare and Par-Cook the Potatoes

The secret to a truly great potato scramble is achieving the ideal texture—crisp on the outside while remaining fluffy within. Dicing them small is a good start, but a quick par-boil gives them a crucial head start.

1. Put your diced potatoes into a saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook for about 5–7 minutes, or until they just begin to feel tender. You should be able to pierce them with a fork, but they must still hold their shape well.
2. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander and allow them to steam-dry for a minute or two. This step is key to helping them become wonderfully crisp in the pan.

Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables and Crisp the Potatoes

It’s now time to build up the base layers of flavour. For this, you will need a large, non-stick frying pan or skillet.

1. Heat the olive oil in your pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper, and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until they have softened and the onion has become translucent.
2. Tip the par-cooked potatoes into the pan, along with the smoked paprika and garlic powder. Season generously with both salt and pepper.
3. Stir all the ingredients together so that the potatoes are coated in the spices. Spread the mixture into an even layer and cook for 10–12 minutes, turning it over occasionally, until the potatoes are golden brown and have crispy edges. Try not to stir too frequently, as this will stop them from browning properly.

Step 3: Whisk the Eggs

While the potatoes are getting nice and crisp, you can prepare the eggs. The key to a beautifully creamy scramble is all in the whisking.

1. In a medium-sized bowl, crack all 8 eggs. Pour in the milk or cream and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Whisk everything together vigorously until the yolks and whites are fully incorporated and the mixture looks slightly foamy. Be careful not to over-whisk; you are aiming for a uniform, pale yellow liquid.

Step 4: Combine, Scramble, and Melt

This is the stage where the magic unfolds and your hearty egg scramble truly comes together.

1. Once the potatoes are golden and crisp, turn the heat down to low. Pour the whisked egg mixture evenly over the potatoes and vegetables in the skillet.
2. Allow the eggs to cook undisturbed for about 30 seconds, just until the edges start to set.
3. With a spatula, gently push the eggs from the outside of the pan towards the middle, which will create large, soft curds. Continue this gentle pushing and folding motion until the eggs are about 80% cooked. They should still appear slightly wet. For more guidance on getting the perfect texture, you can find expert tips on how to cook scrambled eggs.
4. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese all over the scramble. Gently fold the cheese through the eggs and potatoes until it has just melted and turned gooey. Avoid overcooking the eggs here—take the pan off the heat while they are still a little soft, as they will keep cooking in the residual heat.

Step 5: Garnish and Serve Immediately

Serve your scramble directly from the skillet. Garnish with a generous amount of chopped fresh chives or parsley. This adds a lovely, fresh flavour that balances the richness of the cheese and eggs. Serve hot and enjoy straight away!

Variations and Serving Suggestions

One of the finest qualities of this recipe is just how adaptable it is. Here are some of our favourite ways to change it up a bit:

• Add More Veggies: This is a superb vegetarian breakfast, and you can easily enhance its goodness by adding sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach, or some cherry tomatoes in the final few minutes of cooking.
• Spice It Up: For those who enjoy a little heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes along with the paprika, or serve with a few dashes of your favourite hot sauce.
• Make It Meaty: If you aren’t catering for vegetarians, you could add cooked bacon lardons, crumbled sausage, or diced chorizo to the pan at the same time as the onions.
• Perfect Pairings: This scramble is a complete meal in itself, but it’s also delicious served with a side of buttered sourdough toast, sliced avocado, or a simple green salad for a more elegant brunch. For a truly decadent weekend feast, consider baking a delightful loaf for afters, like this much-loved Moist Banana Bread Recipe.

FAQ

A Breakfast Worth Waking Up For

So there you have it—a simple, deeply satisfying, and utterly delicious breakfast that we are sure will become a regular feature in your kitchen. This Hearty Cheesy Potato Egg Scramble offers the perfect way to enhance your morning meal, transforming it from a daily routine into a genuinely enjoyable experience. It’s a dish that gathers everyone around the table and begins the day on the most wonderful note.

We do hope you’ll give this recipe a go this weekend. Assemble your ingredients, ready your skillet, and prepare yourself for a breakfast that will warm you from the inside out. Remember to get creative with your own additions to make the dish uniquely yours!

If you’ve made the scramble, we would be delighted to know your thoughts! Please leave us a comment and a rating below to share your feedback with our community. Happy cooking!

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 8 large free-range eggs
• 60ml whole milk or single cream
• 150g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Put diced potatoes into a saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5–7 minutes, until just tender. Drain thoroughly.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes until softened. Add the drained potatoes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with milk, a pinch of salt, and pepper until slightly foamy.
4. Reduce the skillet heat to low. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes. Let it set for 30 seconds, then use a spatula to gently push the eggs from the edges to the center, creating soft curds. Cook until about 80% done.
5. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the scramble and gently fold until it’s just melted and gooey. Remove from heat, garnish with fresh chives or parsley, and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 486,
Carbs: 36 g,
Protein: 27 g,
Fat: 26 g