Cast Iron Ham and Potato Breakfast Skillet

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This cast iron breakfast skillet is loaded with fresh potatoes, ham, eggs, peppers, and melted cheese for an easy, hearty country breakfast.

There’s something especially satisfying about breakfast cooked in cast iron. This hearty Cast Iron Ham and Potato Breakfast Skillet is loaded with fresh russet potatoes, savory ham, onion, colorful bell peppers, eggs, and plenty of melted cheese.

Unlike a traditional breakfast casserole made with frozen hash browns or condensed soup, this one starts with fresh potatoes cooked right in the skillet. The eggs are poured over the hot potato-and-ham mixture, then the whole thing goes straight into the oven to finish.

It’s simple, filling, and has exactly the sort of rustic country-breakfast feel we love here at Backyard Texas Grill.

And if you happen to have leftover ham? Even better. This is a delicious way to put it to work.

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Why You’ll Love This Ham and Potato Breakfast Skillet

This is one of those recipes that feels substantial without being complicated. Fresh potatoes give it more texture than a typical hash-brown casserole, while ham and cheese add plenty of savory flavor.

It’s also wonderfully flexible. Change the meat, use a different cheese, add jalapeño, or substitute hash browns when you’re short on time.

Best of all, almost everything happens in one cast-iron skillet. Start it on the stovetop, pour in the eggs, and move the skillet directly into the oven.

Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here's what you're going to need to make this delicious casserole. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand in your pantry or refrigerator.

For the Skillet

• 1 tablespoon butter, plus more as needed
• 2 cups chopped cooked ham
• ½ medium onion, diced
• 3 medium russet potatoes, cut into approximately ½-inch cubes
• ¼ cup finely diced red and/or orange bell pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1¼–1½ cups shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, divided

Note about salt: Ham and cheese can both be quite salty, so I recommend waiting until the finished dish is tasted before adding additional salt. My ham was particularly salty, and I didn't need to add any salt at all.

How to Make a Cast Iron Ham and Potato Breakfast Skillet

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Step 2: Cook the Ham and Onion

Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

Add about a tablespoon of butter, followed by the chopped ham and onion. Cook for several minutes, until the onion begins to soften and the ham develops a little color around the edges.

Step 3: Add the potatoes

Add the diced russet potatoes directly to the skillet. Add another small amount of butter if the skillet seems dry.

Season with garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

Cook over medium heat, stirring and turning periodically, until the potatoes are browned in places and almost completely fork tender.

Don't rush this step. The oven will finish cooking the potatoes, but you don't want to pour the eggs over potatoes that are still hard in the center.

Step 4: Add the Peppers

During the final few minutes of stovetop cooking, stir in the finely diced red and/or orange bell pepper.

You only need a little. The peppers add a touch of sweetness and beautiful color without overwhelming the ham-and-potato flavor.

Step 5: Add Some Cheese

Sprinkle about ¾ cup shredded cheese over the potato and ham mixture.

Step 6: Add the Eggs

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

• 6 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• Black pepper to taste

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the hot ingredients in the skillet.

Use a spatula to gently nudge the ingredients around just enough to allow the eggs to seep between the potatoes and ham. Don't stir vigorously or scramble the eggs.

Smooth the mixture into an even layer.

Step 7: Bake

Transfer the skillet to the preheated 375°F oven, uncovered.

Bake for about 12–13 minutes.

At this point the eggs should be setting around the edges but may still be quite soft in the center.

Sprinkle the remaining ½–¾ cup shredded cheese over the top. (Note: I was out of shredded cheese so I diced up my sliced cheese and used that. Shredded would have melted better, for sure!)

Return the skillet to the oven and bake for another 7 minutes, or until the eggs are just set in the center.

My skillet took approximately 20 minutes total.

Step 8: Let It Rest

Remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.

This is especially important with cast iron. The skillet retains a tremendous amount of heat and the eggs will continue cooking after it leaves the oven.

Don't wait until the eggs look dry before removing the skillet. As soon as the center is set and there's no liquid egg remaining, it's ready.

Serve and Enjoy!

You can slice it in triangular pie-like sliced or in squares. You choose, depending on the number of guests you're needing to feed. No matter how you slice it you're going to love this delicious and simple breakfast treat. It's loaded with flavor, texture, and yummy goodness.

What to Serve with a Cast Iron Breakfast Skillet

This is hearty enough to serve all by itself, but it would make a wonderful centerpiece for a leisurely weekend breakfast or brunch.

For a true Texas-style breakfast, serve it with warm Bacon Cheddar Ranch Focaccia. The soft, savory bread is loaded with many of the same flavors and makes a fun alternative to ordinary toast or biscuits.

Fresh fruit would lighten up the plate, and of course a hot cup of coffee belongs alongside it.

Variations

One of the best things about this skillet is how easily you can adapt it to what you have on hand.

Bacon and Potato Breakfast Skillet

Replace the ham with 6–8 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon. Cook the bacon in the skillet first and use a little of the rendered bacon fat to cook the potatoes and onions.

For an even quicker option, use ½–¾ cup real bacon bits.

Sausage Breakfast Skillet

Use ½–¾ pound breakfast sausage in place of the ham. Brown and crumble it first, draining excess grease if necessary before adding the potatoes.

Use Hash Browns Instead of Fresh Potatoes

Short on time? Substitute approximately 3 cups frozen diced hash browns for the fresh potatoes.

Cook them in the skillet until hot and browned before adding the egg mixture.

Shredded hash browns can also be used and will create a thinner, crispier potato layer beneath the eggs.

Add Some Texas Heat

Finely chop 1–2 tablespoons fresh jalapeño and add it along with the bell pepper.

Remove the seeds and membranes for milder heat, or leave some behind if you like things spicy.

Pepper Jack cheese would be terrific in this version.

Meat Lovers Breakfast Skillet

Use smaller amounts of ham, bacon, and breakfast sausage together. Just be careful not to overload the skillet or the egg mixture won't be able to hold everything together.

Use Leftover Potatoes

Leftover roasted or skillet potatoes are a terrific shortcut. Because they're already cooked, simply brown them briefly with the ham and onion before continuing with the recipe.

Change the Cheese

Use whatever good melting cheese you have on hand:

• Cheddar
• Colby Jack
• Monterey Jack
• Pepper Jack
• A combination of cheeses

Pre-shredded cheese is fine, and even sliced cheese can be chopped and scattered over the top in a pinch.

Storage and Freezing

This recipe is particularly good for meal-prep breakfasts.

Refrigerator

Cool the leftovers and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Freezer

Cut the cooled skillet into individual portions and place them in freezer-safe bags or containers.

Freeze for up to 2–3 months for best quality.

Having individual portions in the freezer makes it easy to grab a homemade breakfast whenever you need one.

Reheating

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when possible and reheat in the microwave until hot.

You can also reheat portions in an air fryer or toaster oven, which helps bring back some of the texture around the potatoes and edges.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Great Way to Use Leftover Ham

This would be a particularly useful recipe to remember after Easter, Christmas, or any big family meal that leaves you staring at a container of leftover ham.

Instead of simply reheating it, chop it up and turn it into an entirely different meal.

And because the finished skillet freezes well, you can use that leftover ham to stock the freezer with individual homemade breakfasts at the same time.

More Ways to Make This Breakfast Your Own

The beauty of a country breakfast skillet is that it doesn't have to be fussy.

• Have bacon instead of ham? Use it.
• Have frozen hash browns instead of russets? They'll work.
• Want jalapeño? Toss some in.
• Only have a couple kinds of cheese left in the refrigerator? Mix them together.

This is the sort of hearty, practical cooking that's perfect for a cast-iron skillet—and sometimes those use-what-you-have meals turn out to be the very best ones.

Thanks for Stopping By!

If you make this delicious breakfast skillet dish and love it please consider leaving a comment or review. Those mean so much to us! And before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards?

About the Cook

Janice Thompson is a Texas author, baker, and home cook who loves creating hearty recipes made for sharing around the family table. At Backyard Texas Grill, she brings together Southern comfort food, Texas-inspired favorites, cast-iron cooking, and the kinds of practical recipes real families can make at home. Whether she's baking something sweet or putting a skillet full of potatoes, ham, eggs, and cheese into the oven, Janice believes some of the best meals begin with simple ingredients and a little creativity.