Bacon-Fried Sweet Potato Skillet is a simple and savory meal for any time of day.
This recipe is a spontaneous creation from ingredients I had on hand. Sliced sweet potatoes are cooked in smokey bacon drippings and seasoned with fresh thyme. The chopped bacon is then stirred into the potatoes. A couple of eggs are nestled into the same pan and cooked to your preference. An extra sprinkle of fresh thyme and freshly grated Parmesan is dusted over everything, and viola, a delicious breakfast awaits!
Bacon-Fried Sweet Potato Skillet
The Back Story
Cooking is a much more spontaneous and improvised affair now that I am a party of one. So, I find myself throwing ingredients I’m hungry for in my cart and then deciding what to do with them when inspiration strikes—this particular week included a sweet potato and some fresh thyme.
When finally motivated to create something, I foraged for additional ingredients, discovering bacon in the freezer and eggs and Parmesan in the frig.
Tips & Tweaks
Bacon – I recommend using thick-cut bacon and cooking it at a lower temp until you reach the desired doneness. This slower process will prevent the drippings from getting burnt. You can chop the bacon before cooking it. Personally, I find it easier to cook the strips and then chop them afterward.
Sweet Potatoes – you can vary the thickness of the slices or chop them in cubes if desired. Just keep in mind that cooking time will vary with thickness. Also, be sure to cover them so they cook through as they brown.
Additional Veggies – Chopped onion, garlic, or bell pepper would all be great additions to this dish. I would add these vegetables with the potatoes.
Herbs – I think thyme strikes the perfect note for this dish, but you could experiment with other options or use dried herb blends.
Portioning – I am a light eater (but a frequent snacker; go figure!) If you are serving a heartier crowd, plan on two eggs per person and increase the quantity of potatoes. You can also cook the eggs in a separate skillet if you’re using more sweet potatoes.
Additional Breakfast & Brunch Ideas
I am a huge fan of brunch entrees for any time of day. If you are, too, check out a few of these recipes and additional options in my recipe index.
Bacon-Fried Sweet Potato Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/8" slices
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, plus additional for eggs
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- freshly grated Parmesan
- 2-4 eggs
Instructions
- Cook bacon slices in a large non-stick skillet, remove, and drain on paper towels. Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces and set aside – reserve bacon drippings in the skillet.
- Add sliced sweet potatoes and toss in the bacon drippings until well coated. Cover and cook on medium to medium-low for approximately 5 minutes. Flip potatoes, sprinkle with thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes until cooked through and browned on both sides. Stir bacon into the sweet potatoes.
- Push potatoes to one side of the skillet and add eggs, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, and additional thyme, if desired. Cooked to desired doneness and style (sunny-side up, over-easy, etc.) Grate Parmesan over sweet potatoes and eggs. Enjoy!
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