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Crispy Loaded Breakfast Skillet with Sausage and Hash Browns

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A quick and easy breakfast skillet combining crispy hash browns, savory sausage, sautéed veggies, and melted cheddar cheese, optionally topped with eggs for a hearty meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns (about 600g)
  • 12 oz ground breakfast sausage (340g), spicy or mild
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 170g)
  • 4 large eggs (optional)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley or green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Heat your skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once shimmering, add the ground sausage, breaking it apart with your spatula. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until browned and cooked through with no pink spots. Transfer the sausage to a bowl, leaving the fat rendered in the skillet.
  2. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Toss in the minced garlic during the last minute to avoid burning.
  3. Push the veggies to one side and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the empty side. Spread the frozen hash browns evenly in the skillet. Press down gently with your spatula and let cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes until the bottom is golden and crisp.
  4. Flip or stir the hash browns to crisp the other side, cooking for another 5 minutes. If the skillet looks dry, add a little more oil to help with browning.
  5. Return the sausage and sautéed veggies to the skillet, folding everything together. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top and cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Let it melt for 3-5 minutes.
  7. If adding eggs, make little wells in the skillet and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook until the whites are set but yolks are still runny (about 4-6 minutes). For fully cooked yolks, leave it a minute or two longer.
  8. Garnish with chopped parsley or green onions just before serving.

Notes

Do not overcrowd the skillet to avoid steaming the hash browns. Let hash browns cook undisturbed to develop a crispy crust. Use sausage with decent fat content for flavor and to help crisp the hash browns. Melt cheese under a lid to avoid sogginess. For runny yolks, cook eggs covered for 4-6 minutes; cook longer for firmer yolks. Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet to maintain crispness.

Nutrition

Keywords: breakfast skillet, sausage, hash browns, crispy breakfast, cheesy skillet, easy breakfast, brunch recipe

Find it online: https://elvafood.com/crispy-loaded-breakfast-skillet-with-sausage-and-hash-browns-recipe-made-easy/