Filling, nutritious, and easy to make, this recipe for Baked Breakfast Potatoes with Sausage is a true crowd-pleaser. You’ll adore this combination of seasoned potatoes, tender onion, and hearty breakfast sausage.
A Savory Breakfast Idea That’s Fast and Easy!
Breakfast potatoes are one of my favorite options when I’m enjoying carbs – they’re crispy, warm, and comforting. Add some savory, sugar-free sausage and they’re even better! This easy recipe makes a big batch of classic breakfast potatoes with tender pieces of onion and meaty chunks of breakfast sausage.
If you’re looking for a really easy breakfast that’s still hearty and festive enough for a holiday morning or a special weekend, this is it. Bonus: it’s also perfect for meal prepping! Just make the recipe as written, and then portion it out to enjoy during the week.
What Ingredients Will I Need?
This recipe is made with ordinary pantry ingredients that you probably keep on had already – so easy. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sausage: I use about ten (small, not large) links of sugar-free pork or chicken sausage. Mine is usually frozen, but I just set it out to thaw while I work on the potatoes. Cut the sausage into quarters. Depending on the sausage you use, this breakfast can be dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, or vegan!
- Onion: A sweet yellow onion is my favorite here, but use any kind you like.
- Potatoes: I like to use baby yellow and/or red potatoes, but you can use any potatoes cut into small pieces.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil gives the dish a deep, satisfying taste and helps crisp up the ingredients as they bake.
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and ground Italian herbs. Make sure to check labels if you’re going for a gluten free dish.
- Lemon Juice: This brightens up the dish and also keeps the potatoes from discoloring.
- Parsley: This is optional, but sprinkling chopped parsley over the finished dish adds color and a fresh, herbal note.
What’s the Difference Between Pork Sausage and Breakfast Sausage?
Pork sausage can be any type of sausage made with pork, from andouille to kielbasa to chorizo. Breakfast sausage is also made of pork quite often, although you can also find chicken breakfast sausage, turkey breakfast sausage, and plant-based sausages, too. Breakfast sausage is notable for its soft, tender texture. It may or may not come in a casing, and usually has a slightly sweet taste that’s mild compared to other sausages.
If you don’t want to use breakfast sausage specifically, you can substitute almost any kind of sausage here that you like! Cut it into small pieces. Or just use another veggie, like mushrooms seasoned with salt, garlic, and pepper. Yum.
How to Make Breakfast Potatoes and Sausage
I love a good sheet pan dish – just throw it in the oven and let it cook hands-free. That’s basically all you have to do for these breakfast potatoes! So easy, and so good.
- Heat the Oven and Sheet Pan. To get started, preheat the oven to 400°F. While it heats, place the empty sheet pan in there to heat up, as well. (Pro tip: line it with foil first, for easy cleanup.)
- Prep the Potatoes and Onions. Meanwhile, cut your potatoes into cubes, and cut the onions into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl, and toss them with the oil, lemon, and seasonings.
- Bake! Using oven mitts, take the hot pan out of the oven. Pour the potato mixture onto it, and spread out quickly. You want a single layer. Place it back in the oven, and let it bake for about 40 minutes, stirring the veggies halfway through the cooking time.
- Add the Breakfast Sausage. Take the pan out again, and evenly scatter the breakfast sausage among the veggies. Give everything a stir, and bake for 5 – 8 minutes longer.
- Enjoy! Once the sausage has browned and cooked through, and the potatoes are tender, take the baking sheet out of the oven. Sprinkle chopped parsley over everything, and serve right away. (Unless you’re meal prepping – in that case, cool the dish down, and pack it into airtight containers for the fridge.)
Why Are My Breakfast Potatoes Soggy?
The main reason for soggy potatoes is that they cooked in too much steam. To avoid steaming them up, make sure to spread them out in a single layer. You may want to use two baking sheets if the potatoes are too crowded.
Tips for Success
Even a recipe as easy as this one has its little quirks, so be sure to check out these tried-and-true tips for making the best breakfast potatoes with sausage. Here we go:
- Even Cutting: When you’re cooking potatoes especially, it’s important to cut them to about the same size. If some pieces are large and others are small, it can be difficult to get the larger ones cooked through. And biting into a crunchy, semi-raw potato is no fun (ask me how I know!).
- Heating the Sheet Pan: This step is important, so don’t forget. You want your ingredients to start cooking as soon as they hit the pan. This will help them get that breakfast potato texture, rather than a steamed potato texture.
- Oven Temps: Every oven is a bit different, so the time given here is just an estimate. You may find that your potatoes and sausage cook faster, or take longer. Keep an eye on them and take them out when they’re fork-tender.
What to Serve with Breakfast Potatoes
This easy potato dish goes so well with other breakfast and brunch foods, making a hearty contribution to your table. Here are just a few ideas for serving:
- Poached Eggs: Everything’s better with a yummy poached egg on top. Never made poached eggs? This easy tutorial on How to Poach an Egg has got you covered.
- Overnight Oats: Another favorite, these can be prepped ahead to make your mornings easier. Try these sweet Apple Crisp Overnight Oats, and you’ll fall in love!
- Tartletes: Mini Asparagus Lemon Tartletes add a little green to your meal, in an easy but fancy tart recipe that you’ll be proud to serve.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Leftover breakfast sausage and potatoes will keep fresh in the fridge for about 3 days. Make sure to store it tightly covered, or in an airtight container. This will ensure that the potatoes and sausage don’t take on (or give out!) flavors with any other foods in your fridge, and will help prevent spoilage.
Can Cooked Sausage and Potatoes Be Frozen?
Freezing may not be the best option for this dish, because the potatoes can turn mushy when frozen and thawed. Instead, try making only the amount you can enjoy over a few days. If this recipe makes too much, try cutting all of the ingredient amounts in half.
Baked Breakfast Potatoes with Sausage
Ingredients
- 10 sugar-free pork or chicken sausage. See note for frozen sausage.)
- 1 large sweet yellow onion
- 1 pound baby yellow and/or red potatoes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground Italian Herbs
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place an empty baking sheet in the oven while prepping.
- Cube potatoes and onions into bite-sized pieces and place into a large bowl.
- Drizzle on olive oil and lemon juice and seasonings. Stir to coat evenly.
- Pour mixture onto a foil lined sheet pan. You do not need to use foil, this is for easy clean up.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, stirring half way through cooking.
Notes
- Storage: Leftover breakfast sausage and potatoes will keep fresh in the fridge for about 3 days. Make sure to store it tightly covered, or in an airtight container.
- Frozen Sausage:Â If using frozen sausage, set it out to thaw while potatoes and onions cook. Cut links into quarters when thawed.
- Even Cutting: When you’re cooking potatoes especially, it’s important to cut them to about the same size. If some pieces are large and others are small, it can be difficult to get the larger ones cooked through.Â
- Heating the Sheet Pan: This step is important, so don’t forget. You want your ingredients to start cooking as soon as they hit the pan. This will help them get that breakfast potato texture, rather than a steamed potato texture.
- Oven Temps: Every oven is a bit different, so the time given here is just an estimate. You may find that your potatoes and sausage cook faster, or take longer. Keep an eye on them and take them out when they’re fork-tender.
