The Easy Way To Give Scrambled Eggs A Hearty Upgrade

For those of us who need a hot breakfast to get going in the morning, few recipes are as speedy and filling as scrambled eggs. There are plenty of ways to cook scrambled eggs too, and they're a versatile base for add-ins, but leftover potatoes are one of their most compatible companions when it comes to getting a hearty morning meal on the table fast.

But what kinds of potato dishes should you add to your scrambled eggs? Almost any kind will do, though preparations with a bit of structure are your best bet. This helps the potatoes provide some contrast to the scrambled eggs compared to softer textures like mashed potatoes. Think roasted potatoes, french fries, hash browns, and the like. If you want to make breakfast especially easy, plan for leftovers by making extra portions so that adding them to your morning scrambled eggs could not be easier. 

Whatever leftover potato dish you decide to use, start by reheating it directly in a pan on the stovetop. You may need to slice larger pieces of potato into smaller, bite-size chunks and watch the amount of cooking fat you add so the final dish doesn't become too greasy. At the same time, prepare the egg mixture for your favorite scrambled eggs recipe. When the potatoes are fully reheated and just finished cooking, tip in the eggs and cook until the eggs reach your preferred doneness. Eggs cook quickly, so if you add them too early, the potatoes won't be fully reheated or crisped when the eggs finish cooking.

To a certain extent, you can let the type of leftover potato dish you have dictate the direction you go with your scrambled egg breakfast. You could go the classic breakfast hash route with some everything seasoning-spiked hash browns and make a copycat Chick-fil-A Hash Brown Scramble Bowl. Want to go down a spicy route, instead? Taco Bell copycat Fiesta Potatoes would be a delight with scrambled eggs, especially if you also have some homemade nacho cheese sauce to drizzle over everything. Wrap it all up in a soft tortilla with your favorite hot sauce to make a breakfast burrito for a portable meal. 

And do not stop at simple potato sides. Adding other hardy vegetables, warming spices, and even fresh herbs in addition to potatoes will bring a simple plate of scrambled eggs to another level. That delicious bowl of warming aloo gobi has subtly spiced potatoes that provide a delicious textural and flavor base alongside the eggs. The tender cauliflower florets then add just enough vegetal bite to make it feel healthful for breakfast. Leftover potato salad can also be a delicious companion to scrambled eggs, and heating it up gives the potato salad a different dimension compared to having it cold or at room temperature. Consider an extra-hearty version like this German potato salad recipe, which, incidentally, is already meant to be served warm. When mixed with eggs, the potatoes and bacon give the vibe of a super-chunky breakfast hash, this time with sharp flavor notes from the mustard and horseradish.