This veggie-packed Cast Iron Southwest Breakfast Skillet is healthy and full of flavor! With fresh avocado, baked eggs, crispy bacon, potatoes, and bold southwestern spices, it's the perfect protein-packed brunch recipe to make for yourself or to share with friends.
If you leave out the bacon, this recipe is entirely vegetarian. It also tastes amazing with dairy-free alternatives. Either way, this recipe is perfect for brunch, impressing your guests, camping, or to make ahead as healthy meal prep for the whole week!
This cast iron breakfast skillet recipe is fantastic year round! There's nothing cozier than a hot breakfast skillet in the winter, and this recipe can be made in your kitchen or over a campfire in the warmer months too.
For a complete brunch, go savory and serve this recipe with a crusty gluten-free baguette or balance it out with something sweet like our Gluten-Free Apple Coffee Cake or Gluten-Free Rhubarb Cake with streusel.
We also love to serve it with one of our delicious muffin recipes like our Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Muffins or Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins. If you're on a health kick, consider pairing this healthy breakfast skillet with our Peach Mango Smoothie or Strawberry Basil Smoothie!
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Ingredients Notes
Here are the common ingredients you need to make this impressive Southwest breakfast skillet:
- Bacon (optional) - We prefer thick cut bacon, but any kind will work. You can also replace it with ham, Canadian bacon, or sliced breakfast sausage. If making this recipe vegetarian, replace the bacon with 3 tablespoons of a liquid oil, like avocado or canola oil.
- Vegetables - This recipe is super versatile and you can switch out the vegetables to any combination you enjoy! Recently, we've tried making it with drained canned diced tomatoes and it still works great. We particularly enjoy using Fire Roasted Tomatoes.
- Smoked Paprika - Regular paprika works fine in this recipe. But if you're making this skillet frequently and you love Southwestern flavors like us, the smoked version is definitely worth having on hand!
- Cheese and Milk - Dairy Free alternatives work great in this recipe too. We used Daiya Cheddar shreds and almond milk in our dairy-free recipe trial and it was delicious!
Step-by-Step Instructions
There are only 5 easy steps to make a perfect Southwest Breakfast Skillet in cast iron.
Step 1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Step 2. Bacon: In a 10-inch skillet on medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp (about 5 minutes), flipping and stirring on occasion to prevent sticking. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Step 3. Vegetables: Add all vegetables and spices to the skillet with the remaining bacon fat and toss to coat. Cook on medium heat, stirring on occasion until soft (about 15 minutes). Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
Step 4. Assemble: Remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the vegetables. Then pour over the egg mixture and distribute the bacon evenly on top.
Step 5. Bake: Place the skillet on the middle oven rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges brown, the top rises, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Garnish with avocado and sliced green onions and enjoy!
Hint: Use silicone or wooden cooking utensils to avoid damaging the seasoning on your cast iron skillet.
Expert Tips
Here are some tips to get the best breakfast skillet on your first try!
- If the bacon or vegetables stick while cooking, the skillet is too hot. Remove it from heat and continue to stir until the sticking resolves. You may also need to add very tiny splashes of water to deglaze the pan while cooking the vegetables.
- Cast Iron Equipment: You can make this recipe in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 10-inch shallow dutch oven (5 quart). Then, when it’s time to bake, all you need to do is cover with the lid. If you already own this Dutch oven, the lid will fit the 10-inch skillet too. Both are made by Lodge.
- Make Ahead: Cook the bacon and vegetables the day before. Store in the refrigerator overnight. Then, before serving, assemble the skillet and bake until the eggs are set and cheese is melted.
- Camping: You can make this Southwest Breakfast Skillet the night before, and simply reheat it over the campfire. Make sure to keep it refrigerated before leaving and in a cooler for transport.
Recipe FAQs
Cast iron skillets are special because they provide even heating and last forever. Even after rusting or being dropped, this cookware can be saved! They are perfect for use on a traditional stovetop, in the oven, and over a campfire. They hold heat well, and continue cooking even after being removed from the heat source.
I primarily use cast iron over the campfire, anytime the skillet will be placed in the oven, and when sauteeing on the stovetop uncovered.
These are the basic steps to make a skillet breakfast from scratch:
1. Cook bacon and other breakfast meats first, then remove from the skillet and set aside.
2. Cook the vegetables and add any spices.
3. Top the vegetables with cheese, whisked eggs, and breakfast meats.
4. Bake until the cheese melts and the eggs set.
That’s it! Only four steps to a super flavorful and impressive skillet breakfast.
I have not tried this recipe over a campfire yet, but I think it would work great! Check out the Expert Tips section as it is especially helpful for camping.
Other Related Gluten-Free Brunch Recipes to consider...
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & if you really like it, consider a comment in the field further down. Thank you!
PrintCast Iron Southwest Breakfast Skillet
This veggie-packed Cast Iron Southwest Breakfast Skillet is healthy and full of flavor! With fresh avocado, baked eggs, crispy bacon, potatoes, and bold southwestern spices, it's the perfect protein-packed brunch recipe to make for yourself or to share with friends.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 50
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
Vegetables
- 1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped
- ½ medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 cups diced russet potatoes
Spices
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
Dairy and Eggs
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
Garnish
- Avocado and chopped green onions
Instructions
1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Bacon: In a 10-inch skillet on medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp (about 5 minutes), flipping and stirring on occasion to prevent sticking. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
3. Vegetables: Add all vegetables and spices to the skillet with the remaining bacon fat and toss to coat. Cook on medium heat, stirring on occasion until soft (about 15 minutes). Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
4. Assemble: Remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the vegetables. Then pour over the egg mixture and distribute bacon evenly on top.
5. Bake: Place the skillet on the middle oven rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges brown, the top rises, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Garnish with avocado and sliced green onions and enjoy!
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freezing is not recommended.
Reheating leftovers: Bake at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slices are cooked through.
Vegetarian: Replace the bacon with 3 tablespoons of oil or butter.
Dairy-Free: Dairy-free milk and cheese work great in this recipe! We used almond milk and Daiya Cheddar Shreds for our dairy-free recipe trial.
Keywords: breakfast skillet cast iron, healthy breakfast skillet, mexican breakfast skillet, southwest skillet, southwest breakfast scramble
Lucas
Everyone seriously NEEDS to try this! I follow Jamie on instagram and used the tips in her stories. I broiled it in the oven for just a few minutes and it made the top especially nice and crispy! I also used Jamie's tip to use canned fire roasted tomatoes--this is seriously good stuff people!!
★★★★★
Sandy
I love that this is naturally gluten-free! My dad thought it had gluten lol. Which means he loved it...
★★★★★
Ronnie
made this for an end of summer brunch party and it was sooo good! Passed out the recipe to all the guests after. Make more stuff like this!
★★★★★
Laura
Love it! I made this for Sunday brunch and my family and I love that it's both healthy and tastes better than eating breakfast out.
★★★★★
Jamie
Wow thank you so much Laura -- better than eating out is an amazing compliment! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂