These cast iron skillet potatoes with bacon are a versatile, flavorful side that works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
They pair beautifully with eggs and toast, a Sunday roast, or your favorite meatloaf. The bacon adds deep savory flavor, and cooking the potatoes in the reserved bacon fat makes them crisp and delicious.
Simple and quick to prepare, this one-pan recipe is family-friendly — even picky eaters tend to ask for seconds.
What You’ll Need:
- 4 slices lean bacon
- 6 medium potatoes (use thin-skinned varieties like Yukon Gold or red potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
How to Make Them
1. Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet until crispy, then transfer it to a plate to cool and crumble. Reserve about ¼ cup of the bacon fat in the pan.
2. While the bacon cooks, cut the potatoes into roughly ¾-inch pieces. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley.
3. Heat the skillet with the reserved bacon fat over medium heat until the fat is hot but before it smokes. Be cautious — the fat can spit when you add the potatoes.
4. Carefully add the seasoned potatoes to the hot pan. Stir immediately to coat them in the bacon fat and avoid sticking. Cook on the stovetop, stirring often, for about 10 minutes while you preheat the oven.
5. Crumble the cooked bacon and stir it into the potatoes. Transfer the skillet to a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes reach your desired level of golden brown and tenderness.
Tips
- Preheat the pan well before adding the potatoes to reduce sticking and promote browning. A hot skillet gives you better color and texture.
- Watch the heat: bacon fat can start to smoke if the pan gets too hot. Use your range hood or fan if needed.
- Add the potatoes carefully—expect some spattering when oil meets moisture. Stir frequently during the initial stovetop cooking to keep pieces from sticking and to brown evenly.
- Reserve about ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of bacon fat to ensure there’s enough oil for frying. Too little fat increases the chance the potatoes will stick.
- If you prefer, swap rosemary for thyme or add a pinch of smoked paprika for an extra layer of flavor.
More Hearty Potato Recipes
- Ranch Bacon Potatoes
- Crockpot Green Beans and Potatoes with ham
- Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
📋 Recipe
Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes with bacon
These cast iron skillet potatoes with bacon are great for any meal – breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup bacon fat (reserved from cooking bacon)
- 6 medium potatoes, yellow or red, chopped into ¾-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
- ½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook bacon until crispy and reserve approximately ¼ cup of the fat in the skillet. Remove bacon to a plate and crumble when cool.
- While the bacon cooks, chop the potatoes and toss them in a large bowl with rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- Heat the skillet with the reserved bacon fat over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
- Carefully add the seasoned potatoes to the hot pan and stir to coat with the bacon fat. Expect some spatter initially.
- Cook on the stovetop for about 10 minutes, stirring often, while you preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Stir in the crumbled bacon, then transfer the skillet to the oven and bake 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and tender.
Nutrition
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