I love a hearty brunch spread just as much as the next early-riser, but the last thing I want to do after eating a big meal is wash a zillion dirty dishes. Enter these 14 one-pan breakfast recipes, which get the job done without filling your sink to the brim. They’re beginner-friendly, hearty and worthy of serving to guests. My favorites include sheet pan pancakes with chocolate chips, potato and spring pea frittata and migas with chorizo.
14 One-Pan Breakfast Recipes for Busy Mornings and Lazy Sundays Alike
Bye-bye, dirty dishes
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Published Jun 18, 2024
Alyssa Rivers/Liz Andrew/Cara Mangini
1. 30-Minute Breakfast Hash with Kale and Sweet Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, one pan
“I used a combination of sweet potatoes, kale and bell pepper here,” writes PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen, “but it should go without saying that you can swap vegetables in and out based on your own tastes. Any hearty green could replace the kale, and the spices are totally interchangeable.” (A little cheese wouldn’t hurt either.)
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
You can’t go wrong with this zesty, tomato-based Tunisian egg dish. Fresh herbs elevate the canned ingredients and pantry staples just right. Serve it with plenty of crusty bread or toasted pita for dipping.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
In Spanish and Portuguese cuisines, migas is made from stale bread. But in the Tex-Mex version, torn corn tortillas take centerstage. “Filled with flavor, the chorizo brings in a delicious taste that complements the veggies and fills you up,” writes recipe developer and cookbook author Alyssa Rivers. Top the one-pan breakfast with cotija cheese and sliced avocado.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
“On the rare occasion I have leftover pasta after dinner—very, very rare—this frittata makes for a special treat the next morning,” writes recipe creator and cookbook author Dan Pelosi. “Be sure the pasta gets extra crispy on the bottom of the pan, the eggs are extra fluffy and cheesy, and the frittata is served straight out of the skillet.” Roger that.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, one pan
Call it a German pancake, Bismarck or Dutch puff—this skillet delight will satisfy regardless. Even better, this one-pan breakfast requires no flipping. Heck, if you’re feeling super lazy, the pancake batter can even be mixed in a blender.
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, vegetarian
Just as easy to prepare as a simple scramble, but significantly more elegant. Instead of tomatoes, the base of this green shakshuka is spinach, jalapeño, parsley and cilantro. Finish it with plenty of crushed red pepper flakes and dollops of yogurt or ricotta to cool things down.
7. Potato and Spring Pea Frittata
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
“The Spanish tortilla, an adored open-faced omelet packed with potatoes simmered in olive oil, inspired this frittata,” writes recipe developer and cookbook author Cara Mangini. “It’s heavy on the potatoes and light on the egg. It’s a hit at a special-occasion brunch, sliced and served with a colorful salad.” I’ll take extra goat cheese on mine, please.
8. Bacon, Kale and Egg Grandma Pie
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly
Retire your skillet this morning in favor of your trustiest sheet pan. Easy, store-bought pizza dough makes this breakfast pie a cinch to pull together. Finish it with chives or chive blossoms if you’re feeling fancy.
9. Sheet Pan Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese and Dill
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Pair it with toast, arugula, everything bagel seasoning or a mimosa pitcher—this one-pan breakfast gets along with just about every morning food in the book. Did I mention it’s only nine ingredients away?
10. Roasted Potato Galette with Crème Fraîche and Smoked Salmon
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, low sugar, gluten free
Paper-thin slices of potato coated in butter and Parmesan cheese, crowned with all your favorite lox bagel toppings—need I say more? “This is a good time to break out the mandoline, if you have one—even if you’re scared of it—because the thinness is important,” asserts recipe creator Erin McDowell. If you don’t have one, use the sharpest knife you have instead.
11. Sheet Pan Pancakes with Chocolate Chips
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, sheet pan recipe
Forget the whole pouring-waiting-flipping thing; this crowd-pleasing, one-pan breakfast can be cooked in one fell swoop with the help of a sheet pan. It only requires 25 minutes and nine ingredients to come together *and* it’s endlessly riffable. (Add fruit, peanut butter, granola—you name it.)
12. Skillet Blueberry Cornbread
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
Think a blueberry muffin crossed with coffee cake crossed with cornbread. “It’s sweet from the fruit, but definitely doesn’t taste like dessert,” writes McDowell. “Plus, it’s easy to make—all in one skillet—and has a really beautiful texture on top, thanks to the [brown sugar] streusel.”
13. Crispy Kale and Egg Skillet for One
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
This single-serve, one-pan breakfast requires only six ingredients, most of which you likely have in your kitchen right now. The kale finishes cooking in a layer of mozzarella cheese, which browns on the bottom of the pan to create a crispy, caramelized base for the eggs.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
It may look like a major baking project, but canned Crescent roll dough makes it a breeze, even for newbies. Feel free to prepare the cinnamon roll ahead, then reheat it and top it with three-ingredient glaze right before serving.
