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This dish is sure to begin your day in the most delicious of ways! If you want to enjoy the best loaded cheesy potato waffles, it’s a great idea to make your own. If you can use a waffle iron, you can make this extra-special breakfast recipe. This easy-to-make loaded waffle recipe uses russet potatoes, along with cheese, bacon, eggs, and a variety of garnish options—anything goes! It’s a quick and easy breakfast or brunch option you can have ready in under half an hour and it makes a delicious change from fried shredded potatoes or potato pancakes.
Discover a tasty twist on your favorite comfort breakfast food with these crispy cheesy potato waffles with bacon and eggs. They’re so tasty and really satisfying.
Want more breakfast inspiration? Try ham and cheese butter swim biscuits, puff pastry waffles, banana pumpkin muffins, and sausage breakfast burritos.
Why You’ll Love It
Quick and easy to make: These mashed potato waffles are simple to prepare and you can make them from scratch in under half an hour.
A gluten-free choice: There’s no gluten in here!
Really delicious: Potatoes, bacon and eggs are always great for breakfast and this recipe combines them in a tasty way with different flavors and textures.
Potato and Cheese Waffle Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Russet potatoes: The main ingredient in cheesy potato waffles.
Cheddar cheese: Using freshly grated cheddar cheese will taste a lot better than pre-shredded cheese. There is no starchy coating interfering with the flavors or stopping it from melting properly (I love this box grater!)
Oil: Olive, canola, vegetable, and especially ghee (clarified butter) are all good choices.
Bacon: Adds a salty, meaty flavor. I love mine super-crispy!
Eggs: A breakfast staple. You can fry the eggs however you prefer.
How to Make Loaded Potato Waffles
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Cook the potatoes: Scrub the potatoes and pierce in several places. Rub with salt, oil and pepper, and microwave them.
Prepare the bacon and eggs: While the potatoes cook, fry the bacon until crispy and then fry the eggs how you like them.
Make the potato waffles: Cut the potatoes lengthwise in half. Put one half cut side down in a greased preheated waffle iron, add cheese and smash down to flatten. Cook potato waffles until golden brown and crispy. Repeat with the rest of them.
Serve and enjoy: Top each cheesy potato waffle with sour cream, the cooked bacon and egg, more cheese, and green onions. Add more salt and pepper and/or hot sauce if liked, and serve immediately.
Substitutions and Variations
Potatoes: If you already have baked potatoes in your fridge, feel free to use them. Just microwave them for about 2 minutes before using them in this recipe. You can also use leftover mashed potatoes (no need to microwave them). Frozen tater tots or hash browns work too – there’s no need to thaw them first.
Sweet potatoes: I haven’t tried this version but I bet sweet potatoes would be really delicious for cheesy potato waffles.
Bacon: Swap the bacon for sausage if you prefer.
Fried eggs: You can cook these to your liking – over-easy, sunny side up or however you prefer. Alternatively, make scrambled eggs or a poached egg instead.
South of the border style: Add avocados and salsa, and/or swap the bacon for chorizo.
Japanese twist: Swap the bacon for Japanese sausages and use teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds in place of the sour cream.
Vegetables: Add mustard green, chard, kale, or your preferred greens.
Vegan: Swap the bacon for vegan bacon or tofu, the egg for beans or pulses, and the cheese for vegan cheese.
Condiments: Take your pick from ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salsa, everything bagel seasoning, or anything else you want.
Add some crunch: Sprinkle crispy fried onions on top just before serving.
Spice it up: Add red pepper flakes or jalapeno slices.
Serving Suggestions
With savory brunch dishes: These savory waffles would be good with breakfast lasagna or breakfast sliders.
With sweet brunch dishes: Contrasting options include banana bread crumb cake, rainbow unicorn toast and mango yogurt mousse.
As a light meal or snack: Enjoy your potato waffles with homemade peperonata or spicy dill pickles.
How to Store Potato Waffles
Store: You can store the potato waffles, bacon and eggs in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: This isn’t a suitable dish for freezing.
Reheat: Reheat either in the microwave on high for 30 seconds to a minute or in a toaster oven, at 300°F for about 4 minutes. Bear in mind that your eggs will cook more if you are reheating them.
Top Tips
Perfectly cooked waffles: It’s really important to not leave the potato in the waffle maker too long or the cheese will burn and get bitter. This cooks fast!
Don’t burn yourself: Don’t forget kitchen gloves or oven mitts when removing the potatoes from the microwave. They’ll be piping hot!
Experiment with toppings: The potatoes can be a blank canvas for your own inspired toppings. Try sour cream and chives, homemade chicken or tuna salad, tomatoes and avocados, or anything else you’re in the mood for.
Loaded Potato Waffles FAQs
You can, but use smaller pieces of potato (or even baby potatoes) and less cheese.
No Belgian waffle maker or waffle iron? You can put the potato halves in foil and press them down to flatten, add cheese on top, close the foil and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes at 325°F. They won’t come out as flat and crisp or have that waffle pattern but the flavors will all be there. Another idea is to use a griddle pan and press down on the potato with a flat spatula.
Peeled potatoes will fall apart in the microwave, so it’s best not to peel them, just scrub them clean before cooking. You can then just not eat the skin. If you’re starting with peeled leftover potatoes, such as leftover mashed potatoes, use a spoon to transfer them into the waffle iron. Cooking them will crisp them up and then they’ll hold together.
Loaded Cheesy Potato Waffles Recipe
Cheesy Potato Waffles
Equipment
Ingredients
Optional Garnishes:
- sour cream
- cheddar cheese, grated
- green onion, chopped
- hot sauce, to serve
Instructions
Par-Cook the Potatoes:
- Poke the scrubbed potatoes all over with a fork. Rub with oil, salt and pepper.
- Put the potatoes on a plate and microwave for 5 minutes.
- Flip with a fork or tongs and microwave for another 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the from the microwave using oven mitts and let them cool slightly.
Make the Bacon and Eggs:
- While the potatoes are cooking in the microwave, lay your bacon in a large, cold non-stick skillet.
- Cook over a medium heat until crispy, about 5 minutes on each side, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking.
- Remove the bacon and drain it on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the pan. There might be a lot, but that is what will make the eggs more crispy and flavorful.
- Next, turn the heat up to high and fry each egg to your preferred doneness. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Prepare the Waffles:
- Plug in your waffle maker and adjust to the manufacturer’s specifications. I recommend a slightly lower temperature setting than what you normally use so as to not overcook and burn the cheese.
- Cut the cooled potatoes in half, lengthwise.
- Brush ½ tablespoon oil onto the waffle maker. Place the cut side down of the potato onto the waffle maker and sprinkle on ½ cup of cheese.
- Smash the potato in the waffle maker as flat as you can.
Cook the Potato Waffles:
- Cook for 60 to 90 seconds or until crispy.
- Check the waffle after 60 seconds; you don’t want to burn your cheese as this will make it bitter.
- Remove the potatoes from the waffle maker and put them on a plate. Repeat for every half potato.
- Top each waffle with sour cream, bacon, egg, more shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, salt, pepper, and hot sauce if using.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t burn yourself: Don’t forget kitchen gloves or oven mitts when removing the potatoes from the microwave. They’ll be piping hot!
Experiment with toppings: The potatoes can be a blank canvas for your own inspired toppings. Try sour cream and chives, homemade chicken or tuna salad, tomatoes and avocados, or anything else you’re in the mood for.
Nutrition
This potato waffle breakfast stack sounds yummy and, if you’re looking for new breakfast ideas, you’re going to love this. Crispy cheesy potatoes are paired with fried eggs and bacon, and then you can load it up with sour cream and chives, green onions, hot sauce, or anything else you want. It’s a great recipe and the egg, bacon, cheese, and potato mixture offers so much flavor.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Everyone loved how cheesy and flavorful these waffles were. Such a hit, especially with my kids.