Pepper Me Up

Some breakfasts are worth slowing down for, and this Sunny Side Up Sweet Potato with Sausage is one of them. Perfectly creamy baked sweet potatoes get loaded up with savory breakfast sausage links and a sunny side up egg that has those perfectly crisp and lacy edges. Once the yolk breaks, it becomes a rich sauce that ties every bite together.

This dish offers the same vibe as your favorite diner’s breakfast plate, but with a baked sweet potato in place of pancakes, waffles, or French toast, which is fabulous because sweet potatoes have more nutrients and just as much sweetness, but require way less time, effort, and dishes.

Whether you’re fueling up for the day ahead or craving breakfast for dinner, give these stuffed sweet potatoes a try—I promise you won’t regret it!

Why you’ll love these breakfast sweet potatoes

If you’re looking for a breakfast that actually keeps you full without weighing you down, turn to these sunny side up sweet potatoes. Part of the morning glory plant family, sweet potatoes are naturally rich and creamy, while the sausage and eggs add plenty of protein to create a balanced meal that will keep you satisfied for hours.

They’re also great for meal prep. Bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to eat. When morning rolls around, simply warm the potatoes in a microwave or air fryer, cook the sausage and eggs fresh, and breakfast is ready in minutes.

Also, if you’re like me and LOVE breakfast food for dinner, these are just as delicious for a cozy evening meal with the family. Round it out with some fruit or greens that you’ve been meaning to get to, and you’ll have quite the serendipitous spread.

What ingredients you need

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make these stuffed sweet potatoes.

• Sweet potatoes
• Breakfast sausage links
• Large eggs
• Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Optional garnishes:

• Hot sauce
• Maple syrup
• Shredded cheddar or crumbled feta
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Fresh chives or green onions

How to make sunny side up sweet potato sausage plates

Bake the sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Scrub the sweet potatoes with water to get any lingering dirt then pat dry. Pierce each one several times with a fork, rub lightly with olive oil, and season with salt. Bake for 50 to 70 minutes, or until they’re completely tender when pierced with a knife.

Cook the sausage. While the potatoes finish baking, cook your breakfast sausage links in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up any excess grease, and cover with foil to keep warm.

Fry and baste the eggs. Add a little more oil to the skillet if needed. Crack in the eggs and cook over medium-low heat until the whites are mostly set. Tilt the pan and spoon the hot oil over the tops of the eggs—aim for the whites of the egg around the edges of the yolks, but don’t baste oil over the yolks themselves! Repeat until the whites completely set and there aren’t any translucent parts. Preparing your eggs this way results in an ooey gooey yolk and crispy edges, but none of that mucus-like egg white nonsense.

Assemble the potato vessels. Slice each baked sweet potato lengthwise and gently fluff the inside with a fork. Season with a kiss of salt and pepper; this ensures the flesh of the potato gets seasoned. Nestle four sausage links into each potato, then top with one sunny side up egg.

Finish and serve. Season your egg with salt and pepper, then add any garnishes you’d like. Hot sauce, maple syrup, fresh chives, or a sprinkle of cheese all make delicious finishing touches.

Ideas for additions and substitutions

One of the best things about these breakfast sweet potatoes is how easy they are to customize. Here are some recommendations off the top of my head:

• Swap the pork sausage for chicken or plant-based sausage; or, nix the sausage and go for bacon, ham, steak, or salmon instead!
• Add sautéed spinach, kale, peppers, mushrooms, or caramelized onions for extra vegetables.
• Sprinkle on shredded cheddar, pepper jack, feta, or goat cheese.
• Serve with apples, berries, dates, or any fruit that’s calling your name for a colorfully complete breakfast.
• Top with sliced avocado for extra creaminess.
• Enjoy with an espresso beverage or some nice herbal or fruity tea, like my iced hibiscus tea, to balance out the heartiness of your egg and sausage potato plate.
• Use Japanese sweet potatoes instead of regular orange ones; Japanese sweet potatoes taste more chestnutty, almost marshmallow-over-a-campfire-esque—which offers a different but still wonderful experience alongside your breakfast proteins.

Try these recipes next!

If you loved these breakfast sweet potatoes, here are a few more sweet-and-savory recipes to try next:

• Sweet sausage rolls
• Peanut butter date overnight oats
• Peachy poblano guacamole
• Coconut turmeric ginger rice