I love baked potatoes. I love them even more when they’re combined with protein and have some real staying power. These Idaho Sunrise Egg-Stuffed Baked Potatoes are my perfect answer: hollowed out baked potatoes filled with cheese and toppings with an egg cracked right in there. It kind of all cooks together like a yummy omelet. Think of it like hash browns and eggs all in one portioned edible container. This is a fabulous meal for one, or for a whole crew.
When I was looking at recipes like this around the web, most of them are traced back to a recipe from “The Supper Book” by Marion Cunningham. She referred to it as an “Idaho Sunrise” and, as an Idaho girl myself, I can’t help but love that!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Baked Potatoes – Any kind will work, but I prefer russet potatoes as they bake up nice and fluffy.
- Butter – Always use real butter if you can!
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Shredded cheese – Cheddar, gruyere, fintina, pepper jack, or whatever you like!
- Eggs
- Additional filling of your choice – Sautéed veggies, bacon, sausage, ham, etc.
How to Make An Idaho Sunrise
- Start with your baked potatoes. You can do these in the oven or microwave, just be sure they are cooked through and soft. Slice the top off of each potato and scoop the insides into a mixing bowl. You want to leave a layer of potato in there, so don’t go too crazy. Save those insides for mashed potatoes or use them in a Baked Potato Soup.
- You don’t have to do this next step, but I like to brush the insides with a little melted butter at this point. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper as well.
- Next add some cheese and any fillings you’d like and fill up to about 3/4 full.
- Crack an egg right in there, sprinkle with salt and pepper again, and a sprinkle of additional toppings, if desired.
- Pop those in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the egg is soft cooked and cooked to your liking. I recommend not cooking it completely through, otherwise you’ll just have a hard boiled egg inside a potato! Even if you don’t like “runny” yolks, aim for a soft cooked yolk for best results.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within 2-3 days for best results.
- Make sure you pierce your potato skins before baking or microwaving! This allows steam to escape, giving you nice, fluffy baked potato inside.
- A note on cooking time: There are a lot of variables here. The size and temperature of your baked potato, the type and amount of extra add-ins you add, the size and temperature of your egg, and your individual oven will all affect the overall baking time. If your egg is still see-through after 20, or even 30 minutes, just keep it in the oven until it sets up!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can definitely bake your potatoes ahead of time, and even scoop them out. When ready to bake, assemble as outlined in the the recipe and bake.
Is any breakfast only for breakfast? I eat breakfast foods any time of day. These would be great for brunch, or even alongside a steak for dinner!
Yep. Skip the meat and load it up with your favorite veggies and cheese.
We have had readers report this is delicious with a sweet potato! Southwestern flavors pair especially well with sweet potato.
An Idaho Sunrise: Egg-Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- baked potatoes slightly cooled, or leftover from a previous meal
- melted butter
- kosher salt and black pepper
- shredded cheese cheddar, gruyere, fontina, pepperjack, or other of your choice
- eggs
- additional fillings of your choice: sauteed vegetables bacon or ham, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Slice a layer off the top of each potato. Use a spoon to gently scoop out insides, leaving a thin layer of potato against the skin and avoiding puncturing the bottom. Reserve scooped potato for another use.
- Brush inside of each potato with melted butter and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese into each potato and add fillings as desired (vegetables, diced meat, etc.). Fill each potato about 3/4 full. Crack one egg into each potato. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Top with additional cheese and toppings if desired.
- Place potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes. Egg whites should be set and yolks soft.
Notes
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within 2-3 days for best results.
- Make sure you pierce your potato skins before baking or microwaving! This allows steam to escape, giving you nice, fluffy baked potato inside.
- A note on cooking time: There are a lot of variables here. The size and temperature of your baked potato, the type and amount of extra add-ins you add, the size and temperature of your egg, and your individual oven will all affect the overall baking time. If your egg is still see-through after 20, or even 30 minutes, just keep it in the oven until it sets up!
To Cook Potatoes
Oven
Pierce clean potatoes several times with a fork. Rub with oil and bake directly on oven rack at 400°F for about an hour, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and scooping out insides.Microwave
Pierce clean potato several times with a fork. Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Test for doneness with a knife. Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and scooping out insides.Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
I made these last week. We have 6 chickens so we had quite the fridge full of eggs I needed to use. WOW these are absolutely AMAZING. Please folks do not scramble them, that gorgeous soft egg, pooling onto your cheese and bacon….. WOW!!!
I LOVE baked potatoes! And I especially like cheese on baked potatoes. Thanx so much for this recipe.
I made these and they turned out great — EXCEPT… Either I didn’t scoop out enough of the potato, or my potatoes were too small. The egg overflowed! I just wiped off the outside and popped them in the oven and they were still great and super cute. 🙂
Loved these, but I was thinking they’d be even better with the eggs, bacon, veggies and cheese all mixed up THEN poured in the shelled-out potatoes. Kinda life a quiche.
MMM – can’t wait to try this one out for dinner tonight! Now, what to put with it? Salad maybe? Suggestions anyone?
I love this idea — any chance I could scramble the eggs before baking? We’re exclusively scrambled egg people; I’m sure that’s why the Lord brought us together. 🙂
I’ll just refer you to comment #41 🙂
My family (even the tiny kids)all loved the Idaho Sunrise–thanks for the recipe. I do need some help with it though…it took about 35-40 min. to cook to even get the whites of the eggs done and then by that time, the yolk was mostly done. Any advice? It definitely needs the yolk runny. Not sure what I did wrong…should I wrap the potatoes up, or cook at a higher temp?
thanks so much!
That’s weird Emily- did you have ginormous eggs or something? lol The whites should definitely cook faster than the yolk so I’m not sure what to tell ya!
Emily – I had the same problem. I think it’ll be better to cook it at a lower temperature for longer – because my egg whites were under cooked but by the time they were fully set the yolk was no longer runny. I’m not sure what the higher temperature will do, but if you try it again, let me know what worked. My other idea is to not put any toppings on top of the egg, that way it can cook more evenly…
I am trying these tonight…they look fantastic! Question though…do you eat the skins? I don’t usually eat the skins, but it seems that with all of the scooping of the potatoes, you’re not left with much other than the toppings and eggs. No?
Definitely eat the skin!
Awesome! Thanks for the reply 🙂
The thought of eating a runny egg gives me the willies. As in, I’m slightly afraid of it! But these look SO good!
Have you had them with the egg cooked all the way through? I’m wondering if it affects the flavor, or just the texture?
The eggs in my photo are cooked all the way through and they tasted great; just make sure they’re soft. They don’t have to be *runny* but you want to still keep them soft.
Like Amanda V, I was wondering about scrambling the eggs ahead of time. What are your thoughts on that? 🙂
Personally that doesn’t sound good to me, but you could try it if you want. I think whole, unscrambled eggs work much better here both taste and texture-wise.