The Simple Way To Use Up A Leftover Baked Potato For Breakfast

You're enjoying a large, tender baked potato for dinner and your fork is about to reach your mouth when you realize that you are full and simply cannot take another bite. Whether you were enjoying the spud as a side to a juicy steak or loaded up to the max as a meal by itself, don't feel like the only option is scraping what's left into the garbage can. While a reheated leftover baked potato may sound less than appealing, there is another way to enjoy that tuber a second time.

First, make sure to store it properly so it's ready to be eaten the next day. Place the baked potato in a metal or glass pan after it has cooled down. Then, cover the pan with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you are ready to repurpose the spuds the next day (or even a few days later).

A great time to give new life to that leftover baked potato is during breakfast, when spuds are frequently fried in butter, grease, or oil to accompany eggs as a side dish. You can quickly transform the uneaten tuber into a new tasty form while also cutting down on food waste. That sounds like a win-win on all fronts.

To reinvent your baked potato, chop it up (skin included). Then, fry the diced pieces in any type of cooking grease suitable for high temperatures, such as bacon grease, to create homemade hash browns. Once the chunks have become golden brown and crispy, they are ready to be enjoyed. 

If you have several leftover whole baked potatoes on hand, they can be reborn as two separate dishes. Scoop out the insides to make hash browns and use the skins to whip up a batch of savory potato skins or chips. The hash browns are delicious on their own with a little salt and pepper, or they can be served with a dollop of sour cream and fresh-cut chives or green onions. You could even try placing a little cream cheese on top of the potatoes while they are still hot, which melts it a bit.

Next time you have a leftover baked potato (or more), don't let it go to waste. Instead, transform it into golden breakfast goodness.