Start your morning with a warm stack of bright, handheld breakfast tacos — scramble-silky eggs, salty crisp bacon, and golden, crunchy breakfast potatoes tucked into small corn tortillas. They’re fast enough for a busy weekday, filling enough for a lazy weekend brunch, and endlessly customizable with cheese, salsa, avocado, or a squeeze of lime. If you like exploring morning meals, check out more ideas in the breakfast recipes collection for pairings and variations.
What makes this recipe special
This recipe is a perfect balance of textures and flavors: creamy scrambled eggs, smoky bacon, and crisp potatoes all inside soft-corn tortillas. It’s quick, budget-friendly, and scales easily for guests. You don’t need fancy ingredients, but the payoff feels upgraded — like you swung by a great taquería without leaving home.
“These tacos are the kind you keep making until everyone at the table asks for seconds — simple, reliable, and wildly satisfying.”
Perfect occasions: weekday breakfasts you can put together in under 30 minutes, Saturday brunches, or a game-day snack when you want something substantial but portable.
Step-by-step overview
A quick roadmap before you cook:
- Crisp bacon first and reserve the fat — it flavors the potatoes.
- Pan-roast diced potatoes in the bacon fat until golden and crunchy.
- Scramble eggs gently in butter or a splash of oil for tender curds.
- Warm tortillas, assemble with eggs, bacon, and potatoes, and finish with toppings.
This order keeps each component at its best: potatoes crisp, eggs soft, and tortillas warm.
What you’ll need
- 8–12 small corn tortillas (6-inch)
- 6 large eggs
- 6–8 strips bacon
- 2 cups diced breakfast potatoes (small dice for faster cooking)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil (if you need extra fat)
Optional toppings: - Shredded cheddar or crumbled cotija
- Salsa (tomato or verde)
- Sliced or mashed avocado
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges
Notes and substitutions:
- Use Yukon Gold or red potatoes for a buttery texture; sweet potatoes add a sweeter profile.
- For a vegetarian option, swap bacon with smoky tempeh or roasted mushrooms.
- Corn tortillas give an authentic flavor and hold up well to fillings; lightly warming them prevents cracking.
Step-by-step instructions
- Cook the bacon: Place bacon strips in a cold large skillet, turn heat to medium, and cook until crispy, flipping as needed. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve about 1–2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat in the skillet; discard excess or save for another use.
- Roast the potatoes: Add diced potatoes to the skillet with the bacon fat over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden and crisp (about 10–12 minutes). If they’re browning too fast, reduce the heat slightly.
- Whisk the eggs: In a bowl, whisk 6 eggs with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper until homogeneous and slightly frothy.
- Scramble the eggs: Lower the heat to medium-low. Add a tablespoon of butter or oil to the skillet (or a splash if there’s still bacon fat). Pour in the eggs and stir gently with a spatula, forming soft curds. Remove when eggs are just set — they’ll continue to cook from residual heat.
- Warm tortillas: While eggs finish, warm tortillas in a separate dry skillet over medium-high heat for 10–20 seconds per side, or wrap in a clean dish towel and microwave for 20–30 seconds.
- Assemble tacos: Break or chop the bacon into pieces. Place a spoonful of scrambled eggs on each tortilla, top with crispy potatoes and crumbled bacon.
- Finish and serve: Add cheese, salsa, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime as desired. Serve immediately while hot.
Timing tip: Cook bacon and potatoes in one skillet to save cleanup and build flavor from the rendered fat.
Best ways to enjoy it
Serve these tacos hot and fresh. Pair them with:
- A light side salad or pickled onions to cut the richness.
- Black beans or refried beans for extra protein.
- A simple fruit plate for a sweeter contrast.
If you want a sweet companion for a weekend spread, try pairing with cinnamon swirl pancakes — the sweet-savory contrast works beautifully.
For plating: stack two tacos slightly overlapping on a warmed plate, garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges on the side. Offer salsa and hot sauce so guests can customize heat.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigeration: Store leftover components separately (eggs, potatoes, bacon) in airtight containers for up to 3–4 days. Assembled tacos get soggy faster.
- Freezing: Cooked potatoes and bacon freeze well for up to 2 months; eggs don’t freeze and reheat well only for short-term use. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat potatoes and bacon in a skillet over medium heat to bring back crispness. Gently rewarm scrambled eggs in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk or butter to keep them soft; microwave in 15–20 second bursts, stirring in between, if needed. Warm tortillas separately on a skillet or wrapped in a damp towel in the microwave.
Food safety: Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking. Discard any cooked eggs left at room temperature beyond that time.
Pro chef tips
- Dice potatoes uniformly (about 1/2-inch) so they cook evenly and quickly.
- Start bacon in a cold skillet — it renders fat steadily and crisps better.
- For extra fluffy eggs, whisk in a tablespoon of milk or cream, but don’t overdo it — eggs cook faster than you expect.
- Keep heat moderate when scrambling eggs; high heat yields dry curds.
- If you like a smoky chile kick, sprinkle a pinch of smoked paprika over the potatoes while they brown.
Shortcuts:
- Use pre-cooked diced potatoes or leftover roasted potatoes to save time.
- Cook bacon in the oven on a sheet pan while you prep potatoes and whisk eggs for hands-off efficiency.
Creative twists
- Vegetarian: Swap bacon for smoked tempeh crumbles or pan-roasted mushrooms, and add a drizzle of chipotle mayo.
- Southwestern: Add black beans, pepper jack cheese, and pico de gallo.
- Green chile breakfast tacos: Fold roasted poblano strips into the eggs and top with cotija.
- Breakfast burrito version: Use flour tortillas and roll everything up with extra salsa and cheese.
- Keto: Skip the tortillas and serve as a breakfast bowl over greens or cauliflower rice.
Your questions answered
Q: Can I make these tacos ahead of time for a crowd?
A: Yes — cook the bacon and potatoes ahead and reheat in a skillet just before serving. Scramble eggs fresh to preserve texture. Keep tortillas warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) wrapped in foil.
Q: How long do leftover scrambled egg tacos last?
A: Assembled tacos are best eaten immediately. Leftover components stored separately keep 3–4 days in the fridge. Reheat potatoes and bacon until crisp and warm the eggs gently.
Q: Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn?
A: Absolutely. Flour tortillas are softer and more pliable, which helps if you like to roll tacos into burritos. Corn gives a traditional flavor and a slightly firmer bite.
Q: Is it safe to reheat eggs in the microwave?
A: Yes — reheat in short bursts (15–20 seconds), stirring between intervals to avoid rubbery texture. Reheat to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) if storing from the fridge.
Q: What if I want to keep these dairy-free?
A: Use oil instead of butter and skip the cheese or choose a dairy-free shredded cheese alternative. Cotija and cheddar are optional.
Q: Can I make this gluten-free?
A: Yes. Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free; ensure your tortillas are certified if you have celiac disease.
Enjoy making these breakfast tacos — they’re forgiving, fast, and endlessly adaptable.
Breakfast Tacos
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 8–12 pieces small corn tortillas (6-inch)
- 6 large eggs large eggs
- 6–8 strips bacon for crispy texture
- 2 cups diced breakfast potatoes small dice for faster cooking
- to taste salt
- to taste freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil if needed for extra fat
Optional toppings
- to taste shredded cheddar or crumbled cotija
- to taste salsa (tomato or verde)
- to taste sliced or mashed avocado
- to taste fresh cilantro leaves
- to taste lime wedges
Instructions
Cooking the bacon
- Place bacon strips in a cold large skillet, turn heat to medium, and cook until crispy, flipping as needed. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve about 1–2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
Roasting the potatoes
- Add diced potatoes to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden and crisp (about 10–12 minutes).
Scrambling the eggs
- In a bowl, whisk 6 eggs with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper until homogeneous and slightly frothy.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Add a tablespoon of butter or oil to the skillet. Pour in the eggs and stir gently with a spatula until just set.
Warming the tortillas
- While eggs finish, warm tortillas in a separate dry skillet over medium-high heat for 10–20 seconds per side, or wrap in a clean dish towel and microwave for 20–30 seconds.
Assembling tacos
- Chop the bacon into pieces. Place a spoonful of scrambled eggs on each tortilla, top with crispy potatoes and crumbled bacon.
- Add cheese, salsa, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime as desired. Serve immediately while hot.