🍳🥞 : Pancakes, Bacon, Eggs, Sausage, Potatoes & Grits
One thing has to go.
That is the cruel question behind this enormous breakfast plate. 😂
You’ve got fluffy pancakes, creamy grits, buttery scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, golden breakfast potatoes, and a juicy sausage patty—all sharing one plate.
It’s the kind of breakfast where you look at the table and think:
“I definitely won’t finish all this.”
And then somehow… you do. 😋
This combination brings together several classic American breakfast favorites, particularly foods associated with Southern-style breakfasts. Grits are commonly served alongside eggs, bacon, and sausage, while pancakes and breakfast potatoes add sweet, crispy, and savory contrasts. (Epicurious)
🍽️ What Makes This Breakfast So Good?
The secret isn’t any single ingredient.
It’s the combination of textures and flavors.
You’ve got:
🥞 Pancakes — soft, fluffy and sweet
🥓 Bacon — smoky, salty and crisp
🍳 Scrambled eggs — buttery, soft and savory
🌭 Sausage — rich, seasoned and juicy
🥔 Potatoes — crispy outside and fluffy inside
🌽 Grits — creamy, warm and comforting
Every bite can be different.
A forkful of potato with scrambled egg.
A piece of bacon with pancake.
Sausage dipped into creamy grits.
And, of course, pancakes covered in butter and syrup.
That’s a breakfast worth waking up for.
🛒 Ingredients
This recipe makes 2 very generous breakfast plates.
🥞 For the Pancakes
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk or milk
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- Extra butter for cooking
- Maple syrup for serving
🥓 For the Bacon
- 4–6 strips bacon
🍳 For the Scrambled Eggs
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp milk or cream
- Salt
- Black pepper
🌭 For the Sausage
- 2 breakfast sausage patties
🥔 For the Breakfast Potatoes
- 3 medium potatoes
- 1–2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper
- Optional: chopped parsley
🌽 For the Grits
- ½ cup (about 85 g) quick-cooking grits
- 2 cups water or broth
- 1 tbsp butter
- Salt and black pepper
- Optional: ¼–½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Creamy grits are traditionally made from ground corn and can be served as a breakfast side with butter, eggs, bacon, or sausage. (Inspired Taste)
👨🍳 How to Make the Ultimate Breakfast Plate
1. Start With the Potatoes 🥔
Wash and cut the potatoes into small bite-sized cubes.
You can leave the skins on for extra texture.
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes for about 5–7 minutes, just until they begin to soften.
Drain them well and allow them to steam dry for a few minutes.
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the potatoes.
Season with:
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
Cook for around 10–15 minutes, turning occasionally, until they’re golden brown and crispy.
Finish with fresh parsley if desired.
Don’t overcrowd the pan.
The potatoes need contact with the hot surface to develop that beautiful crust.
🥓 2. Cook the Bacon
Place the bacon in a skillet over medium heat.
Cook until it reaches your preferred level of crispness.
For this breakfast, I like it crispy around the edges but still slightly chewy in the center.
Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate.
And don’t throw away every drop of bacon fat.
A little can add incredible flavor to your breakfast potatoes.
🌭 3. Cook the Sausage
Shape the sausage into patties if you’re using loose breakfast sausage.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the patties until browned and cooked through.
Turn them several times so they develop a good crust on both sides.
For a breakfast like this, sausage patties are particularly convenient because they’re easy to serve alongside the eggs and potatoes.
🌽 4. Make the Creamy Grits
Bring the water or broth to a boil.
Slowly whisk in the grits.
Reduce the heat and cook according to the package directions, stirring frequently.
Once they’re creamy and thick, stir in:
- Butter
- Salt
- Black pepper
For an extra-rich version, add shredded cheddar and stir until melted.
Traditional recipes vary widely—some grits are savory and buttery, while others can be sweet. (Epicurious)
For this particular breakfast plate, savory, buttery grits are my choice.
🍳 5. Make Soft Scrambled Eggs
Crack the eggs into a bowl.
Add the milk or cream and a little salt and pepper.
Whisk until combined.
Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over low to medium-low heat.
Pour in the eggs.
Stir slowly with a spatula, pushing the eggs gently across the pan.
Take them off the heat when they’re just set but still soft and slightly glossy.
The residual heat will continue cooking them.
The biggest mistake with scrambled eggs?
Cooking them until they’re dry.
This plate already has crispy bacon and crispy potatoes.
The eggs should provide the soft, buttery element.
🥞 6. Make the Pancakes
In a bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
In another bowl, whisk:
- Egg
- Milk or buttermilk
- Melted butter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Mix gently.
Don’t overmix.
A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
Heat a lightly buttered skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake.
Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look set.
Flip.
Cook for another 1–2 minutes, until golden brown.
Repeat until you’ve got a beautiful stack.
🧈 7. Build the Plate
Now comes the best part.
Arrange everything on a large plate:
🥞 Pancakes
Stack them high and add a generous pat of butter.
🥓 Bacon
Pile the crispy strips alongside the pancakes.
🍳 Scrambled Eggs
Add a generous portion.
🌭 Sausage
Place the browned sausage patty beside the eggs.
🥔 Potatoes
Add a mound of golden crispy potatoes.
🌽 Grits
Spoon the creamy grits into a small bowl or ramekin.
Finally…
Pour maple syrup over the pancakes. 🍁
🤤 The Perfect Bite
Here’s my suggested experiment.
Take:
crispy potato + scrambled egg + tiny piece of bacon
and eat it together.
Then try:
pancake + butter + maple syrup + sausage.
Completely different experience.
That’s what makes this breakfast so satisfying.
You’ve basically got sweet, salty, creamy, crispy, fluffy, smoky and savory happening on the same plate.
🔥 Tips for Making It Even Better
Use bacon fat for the potatoes
After cooking the bacon, reserve a little of the rendered fat and use it with the potatoes.
The flavor is incredible.
Don’t rush the pancakes
Medium heat is your friend.
Too hot and the outside burns before the middle cooks.
Keep scrambled eggs soft
Remove them from the heat just before they’re completely finished.
Season every component
Don’t rely on one seasoning mixture for the whole plate.
Potatoes need seasoning.
Eggs need seasoning.
Grits need seasoning.
That makes the finished plate much more flavorful.
Make the grits extra creamy
Butter is essential.
For an indulgent weekend breakfast, a little cheese or cream takes them to another level. Grits are often paired with cheese, bacon, sausage and eggs in hearty Southern breakfast dishes. (PBS)
🥤 What Should You Drink With It?
This is a big breakfast, so a drink that cuts through all that richness works beautifully.
Try:
☕ Hot coffee
🧊 Iced tea
🍊 Orange juice
🥛 Cold milk
🍵 Strong black tea
And if you’re going all-in on the diner-style experience:
coffee + pancakes + bacon.
Classic.
🧮 How Many Calories?
This is definitely an indulgent breakfast, and the calories can vary dramatically depending on portion sizes, the amount of butter/oil, the sausage, bacon, syrup, and whether you add cheese or cream to the grits.
Rather than treating the image as a precise nutritional recipe, it’s better to consider it a hearty weekend breakfast platter.
If you’re making it at home, you can easily scale the portions down.
🥇 The “One Thing Has to Go” Challenge
Now we’re back to the question in the picture.
Imagine you’re sitting down with this plate.
You have to remove ONE item.
What goes?
A. 🥞 Pancakes
“No pancakes? That’s not breakfast.”
B. 🌽 Grits
“I’m not giving up the grits.”
C. 🍳 Scrambled Eggs
“Eggs are essential.”
D. 🥓 Bacon
“Absolutely not.”
E. 🥔 Potatoes
“Someone has to go.”
F. 🌭 Sausage
“Sorry, sausage.”
Honestly, that’s a brutal decision.
I’d rather just make the plate smaller. 😂
❤️ Final Thoughts
This isn’t a breakfast for someone who wants to grab a banana and run out the door.
This is a sit-down, take-your-time, weekend breakfast.
It’s the kind of meal where the kitchen smells like butter, bacon, sausage and freshly cooked potatoes, while a stack of pancakes waits on the table under a melting pat of butter.
And just when you think you’ve eaten enough…
There’s still a bowl of creamy grits staring at you.
“One thing has to go.”
Maybe.
But personally?
I’m keeping the whole plate. 😂🍳🥓🥞🥔🌽
📌 Recipe Card
The Ultimate Hearty Breakfast Plate
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30–40 minutes
Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy–moderate
Includes:
🥞 Pancakes
🥓 Bacon
🍳 Scrambled eggs
🌭 Sausage
🥔 Crispy potatoes
🌽 Creamy grits
Best for: Weekend breakfast, brunch, family breakfasts, lazy mornings and comfort-food cravings.
