Instant Pot Sheepherder’s Breakfast—chopped bacon, hash browns, baked eggs and a little cheese sprinkled on top. A perfect brunch for 4 or 5 people.

Instant Pot Sheepherder’s Breakfast
There are two types of people in this world. Those who like the runny egg and those who don’t. When I was young my BFF would call them “dippy eggs.” Meaning you could dip your toast into the eggs. I love the dippy eggs so very much. A piece of toast with avocado and a runny egg on top is my jam. It’s like a sauce that you didn’t have to make. Greg is a over-hard egg type of person and at that point I say to him “why don’t you just scramble the eggs?”
This Instant Pot sheepherder’s breakfast is basically hashbrowns tossed in bacon fat and then eggs are baked on top of the bed of hashbrowns. I loved this breakfast for dinner and only wished that I had more time to enjoy it as we were running out the door for Skyler’s basketball game. I’ll definitely be making again this soon.
I haven’t tried this recipe in the oven but I think it would be perfect to make in a cast iron pan on the stove or baked in the oven. Try following these directions if you’d prefer that method.
More Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes…
Instant Pot Lumberjack Breakfast
Instant Pot Amish Breakfast Casserole
Instant Pot Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole
Instant Pot Garth Brooks’ Breakfast Bowl

Want more tried and true Instant Pot recipes?
Receive FREE daily Instant Pot recipes and tips in your email box. Sign up by filling out the gray form below. Other ways to follow: join the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook group and subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share Instant Pot stuff with you weekly.
Print
Instant Pot Sheepherder’s Breakfast
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–5 servings 1x
Ingredients
Equipment needed: 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, kitchen shears, deep pot in pot dish, trivet/sling
- 6 strips of uncooked bacon
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup water
- 16 oz frozen hash browns
- Salt and pepper
- 5 eggs
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (of your choice, I used colby jack)
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. While it is heating up cut the bacon into ½ inch pieces. I use kitchen shears* for this step. When the display says hot add the bacon and onions into the pot. Cook until bacon is crispy.
- Pour in the water and scrape the bottom of the pot until clean. Turn off the Instant Pot. Toss the hash browns into the pot and toss well so they are coated in the bacon grease. Salt and pepper well the hash browns.
- Add the hash browns into a pot-in-pot dish that has been sprayed with non stick spray (I used the fat daddios 7×4 inch pan*). Make 5 small wells in the hash browns with the back of a spoon. Crack the 5 eggs into each of the wells. Sprinkle the eggs with the kosher salt and pepper.
- Clean out the Instant Pot. Pour 1 cup water into bottom of cleaned out Instant Pot. Place the pot-in-pot dish on top of a trivet/sling*. Lower the sling and dish into the Instant Pot.
- Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 10 minutes for runny eggs and 15 minutes for harder set eggs. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of eggs and cover the Instant Pot and let it sit for 5-10 more minutes on the warm setting while the cheese melts.
- Serve with a few drops of tabasco sauce. Enjoy!
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Instant Pot
Order Your Copy Of The 365 Days Of Pressure Cooking Cookbook
The 365 Days of Pressure Cooking Cookbook is a recipe book with over 365 different easy and approachable electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot) dinner recipes. There’s also a chapter with breakfasts, appetizers and side dishes. The recipes in this book are generally fast, easy and approachable. Oh, and don’t forget DELICIOUS!

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Haven’t yet made it, but I will. “Dippy eggs” – that is such a Pennsylvania Dutch thing to say. Ach, ja!
Ohhhh, I didn’t know it was pennsylvania dutch!
I tried this for our V-day breakfast. I have the Instapot Max so different from what you may use. I followed the recipe exactly to your instructions and only cooked eggs for 10 minutes, but after resting for 5 minutes and then letting cheese melt in warmer for 7 more minutes, my husband and I ended up with hard boiled eggs. So we will need to alter for next time. I also found that adding the bacon and onion together to sauté didn’t let the bacon crisp up enough. Next time I’ll do bacon first, then onion. I also learned the hard way the hash browns shouldn’t have been frozen. I should’ve let them sit out to soften up or thaw. My lessons to learn but you’ve always provided/suggested delicious recipes. I’ve only had my put since Xmas so your recipes have been a blessing. Thank you.
★★★
Can I use fresh grated potatoes instead? Any time changes?
I’m not sure…I think hashbrowns are parcooked so the fresh potatoes may not get done in time. If you do try let me know how it goes!
Amazing! My family was extremely surprised and excited to have this for dinner this week. Breakfast foods for dinner is always a special treat.
★★★★★
I know! I’m boring in the morning with a protein bar or yogurt so getting a good actual breakfast is so fun!
Is this recipe available for the slow cooker?
this is how I would make it in the slow cooker:
1. heat a pan on the stove. cut the bacon into ½ inch pieces. add the bacon and onions into the pan. Cook until bacon is crispy.
2. Toss the hash browns into the pan and toss well so they are coated in the bacon grease. Salt and pepper well the hash browns.
3. Add the hash browns into a slow cooker that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Make 5 small wells in the hash browns with the back of a spoon. Crack the 5 eggs into each of the wells. Sprinkle the eggs with the kosher salt and pepper.
4. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours (depending on your slow cooker times vary)
5. Remove lid. Sprinkle cheese on top of eggs let the cheese melt. Serve with a few drops of tabasco sauce. Enjoy!
I made this the second time and after my pot said hot I put in the onions and bacon and it shortly said off. I turned it back on but saute never said hot afterward. I am sure it will be great, but any suggestions?
That happens to me too. The pot just needs a while to come back to hot but it’s not a big deal just keep cooking
Going to start trying them right away got my pot but no directions or recipe so tty
★★★★★
If you’re new I’d watch this! https://youtu.be/EJd6dC5d62U
This look yummy! I haven’t tried but…recipe says 5 eggs. However, the video show 6 eggs. I always check the calories per each serving. The recipe had 4-5 servings at 431 calories each. How many eggs are you suppose to use?
Tks!
I used 5 eggs