Crispy Potato and Bacon Sheet Pan
by Jessica | February 1, 2026 10:55 am
okay so… I burned my first attempt at this like really badly because I was watching TikToks and completely forgot about the oven.
you guys, I’m obsessed with sheet pan dinners lately because my dishwasher broke two weeks ago and I’m not about to hand wash a million pots and pans. My husband keeps saying he’ll fix it but here we are. Anyway I threw this together on a Tuesday night when I had literally nothing else prepped and now my kids ask for it like twice a week.
listen, I was just thinking about how potatoes and bacon is basically the best combination that exists and why would I ever complicate it with a bunch of other stuff.
Contents
Why This Is Actually Good
One pan one mess and you’re done in like 40 minutes total
The bacon grease drips onto the potatoes so they get extra crispy and flavorful without you doing anything fancy
You can make it a whole meal by throwing a fried egg on top or eating it as a side whatever
Works for breakfast lunch or dinner so I’ve basically made it at all times of day at this point
My picky eater will actually eat vegetables if they’re roasted with bacon so I sneak in peppers and onions sometimes
What You Need
| Ingredient | Amount | My Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Baby potatoes | about 2 lbs | or regular ones cut up |
| Bacon | 8-10 slices | thick cut is better |
| Olive oil | couple tablespoons | for the potatoes |
| Garlic powder | sprinkle it | maybe a teaspoon |
| Paprika | some | makes them look nice |
| Onion powder | bit of it | optional honestly |
| Salt and pepper | a bunch | to taste |
| Fresh herbs | whatever you have | parsley or chives at the end |
| Optional veggies | bell peppers, onions | if you want |
How I Make This Thing
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. This is important because you want it really hot to get everything crispy. I always preheat while I’m prepping so I don’t forget.
Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters depending on how big they are. Try to make them kinda similar sizes so they cook evenly but mine never are and it’s fine. Some get extra crispy and some stay softer.
Toss the potatoes on a big sheet pan with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder if you’re using it, salt and pepper. Use your hands and mix it all around. Gets messy but that’s the easiest way.
Spread everything out in one layer. Don’t crowd them or they’ll steam instead of getting crispy. Trust me I learned this the hard way.
Now here’s the part that makes it good. Lay the bacon strips right on top of the potatoes. Yeah just right on there. The bacon fat will render down and make everything taste amazing. I usually do like a crisscross pattern or whatever but it doesn’t really matter.
If you’re adding peppers or onions just throw them in with the potatoes before you add the bacon. I cut them into chunks about the same size as the potato pieces.
Bake for like 30-35 minutes. Check it halfway through and give the pan a shake to move things around. The bacon should be crispy and the potatoes should be golden brown. Sometimes I turn the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes to really crisp up the bacon but watch it close because it goes from perfect to burned really fast.
Let it cool for a couple minutes then chop up the bacon into pieces with kitchen scissors right on the pan. I’m too lazy to use a cutting board for this.
Sprinkle fresh herbs on top if you have them. Makes it look fancy even though it’s super basic.
Done.
Things That Help
- Add shredded cheese in the last 5 minutes of baking – cheddar or parmesan both work great
- Serve with sour cream or ranch for dipping (my kids won’t eat it without ranch lol)
- Make it spicy by adding red pepper flakes with the seasonings
- Throw in Brussels sprouts cut in half if you want more veggies – they get really good roasted with bacon
Storage and Leftover Reality
This keeps in the fridge for maybe 3-4 days in a container. Reheat it in the oven or air fryer to get it crispy again. Microwave makes it soggy which is sad.
So I made a double batch last month for meal prep and stored it in like four different containers. Forgot to label any of them because I was rushing. Opened one three days later and honestly couldn’t tell if it was this or some other potato thing I made. It was fine but now I use a sharpie on the lid with the date because my memory is terrible.
You can freeze it but the potatoes get kind of weird and mushy when you thaw them. The bacon stays okay though. I don’t usually bother freezing this one.
Nutrition Info
| Per Serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | maybe 380 |
| Protein | 12g-ish |
| Carbs | 35g probably |
| Fat | 22g |
| Fiber | 4g |
honestly I’m guessing on these because I never measure portions exactly and everyone eats different amounts
Questions I Get
Can I use sweet potatoes instead?
Yeah for sure. They take about the same time to cook. I’ve done half regular half sweet potato before and it was pretty good. My son picked out all the sweet potatoes though because he’s like that.
What if I don’t eat bacon?
You can use turkey bacon but it won’t be as crispy or flavorful. Or just skip it and add more olive oil and seasonings. Maybe throw some sausage on there instead. Won’t be the same but still good.
Do the potatoes need to be baby potatoes?
Nope. Regular russet or red potatoes work fine just cut them into chunks. Baby potatoes are just easier because less cutting. I’m lazy so I buy baby potatoes when they’re on sale.
Can I prep this ahead of time?
Kind of. You can cut the potatoes and store them in water in the fridge overnight so they don’t turn brown. Then drain and toss with oil and seasonings right before baking. Don’t assemble the whole thing ahead because the potatoes will get soggy sitting with the oil on them.
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