Skip to content

Cheesy Potatoes

Savoury instant-mash breakfast that’s been a staple on Andrew Skurka’s guided trips since 2015 — top-rated breakfast among 100+ clients.

image.jpeg

Source: Andrew Skurka, andrewskurka.com/backpacking-breakfast-recipe-cheesy-potatoes

Servings: 1 · Prep: ~5 min at home · Cook: ~5 min in the field · Per serving: 128 g dry weight

Ingredients

Dry base mix (bag 1)

  • 34 g instant mashed potato flakes
  • 4 g nutritional yeast
  • 1.5 g dried onion flakes (about ½ tsp)

Mix-ins

  • 28 g crumbled cooked bacon
  • 28 g extra sharp cheddar, diced
  • 23 g butter
  • 8.5 g canned green chilies (or ~3 g dried green chili flakes)

Seasoning

  • Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, to taste

Method

  1. Pack the dry mix — At home, combine the potato flakes, nutritional yeast, and dried onion in one bag. On shorter trips the bacon can go in the same bag; canned chilies are perishable, so use dried or skip.
  2. Pack the perishables — Bag the cheese separately. Store the butter in a small rigid container so it doesn’t leak if it softens.
  3. Boil the water — Bring 180 mL of water to a boil.
  4. Hydrate the potatoes — Add half the dry mix and stir, then add the rest and stir again (the two-step add prevents spills and clumps). No further cooking needed.
  5. Finish — Remove from the heat and mix in the butter and bacon. Mix in the cheese and chilies too, or sprinkle them on top. Season to taste.

Notes

  • Soupier version: use 300 mL of water (the author’s own preference).
  • Water quantity conflict in source: the live blog page says 180 mL (soupier 300+ mL); the author’s recipe PDF says 300 mL (soupier 360+ mL). I’ve followed the blog as the more current version — start with 180 mL and add more to taste.
  • Nutritional yeast gives a Parmesan-like savouriness; real Parmesan works as a sub, added at the end with the cheddar.
  • Chili alternatives: dried green chilies are lighter and less wasteful for soloists; taco seasoning or paprika also work (~3 g max).
  • Smaller appetite: reduce potato flakes by ~15 g.
  • More calories: add extra bacon, cheese, or butter; swap canned chilies for dried.
  • Vegetarian: use non-meat bacon crumbles.
  • Cheese and butter are more shelf-stable in the field than you’d expect — a week or more, longer with harder cheese.

Nutrition (per serving, per source): ~575 kcal