Breakfast Meal Prep Bowls

Breakfast meal prep bowls are one of those recipes I keep coming back to every time my week starts feeling chaotic. I bake a sweet potato frittata in a cast iron skillet, divide it into four glass containers with roasted sweet potato, fresh berries, and cashews, and the whole thing is done in 35 minutes. Everything stores in the fridge for up to 4 days, which means Monday through Thursday mornings take care of themselves.

Key Ingredients:

All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Roasted Sweet Potato: This is the ingredient that makes the bowls feel like a real meal rather than just eggs in a container. I dice it into roughly 1-inch cubes and roast at 425°F until the edges are golden and slightly crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes. The caramelized edges that come from roasting give a depth of flavor that steamed or boiled sweet potato simply cannot match. I’ve tested this with butternut squash too and it works well, but the natural sweetness of roasted sweet potato pairs better with the savory egg base.

Pro Tip: Do not skip the roasting step by adding raw diced sweet potato directly to the skillet. It will not cook through fully before the eggs set, and the texture will be dense and starchy in the finished bowl. If you are short on time, roast the sweet potato the night before. It keeps in the fridge overnight and the assembly the next morning takes about 15 minutes total.

Eggs: I use five large eggs beaten with almond milk. The almond milk keeps the frittata lighter in texture than using no liquid at all. I’ve made this with whole milk too and it works, though the result is slightly richer and denser. Beat the eggs until the yolks and whites are fully combined, about 30 seconds with a fork. Undermixing leaves streaks of white running through the finished frittata.

Red Bell Pepper: I like red bell pepper here because it softens and sweetens as it cooks, which balances the earthiness of the sweet potato. Orange or yellow bell pepper works the same way. Green pepper has a sharper, more bitter flavor and I find it competes with the other ingredients rather than blending with them.

Onion: Half a medium yellow onion, sautéed until the edges are just starting to turn golden. This step matters because raw onion in a frittata stays sharp and pungent. A few minutes in the skillet takes the edge off and brings out the natural sweetness.

Spinach: Two cups of fresh spinach goes in right before the eggs. It wilts down almost to nothing in about one minute, so do not be alarmed by how much it looks like at first. Kale works as a substitute, but I recommend removing the thick stems and chopping it finely first, because kale takes longer to soften and can leave chewy bits in the finished frittata.

Almond Milk: Half a cup whisked into the eggs before pouring. Cow’s milk or oat milk both work fine here. I keep almond milk in the house because Pierre uses it in his coffee, so it is always on hand.

Cashews and Berries: These go into the container cold, not into the frittata itself. The cashews add a crunch that the soft frittata and sweet potato do not have, and the berries add freshness. I recommend adding the cashews right before eating rather than storing them in the closed container for days, because they soften in the fridge and lose that texture completely.

How to Make These Breakfast Meal Prep Bowls

Preheat your oven to 425°F for the sweet potato, then reduce to 400°F before the skillet goes in. Have your four glass meal prep containers ready on the counter before you start so portioning is quick once the frittata comes out.

Step 1: Roast the sweet potato. I toss the diced sweet potato with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then spread it in a single layer on a sheet pan, making sure the pieces are not touching each other. That spacing is important: crowded pieces steam instead of roast, and you lose the caramelized edges that make the sweet potato taste good. I roast at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The edges should be golden brown and the centers should feel soft when pressed with a fork.

Step 2: Sauté the aromatics. While the sweet potato roasts, I heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. I add the onion first and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges just start to turn golden. Then I add the red bell pepper and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. I’m looking for the pepper to soften and pick up a little color, not turn mushy. If it looks limp and pale after 5 minutes, the heat is too low.

Step 3: Add the sweet potato and spinach. I add the roasted sweet potato to the skillet and stir everything together. Then I add the spinach and cook for about 1 minute, stirring until it wilts down completely. The skillet will look very full at this point. That is normal. The egg mixture fills in around everything once it goes in.

Step 4: Pour in the eggs. In a medium bowl I whisk together the eggs, almond milk, red pepper flakes, dried parsley, salt, and pepper until fully combined. I pour the mixture over the vegetables in the skillet and use a spatula to gently lift the edges of the vegetables so the egg runs underneath. I do not stir. I just let it settle. Within about 2 minutes the edges of the frittata will start to look set while the center is still completely liquid. That is the moment to move the skillet to the oven.

Step 5: Bake until just set. I bake at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes and start checking at the 10-minute mark. The frittata is done when the edges are fully firm, the top is no longer shiny, and the very center gives just a slight jiggle when I gently shake the skillet. If the center is still visibly liquid, I give it another 2 minutes. Do not overbake. A frittata that goes until completely firm will taste dry on day three or four.

Step 6: Cool, slice, and portion. I let the frittata cool in the skillet for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Cutting into a hot frittata causes the edges to fall apart and the slices lose their shape. Once it has cooled, I slice it into four equal wedges and transfer one wedge into each container. I add berries alongside, then seal the containers and put them in the fridge. The cashews stay out until I am ready to eat.

Flavor & Prep Hacks

Hacks Swap the red bell pepper for orange or yellow for added sweetness and colour variety.

Replace spinach with kale or collard greens if you want a heartier green.

On busy weeks, you can bake this in muffin tins for grab-and-go portions — perfect for freezing or reheating.

Add roasted cashews and fresh berries just before eating to keep the crunch and freshness intact.