Hash browns are my breakfast nemesis. You know, the thing you just can’t resist no matter how many healthy choices are placed in front of you. Or maybe it’s the bacon. Or the Eggs Benedict. Clearly, eating out for breakfast can be an issue and potentially hazardous to my healthy eating and weight loss efforts. All the more reason to come up with healthy breakfast options that I can make at home.
I’ve already tackled the eggs benedict, coming up with a southwestern version that tastes better each time I eat it. As for the bacon – well, there’s no hope for me there. When a plate of crispy fried pig fat is placed in front of me, I’m a goner. Moving on. Let’s talk hash browns.
There are so many fantastic health benefits to sweet potatoes (well, at least when you don’t mix them with butter and top with sweet and spicy pecans…one of our favorite Thanksgiving dishes). Not only are they rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene, but they also have high levels of protein, vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. Now that’s what I call a powerhouse veggie.
In this recipe, I sauteed sweet potatoes and a few russet potatoes with Canadian bacon (a low-fat alternative to regular bacon), red bell peppers and green onions. To add a little zing, the hash is flavored with chile flakes, nutmeg and fresh sage. To avoid mushy potatoes, do not over-boil the potatoes. They should be just tender, and the rest of the cooking will take place in the skillet, where the Canadian bacon and potatoes will turn golden brown.
This dish is naturally at home on the breakfast or brunch table, but we also serve it at dinner time, alongside some eggs and extra vegetables. Really, who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?
The recipe:
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add sweet and russet potatoes and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
Heat a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat. Add Canadian bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add red chile flakes, red bell pepper, and white and light green parts of green onion. Cook until red bell pepper starts to soften, about 2 minutes.
Stir in cooked sweet and russet potatoes, salt and nutmeg.
Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes start to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Serve.
Other hash recipes:
Never Enough Thyme’s Hash Brown-Omelet Skillets
Savoring the Thyme’s Purple Potato Breakfast Hash
The Yummy Life’s Individual Parmesan Hash Brown Cups
Sweet Potato Hash with Canadian Bacon, Red Pepper & Sage
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potato peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (about 4 ½ cups)
- 8 ounces russet potato peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 ounces Canadian bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon red chile flakes
- 1 red bell pepper cut into ½-inch dice
- 3 green onions thinly sliced, divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably fresh
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add sweet and russet potatoes and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat. Add Canadian bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add red chile flakes, red bell pepper, and white and light green parts of green onion. Cook until red bell pepper starts to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in cooked sweet and russet potatoes, salt, nutmeg and sage. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes start to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Serve.
Nutrition
Blog is the New Black
Oh yum! This sounds wonderful!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks so much, Liz. I ate the leftovers for breakfast and it was just as good the next day!
Belinda @zomppa
Now this is what I call a breakfast. So hearty and colorful and bet it smells pretty awesome.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Belinda. You’re right – the smell was wonderful.
Katherine Martinelli
I love sweet potatoes and sweet potato hash! It really is a great alternative to normal potatoes. And I’m the same way about bacon – who can resist it?! This looks gorgeous. So bright and colorful!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thank you, Katherine. Sweet potatoes really do add something special to a hash. Glad to hear there are fellow bacon addicts out there!
MikeVFMK
Love all variations on sweet potato hash! This looks so amazing, Dara!! I only wish I had a plate of this in front of me right now. Delish.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Mike. I would send you a plate if I could!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
If I could have breakfast (and bacon) for every meal I would!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
I feel the same way, Rachel. Too bad bacon isn’t under the “healthy eating” category.
Nicole, RD
This looks so refreshing and colorful, but still with the taste of the cooler months. Mmm!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Nicole. It was a chilly night here when I made this and it certainly did warm us up.
Flavia
Love this recipe, Dara! Canadian bacon is one of my favorites and I like how you paired it with the potatoes in this recipe. Hash is one of my favorite breakfast/brunch {or anytime} meals.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thank you, Flavia. It really is one of those dishes that can be served at any meal. Fine by me!
Anna @ hiddenponies
This is a stunning dish that I can totally see myself eating for breakfast or dinner! Great idea!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thank you, Anna. My family was more than happy to eat this for dinner and I enjoyed the leftovers for breakfast the next morning.
[email protected]
I LOVE breakfast for dinner – but this is a dish you could honestly eat for any meal! Gorgeous colors Dara – can’t wait to give this one a try!!
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray
This sounds delicious–I love the use of sweet potatoes in addition to russet! Their flavor gives dishes such a great pop for me; they’re a personal palate favorite. 😉
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
I agree, Tara. They really can take a hash from ordinary to awesome.
Sydney Jones
This looks and sounds incredible Dara! This would be a lovely breakfast for dinner or simply breakfast 🙂 Congratulations on your tremendous weight loss, too 🙂 You look very happy and healthy!!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks so much, Sydney. I really appreciate that.
ea-the spicy rd
Yes please!!! I love b-fast for dinner, and in fact last night I cooked up some hashbrowns with scrambled eggs and sauteed broccoli and onions. It was delicious. Your hash looks amazing, and I’m thinking would be perfect with a poached egg on top!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
It’s funny you say that. As I was eating it, all I could think was, “I wish I had poached an egg to put on top of this.” Next time.
Lauren
Gorgeous!! Those colors just POP!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thank you, Lauren. Sweet potatoes like to have their picture taken.
Doreen
Hi Dara,
I’m a private chef, I am on about 50 cooking sites for continuous ideas. I have to tell you, your recipes and pictures are my favorite. When I recreate your dishes they always taste wonderful. You are am amazing resource and I can depend on looking at one of your pictures and have the dish come out excellent. You are most talented. Thank you for inspiring me but moreover, truly creating delicious food.
A huge fan,
Doreen
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Doreen, thank you so much for your comment. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. I hope you continue to find recipes here that inspire you, and that you and your clients enjoy.
Michele
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Michele. This one’s definitely a keeper.
Jessica @ How Sweet
Absolutely ADORE this!!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
This looks so delicious, Dara! What a yummy thing to wake up to on a weekend morning. Saving this to make soon. Thanks for sharing! Have a great weekend.
Lisa [With Style and Grace]
I love that you added sweet potatoes to this hash, I definitely need to give this a try!
KalynsKitchen
I can pass up hash browns, but I think I’d like them a lot more with sweet potatoes. Great idea.
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen
Looks so pretty and I’m sure tastes as good as it looks!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
Sweet potatoes are so warm and hearty! Love this breakfast hash recipe. So inviting with all those colors! 🙂
megan @ whatmegansmaking
This looks so good! We are breakfast for dinner people, and I think this needs to be on our dinner table as soon as possible! 🙂
Donna
Why do we keep on eating regular old white potatoes in everything, when the orange tubers are so much more flavorful? Yours is the prettiest hash I’ve ever seen!
Chris @ TheKeenanCookbook.com
I’m with you on hash browns being an arch nemesis. Maybe its the irish in me, because I do love me my potatoes any way you slice it (pun intended!)
Great healthier version =D
Paula
Dara, this is a fabulous-looking dish! I love all those flavours and colours! Just wondering: your recipe calls for nutmeg, and my husband gets terrible heart burn from nutmeg. Is there something I could substitute for it, or can I just leave it out? Thanks for so generously sharing your kitchen creativity with us. 🙂
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Hi Paula, it will still work really well without the nutmeg. I hope both you and your husband enjoy it!
Marla
I am not such a fan of white potatoes ~ anything sweet potato and I am sold. Love it Dara 🙂
Jersey Girl Cooks
I would love this for dinner. And the sweet potatoes make it so much prettier.
Tickled Red
I have been thinking about this recipe all weekend since I saw it on FB. Adore the healthy twist and the flavor combos 😀
Jen @ Jen's Favorite Cookies
I love potatoes for breakfast. I’ve actually been looking for some great breakfast hash recipes! This one is getting pinned for sure!
marla
Great recipe! Will be linking back to this in my post today 🙂
Kim - Liv Life
Just what I needed!! I made my first ham this year, and while I’m not really a fan of a simple slice of ham, I do love ham accented in a dish like this. It’s on my table tonight!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
That’s great, Kim! I hope you enjoyed it.
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Phil
No instructions for Sage or Olive Oil. I am a bachelor noobie to cooking. What may be obvious to all your pros out there not so much to me.
Dara
I’m sorry about that, Phil! The recipe has been edited to reflect the olive oil and sage. I hope you enjoy it!
Trish Wyderka
I want to take this dish to a brunch I need to go to, but it’s a 35 minute drive to the house where it’s going to be held at. What’s the best way to handle taking this as far as cooking and reheating it? Thank you very much