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
- 1 ½ lbs. sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (about 4 ½ cups)
- 8 oz. russet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 oz. Canadian bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp red chile flakes
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg (preferably fresh)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 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.
Blog is the New Black says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:36 amOh yum! This sounds wonderful!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:17 amThanks so much, Liz. I ate the leftovers for breakfast and it was just as good the next day!
Belinda @zomppa says
Mar 2, 2012 at 4:31 amNow this is what I call a breakfast. So hearty and colorful and bet it smells pretty awesome.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:17 amThanks, Belinda. You’re right – the smell was wonderful.
Katherine Martinelli says
Mar 2, 2012 at 4:43 amI 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) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:18 amThank you, Katherine. Sweet potatoes really do add something special to a hash. Glad to hear there are fellow bacon addicts out there!
MikeVFMK says
Mar 2, 2012 at 7:52 amLove 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) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:18 amThanks, Mike. I would send you a plate if I could!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Mar 2, 2012 at 8:01 amIf I could have breakfast (and bacon) for every meal I would!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:19 amI feel the same way, Rachel. Too bad bacon isn’t under the “healthy eating” category.
Nicole, RD says
Mar 2, 2012 at 8:24 amThis looks so refreshing and colorful, but still with the taste of the cooler months. Mmm!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:19 amThanks, Nicole. It was a chilly night here when I made this and it certainly did warm us up.
Flavia says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:05 amLove 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) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:20 amThank you, Flavia. It really is one of those dishes that can be served at any meal. Fine by me!
Anna @ hiddenponies says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:08 amThis is a stunning dish that I can totally see myself eating for breakfast or dinner! Great idea!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:20 amThank you, Anna. My family was more than happy to eat this for dinner and I enjoyed the leftovers for breakfast the next morning.
Nancy@acommunaltable says
Mar 2, 2012 at 9:16 amI 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 says
Mar 2, 2012 at 12:51 pmThis 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) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:10 pmI agree, Tara. They really can take a hash from ordinary to awesome.
Sydney Jones says
Mar 2, 2012 at 12:58 pmThis 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) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:10 pmThanks so much, Sydney. I really appreciate that.
ea-the spicy rd says
Mar 2, 2012 at 2:12 pmYes 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) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:11 pmIt’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 says
Mar 2, 2012 at 2:25 pmGorgeous!! Those colors just POP!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:11 pmThank you, Lauren. Sweet potatoes like to have their picture taken.
Doreen says
Mar 2, 2012 at 2:41 pmHi 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) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:12 pmDoreen, 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 says
Mar 2, 2012 at 2:46 pmThis looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:12 pmThanks, Michele. This one’s definitely a keeper.
Jessica @ How Sweet says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:10 pmAbsolutely ADORE this!!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
Mar 2, 2012 at 3:15 pmThis 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] says
Mar 3, 2012 at 8:33 amI love that you added sweet potatoes to this hash, I definitely need to give this a try!
KalynsKitchen says
Mar 3, 2012 at 11:15 amI 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 says
Mar 3, 2012 at 4:44 pmLooks so pretty and I’m sure tastes as good as it looks!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Mar 3, 2012 at 10:58 pmSweet potatoes are so warm and hearty! Love this breakfast hash recipe. So inviting with all those colors! 🙂
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
Mar 4, 2012 at 5:16 pmThis 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 says
Mar 4, 2012 at 5:44 pmWhy 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 says
Mar 7, 2012 at 11:15 amI’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 says
Mar 8, 2012 at 8:38 amDara, 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) says
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:31 amHi Paula, it will still work really well without the nutmeg. I hope both you and your husband enjoy it!
Marla says
Mar 8, 2012 at 12:21 pmI am not such a fan of white potatoes ~ anything sweet potato and I am sold. Love it Dara 🙂
Jersey Girl Cooks says
Mar 10, 2012 at 8:24 amI would love this for dinner. And the sweet potatoes make it so much prettier.
Tickled Red says
Mar 12, 2012 at 11:05 amI 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 says
Mar 12, 2012 at 11:58 amI love potatoes for breakfast. I’ve actually been looking for some great breakfast hash recipes! This one is getting pinned for sure!
marla says
Aug 27, 2012 at 7:29 amGreat recipe! Will be linking back to this in my post today 🙂
Kim - Liv Life says
Dec 27, 2012 at 3:19 pmJust 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) says
Dec 27, 2012 at 10:22 pmThat’s great, Kim! I hope you enjoyed it.
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Phil says
Aug 10, 2014 at 12:17 pmNo 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 says
Aug 12, 2014 at 11:21 amI’m sorry about that, Phil! The recipe has been edited to reflect the olive oil and sage. I hope you enjoy it!
Trish Wyderka says
Sep 7, 2015 at 7:57 amI 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