I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this post! My spicy sweet potato hash isn't just breakfast. It isn't just lunch. Oh no. It's a way of life! I know I know, you're probably saying "Megan, it's a potato. Calm down", but I can't! This dish came to my mind when I was scrounging around my boyfriend's kitchen looking for some breakfast to make on the quick. He doesn't have much, but the basics and a well stocked spice cabinet are perfect. To be honest, he was asleep, and that diiiidd help with the "is it done yet?" question hanging over my head. Regardless, this is so easy to pull out of your pocket and satisfy whoever you feed it to, mainly yourself, in a matter of 25 minutes.
It's spicy, sweet, smokey, and surprisingly healthy. Here's perhaps my favorite part of this potato-y goodness though: you can change this recipe a billion ways to fit whatever you have in your house, whatever style of cuisine you like, any special occasion you're cooking for, and any time of day! Don't like spice? Add in savory herbs like thyme, basil, and garlic. Making a quick dinner? Throw in that leftover chicken or beef, add carrots and brussels sprouts for a filling meal. Fancy Valentine's day breakfast (like the one I made in the last picture)? Serve it with some light crepes and fruit!
Have I convinced you yet? Well, I hope I did. You need to try this.
Spicy Sweet Potato Hash
Serves 2
2 sweet potatoes
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves minced garlic
olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp spicy smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 handful baby spinach
2-3 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 fried eggs
I get that none of these things sound particularly astonishing or life changing, but trust me, how they're cooked and how the flavors meld together is in my opinion, the perfect breakfast. Let's get to it!
Start by peeling and dicing the sweet potatoes. The smaller and more uniform the pieces, the quicker they'll cook! Don't go too small though or you might turn out with what looks like baby food. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with baby food breakfasts...for babies. I'm guessing you aren't a baby.
Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a wide skillet and add in your 1-inch pieces of sweet potato. Keep the heat at medium and stir pretty often, or you might burn the potato before they're cooked. Once you feel that the potato is starting to soften (but isn't cooked completely) after about 10 minutes, add in the onion.
We passed the hard part! See what I mean? You're going to love this.
Stop you're constant stirring, which I'm sure is just great, and now let the potato and onion begin to caramelize. You should see the edges of the sweet potato start to brown, and the onions getting soft and dark in color. Once the potatoes are cooked and the onions sweet, throw in the garlic, red pepper, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir this for a couple of minutes, watching so the garlic and spices don't burn. If your pan is becoming very dry, add 1 tsp more oil. Your hash is now pretty much done. Yes. Seriously!
Turn off the heat, and add the baby spinach just so that it gently wilts. Splash in the vinegar and stir to combine. Divide the hash between two shallow bowls and top with a fried egg!
Quick lesson on fried eggs and other nonsense:
Put your non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 1 pat of butter and allow to begin foaming, swirling to coat the bottom. Crack your egg into the pan, lower the heat a touch, and let the white become opaque. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired, and slide onto hash once the white is no longer loose.
*If you don't have sweet potatoes, or don't like them, you can substitute this with regular potatoes, baby potatoes, or another root vegetable entirely. Carrots and parsnips sound delicious...
25 minutes to breakfast (lunch, or dinner), heaven. Excuse me, I need to go make this right now. Sorry if this is too much information, but I'm actually salivating.
