This nutritious sweet potato breakfast hash is definitely a hearty meal. Yukon gold and sweet potatoes combine perfectly to make a unique flavor combination. Top it off with over easy or poached eggs for the protein you need to tackle the day. This version borrows from the flavors of Mexico with corn, cumin, cilantro and optional jalapeño peppers. You have the option of omitting these ingredients for a more traditional sweet potato breakfast hash.

Sweet potato breakfast hash topped with three fried eggs in a cast iron skillet.

It’s no secret that sweet potatoes contain a lot of healthy nutrients. So if you’re looking for a healthy breakfast or brunch, look no further than this sweet potato breakfast hash. This is a hearty breakfast recipe that can do double duty as a side dish or makes a great breakfast-for-dinner contender.

Like our steak and eggs hash, this is a great way to use leftover potatoes. If you are making it fresh, and not using leftovers, you can easily make the potatoes the night before to save time in the morning.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

Nutritious and Filling. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, making this hash a nutritious and satisfying breakfast option.
Eggcellent Protein Source. Topping the hash with poached or fried eggs adds a protein boost, making it a well-rounded meal that will keep you full and satisfied for hours.
Easy. It doesn’t take a lot of complicated steps to make this recipe. It’s all done in your oven and on your stovetop. If you have an air fryer, it’s even easier!
Make-Ahead Friendly. That’s really the key for breakfast, isn’t it? Not many have time during the week to make a healthy breakfast. As mentioned above, you can make the potatoes ahead. For that matter, you can make everything ahead (except for the eggs), and freeze it in individual freezer and microwave safe containers. Then it can be reheated in the microwave. All you would have to do is poach or fry the eggs. Hard cooked eggs are a good option here as well.
Great for Any Meal. While it’s called “breakfast hash,” this dish is delicious any time of day. Serve it for brunch, lunch, or even dinner.
Easy Cleanup. With only one skillet and possibly the air fryer basket to clean, this recipe minimizes kitchen cleanup time.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil. Vegetable oil will work as well.
1½ pounds sweet potatoes. Orange-fleshed (also known as yams). Peeled and cut into small cubes. You can substitute any sweet potato, but the orange-fleshed variety adds beautiful color to this dish.
1½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes. Peeled and cut into small cubes. You can substitute carola, russet, red bliss, Katahdin, Inca gold, or fingerling. (source)
1 medium yellow onion. Chopped. You can substitute white onion.
1 medium red bell pepper. Seeded and chopped. Red bell pepper adds color, but you can substitute green or yellow bell pepper.
1 small jalapeño. Optional. Seeded and minced. For a less spicy dish, you can omit this.
1 cup corn. Fresh or frozen.
1½ teaspoons ground cumin. Optional. Cumin adds strong flavor to this dish, and we recognize that it’s not for everyone. If it’s not your favorite seasoning, feel free to season with salt and pepper instead for a more traditional hash.
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro. Chopped. You can substitute parsley for a more mild flavor.
Salt and pepper. To taste.
12 large eggs. Poached or fried.

Instructions

The first step is to cook the potatoes, and we provide two methods here. You can easily prepare the potatoes a day ahead and save yourself a ton of time in the morning. Simply roast using one of the methods below, then store the cooked potatoes in an airtight container in your refrigerator overnight. Reheat them in the skillet or microwave.

Uncooked cubed potatoes on a baking sheet. — **Oven method:** Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Lightly grease a large, rimmed baking sheet. Combine all of the potatoes on the baking sheet, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and spread in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes. Use a heatproof spatula to turn and stir the potatoes, return to oven and roast for another 15 minutes.

Uncooked cubed potatoes in an air fryer basket. — **Air fryer method:** Place potatoes in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add half of the potatoes to the air fryer basket (divide between baskets if using a double basket air fryer). Air fry at 400 F (200 C) for 12-15 minutes. Shake the basket(s) and air fry for another 12 minutes.

Set cooked potatoes aside.

Chopped onion and red bell pepper in a cast iron skillet. — Meanwhile, in a large cast iron skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño (if using) and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes.

Chopped onion, red bell pepper and corn in a cast iron skillet. — Stir the corn into the hash mixture and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Cooked chopped onion, red bell pepper, corn, and ground cumin in a cast iron skillet. — Stir in the cumin (if using) or salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Cooked potatoes and vegetables topped with cilantro leaves in a cast iron skillet. — Add the potatoes and cilantro and stir to combine. Season again to taste with salt and pepper.

Two eggs in egg rings cooking in a small white skillet with a light wooden handle. — Prepare the poached or fried eggs. Instructions coming up in another post. Egg rings help prevent the whites from spreading to make for a nice presentation. They’re also great for cooking eggs to go into an egg sandwich.

Click here to learn how to make this sweet potato breakfast hash in a visual story.

Equipment

Baking sheet. For the oven method of cooking the potatoes.
Heatproof spatula. For the oven method of cooking the potatoes.
Air fryer. For the air fryer method of cooking the potatoes.
Large bowl. For the air fryer method of cooking the potatoes.
Cast iron skillet. Any large skillet will do here, but you may need to cook the food a bit longer if using stainless steel or ceramic. Cast iron gets very hot very quickly.
Egg rings. Optional. We opted to make fried eggs and used these egg rings to keep the egg whites from spreading. This makes for a nice presentation.

Close up of sweet potato breakfast hash topped with two fried eggs with runny yolk in a cast iron skillet.

Substitutions

Potatoes. You can substitute any sweet potato for the orange-fleshed variety. Carola, russet, red bliss, Katahdin, Inca gold, or fingerling potatoes can be used instead of Yukon gold.
Onion. White onion can be substituted for the yellow.
Cooking oil. You can substitute vegetable oil for the olive oil.
Traditional instead of spicy. The spices in this dish have a distinctive Mexican flavor. For a more traditional hash, simply season with salt and pepper, and omit the ground cumin and jalapeño. Substitute chopped parsley (Italian) for the cilantro.

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Variations

Traditional instead of spicy. The spices in this dish have a distinctive Mexican flavor. For a more traditional hash, simply season with salt and pepper, and omit the ground cumin and jalapeño. Substitute chopped parsley (Italian) for the cilantro.
Even Spicier. Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes while cooking to add extra heat into the dish.
Sweet potato chorizo hash. Stir in cooked chorizo along with the chili pepper flakes mentioned above.
Sweet potato sausage hash. Stir in chopped cooked breakfast sausage for added protein.
Vegan sweet potato hash. Omit the eggs for a vegan version of this dish.

Storage

Refrigerator Storage:

Cooling Down. Allow the hash to cool down to room temperature before storing.
Transfer. Transfer the cooled hash to an airtight container or divide it into individual portions if desired.
Refrigerate. Place the sealed container in the refrigerator.
Duration. Sweet potato breakfast hash can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Reheating Instructions:

Stovetop. Reheat the hash in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Microwave. Place the desired portion of hash in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel, and heat in 1-minute intervals until warmed through.

Freezer Storage:

Cooling Down. Allow the hash to cool completely at room temperature before freezing.
Transfer. Transfer the cooled hash to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Leave some space at the top of the container or bag to allow for expansion during freezing.
Freeze. Place the containers or bags in the freezer.
Duration. Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

Thawing and Reheating:

Thawing. To thaw frozen hash, transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Alternatively, you can thaw it more quickly by placing the sealed container in a bowl of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.
Reheating. Once thawed, follow the reheating instructions mentioned above for refrigerated hash.

Note: If freezing, it’s best to store the hash without the eggs. Prepare fresh eggs when reheating the hash for the best taste and texture.

Related Recipes

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Recipe from The Breakfast Bible by Williams Sonoma.