*This post for Harissa Sweet Potato Hash first appeared on March 29, 2012. I updated the recipe a bit (made it better!), reshot the photographs and included a video below. I love simple potato hash recipes for any meal of the day when you need to eat quickly. Of course, any of them are improved with a runny egg or two on top. This one is part Mexican inspired and part Middle Eastern thanks to the harissa paste. It’s ready in 25 minutes and doesn’t skimp on flavor or satiety. Text below is original and back when I had a full time job in addition to this little blog gig.

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This is a quick Mexican inspired sweet potato hash recipe with a spicy harissa kick. Super simple and makes the perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Are you a procrastinator?

I totally am.

I never used to be this way but within the past 2-3 years and specifically when it comes to work, I’ve been leaving stuff to the very last minute. Like whoa.

I’ve had this webinar on my calendar for no joke, 5 months. I won’t even get into how much I don’t want to do it, don’t think I should have to do it, or how much of a complete waste of time it’s going to be but nonetheless, it’s today.

I ignored it, fought it, prayed it would go away (it didn’t) and just downright refused to acknowledge it’s existence.

Until yesterday morning.

Employee of the year right here.

So for 5 hours straight I was buried in about 15 different PowerPoint slides, trying my best to ignore twitter and attempting to put together something of substance that I can talk about for 45 minutes on college campuses’ deferred maintenance and planning.

Enthralling, no?

When I was finally getting to a place where I realized this thing was actually in somewhat decent shape and I might not sound like a babbling idiot while presenting, I looked at the clock and it was after 1pm.

I had a 1:30pm conference call and needed lunch quick if I was going to be able to maintain a somewhat tame (as opposed to complete cranky hungry bitch) composure on this call.

And so this harissa sweet potato hash was born.

A procrastination spurred, hangry bitch avoidance of a lunch.

The Basics of a Hash

I love hash recipes because they really only require a few main ingredients:

• potatoes
• onions
• meat (*optional)
• a good cast iron skillet

After that, the world is your oyster.

For this sweet potato hash, I chose a Mexican theme and went with green onions, black beans, bell peppers and some typical Mexican spices like cumin and smoked paprika.

Check out this turkey sweet potato skillet or this skillet ground beef and sweet potatoes for similarly flavored easy meals.

The harissa paste gives a spicy kick. If you like things not so spicy, just use a little less than the recommended 1 tablespoon.

More hash recipes to try:
Corned beef hash breakfast sandwich
Kimchi potato hash
Jalapeno cilantro hash stuffed portobellos
Brussels sprouts pumpkin and apple hash

This easy sweet potato hash recipe is a healthy, quick, satisfying breakfast, lunch or dinner appropriate meal for one really hungry person or more realistically, two.

When you’re pressed for time, plates are overrated.

More skillet meals –> chicken artichoke olive skillet | chinese chicken zoodles | chorizo spinach skillet pizza