*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
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
Harissa Sweet Potato Hash
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup packed baby spinach
- 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 eggs
- 1 green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and let cook 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add the peppers and garlic and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add sweet potato, harissa paste, all the spices and a drizzle more of the olive oil. Toss to combine and cook until the potatoes are fork tender and softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the spinach and black beans to the skillet, toss and cook until spinach is wilted.
- Crack the eggs over the top of the hash, cover with a lid and cook until egg whites are set.
- Remove the lid, season with additional salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chopped green onion on top and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
It’s interesting how creative one becomes under pressure. Love the simplicity and flavors. Excited to try this recipe.
This is my go to dinner meal! Delicious and easy to make, we love it!
Love sweet potatoes and love cooking in our cast iron skillet, so this recipe is just perfect!
Perfect for breakfast this morning! I didn’t know what to make my husband and I until I saw this recipe. So flavorful and delicious! This is going to be a big hit!
This looks so tasty and filling – a perfect lunch!
What a flavorful hash! I love the addition of harissa.
I am always looking for easy dinner ideas like this, especially one that I can top with a fried egg!
You had me at Harissa! I love the spicy flavor. Perfect way to balance out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes!
This is perfect! I was thinking about how to use up my sweet potatoes and this kale that I have in my fridge. I was gonna make soup out of it, but this is so much better.
Ummm, 5 minutes for preparation? Seriously? Is this assuming the onions, bell pepper, garlic, green onion, sweet potatoes chop themselves, the beans and spinach are already rinsed and the spices are magically measured? Or maybe you have another person or two in the kitchen? I suggest the prep time should be realistically adjusted for the average home cook.
Otherwise, this looks delicious and I look forward to trying it!
Yes, seriously. I have no problem prepping these ingredients in 5 minutes working alone and I am the average home cook. I’m not a professional. Maybe 10 if you’re working slowly? Even if so, I don’t think an extra 5 minutes makes that much of a difference to get nuts about the prep time stated!