Breakfast Hash is a hearty breakfast with delicious flavor perfect for weekend breakfasts or any time you need a delicious meal the whole family loves. This recipe has browned breakfast sausage, crispy potatoes, onions, and a little bit of fresh spinach adds a little color and more nutrients. Add an egg on top for a tasty breakfast skillet!
Breakfast hash is a favorite of breakfast food recipes. It’s actually fantastic any time of day. It’s hearty, satisfying, easy to make and a very versatile recipe to change up with ingredients you have on hand.
It’s easy to swap in leftover veggies, black beans, shaved Brussels sprouts, green pepper, butternut squash, other leftover meat…you get the picture! So many options.
Serve it with an egg on top (fried egg, poached egg, scrambled egg) for some more protein or serve it as is. Try our spicy Jalapeno Ham Hash and Holiday Turkey Hash (both great for using up holiday leftovers)!
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Recipe Ingredient Notes
Breakfast sausage. You’ll need 1 pound of bulk or loose (ground) pork breakfast sausage. Do not use patties or links. Breakfast sausage has specific seasonings in it (sage, thyme, black pepper and sometimes red chile pepper) so be sure to select a sausage marked as ‘breakfast sausage’.
Yukon gold potatoes. You can use regular size or ‘baby’ gold potatoes. These potatoes do not need to be peeled but should be scrubbed and patted dry. Cut into a small size (around 1/2-inch cubes).
Baby spinach. One and one half cups of chopped baby spinach is added. For a time saver purchase pre-washed baby spinach and all you’ll need to do is rough chop it!
How to make Breakfast Hash
STEP 1. Cook sausage
Heat a large cast iron skillet or a heavy bottomed large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook it for 5-7 minutes or until browned with some crisped edges. Break up the sausage with a spatula or wooden spoon into crumbled pieces as it cooks (photo 1).
Remove the sausage using a slotted spoon and leave any rendered fat in the pan.
STEP 2. Make the hash
Add the potatoes to the pan and cook in a single layer (if possible) for 10 minutes, or until they are just starting to become tender (photo 2).
Add the onion and cook with the potatoes for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are tender and the potatoes are golden brown (photo 3).
Add the garlic; cook for an additional minute. Add the sausage back to the large skillet (photo 4), followed by the spinach (photo 5). Stir to fully combine all ingredients and allow the spinach to wilt (a few minutes).
Remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Variations
Prefer bacon over sausage? Chop the bacon and cook it until crisp. Then remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and continue as directed. Add the bacon back to the pan with the spinach.
Love sweet potatoes? Follow the same instructions! Sweet potato breakfast hash is delicious topped with goat cheese!
Want to make this hash vegetarian or a vegan hash recipe?
- Just leave out the sausage and sauté the potatoes in 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add some extra veggies to increase the volume of the hash.
- Cooked veggies can be added with the onion to warm through. Raw veggies should be added earlier in the cooking process to fully cook.
- For breakfast sausage flavors (without the meat) add some of the suggested fresh herbs below.
Try a different type of breakfast sausage. Any breakfast sausage will work: turkey, venison, etc. If substituting a leaner protein like turkey additional oil may be needed to prevent the hash from drying out.
Substituting dried spices. If you are out of onion or garlic, you can use 3/4 teaspoon of granulated onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder. The volume of the hash will be reduced however without the fresh onion and garlic. For a spicy touch add a bit of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
Add fresh herbs. To bump up the herb flavors add some fresh thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley or sage or a combo. Safe can be quite strong so start with just a little and add more to taste.
Swap in red potatoes. Red potatoes are similar to Yukon Gold in that they have thin skin that’s edible, a waxier consistency which keeps their form in hash. Russet potatoes also work but aren’t our favorite for breakfast hash recipes.
Expert Tips
The breakfast hash may seem slightly dry at the end of cooking before the sausage is added back in. Once the sausage is added and mixed with the other cooked ingredients the hash is moist and delicious. If using a leaner sausage than pork sausage, like turkey breakfast sausage, it may be necessary to add a little bit of oil. Turkey will not release any fat in cooking so oil will be needed to cook the potatoes.
Use a large pan (skillet). This will give plenty of room for the ingredients to cook evenly.
Use a cast iron or heavy non-stick skillet. These types of pan will both prevent the hash from burning and also won’t require the additional of oil when cooking the pork sausage.
Frequently Asked Questions
‘Hash’ comes from the French word ‘hacher’ which means to chop. Traditionally hash is made with chopped meat, potatoes and onions. But that’s just the start! Hash is a great way to use up leftovers and easy to change up.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave.
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Recipe
Easy Breakfast Hash
Ingredients
- 1 pound bulk/loose pork breakfast sausage
- 3 cups chopped Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups fresh baby spinach rough chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook it for 5-7 minutes or until browned and with some crispy edges. Break up the sausage with a spatula or wooden spoon into crumbled pieces as it cooks.
- Remove the sausage using a slotted spoon and leave any rendered fat in the pan.
- Add the potatoes to the pan and cook them for 10 minutes, or until they are just starting to become tender.
- Add the onion and cook with the potatoes for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are tender and the potatoes are golden brown.
- Add the garlic, and spinach and cook for an additional minute. Add the sausage back to the skillet and mix the ingredients together.
- Remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Leave out the sausage and sauté the potatoes in 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add some extra veggies to increase the volume of the hash. Cooked veggies can be added with the onion to warm through. Raw veggies should be added earlier in the cooking process to fully cook.
- For breakfast sausage flavors (without the meat) add some of the suggested fresh herbs below.
- Plant-based sausage equivalents can also be used.
Agnes says
Delicious! What a hearty breakfast, especially with the egg on top (how my husband prefers it).
Kara says
I’ve only used frozen hash browns for my breakfast hash, but I liked the firmness of the fresh potatoes. It’s perfect for breakfast or dinner!
Valentina says
We LOVE this hearty and easy breakfast hash recipe! The perfect way to start the day is with this amazing breakfast hash!
Kelly says
This is the best meal to wake up to! Love it.
Dannii says
This is one of my favourite filling breakfasts. Perfect for a lazy sunday.
Beth says
This is exactly the kind of thing I love to make on the weekend. It’s so hearty, and there’s just something about a skillet meal like this that’s so great.
wilhelmina says
I love this hearty and sayisfying hash. It made for a great weekend breakfast!
Vidya Narayan says
Perfect breakfast recipe for the weekend. Love how you can use leftover veggies and turn it into something the whole family will enjoy.
Kali Alexandria says
This hash recipe is a staple in my weekend breakfast routine. Highly recommend!
Gloria says
We love having breakfast for dinner. This is the perfect recipe for that too.