This sweet potato breakfast hash with vegan sausage, peppers, and leeks is perfect for brunch at home.
It’s been two whole weeks since we began “social distancing.” I don’t love this term because I’ve personally never felt more connected with my friends – amen for Facetime! – and it’s the physical distancing that truly sucks. Especially now that the weather’s warming up and the trees are starting to blossom and there’s nothing I wanna do more than frolic around with my favorite people.
I also miss brunch! I love brunch food (fried potatoes + eggs, what more could you want?) and love how easily this meal can drag out into several hours if you’re not careful with your mimosa consumption.
It’s safe to say that for the foreseeable future, we’ll be having brunch at home. And hey, that has its benefits, too – namely, that it’s appropriate to stay in your pajamas (they really frown upon that in restaurants).
This sweet potato breakfast hash with sausage, peppers, and leeks is a super simple, cozy brunch dish. You basically just toss a bunch of veg in a skillet and top the resulting mixture with crispy-edged, runny fried eggs. Bonus points for a sprinkle of fresh herbs or a side of skillet toast.
The vegetables in this hash are cooked in two steps: first, you cook the sweet potatoes over low heat with a lid on; the steam trapped inside the skillet softens the potatoes. Then you remove the lid, raise the heat, and add the remaining vegetables. In this second step, the goal is to get all the vegetables nicely softened and caramelized.
This recipe is also quite versatile: if you don’t have leeks, use an onion; if you have other vegetables that need using up (like greens or cherry tomatoes), you can toss them in, too. If you don’t eat eggs, make a tofu scramble instead.
About Vegan Sausage
In recent years, the availability of meat replacement products has skyrocketed. Although I’m not crazy about vegan burgers that “bleed” (yikes), I have been trying various plant-based sausages and some taste dangerously close to the original. I’m a big fan of Field Roast’s Italian and Lightlife’s ground varieties.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m a big advocate for “food as medicine”. And to be transparent, vegan sausages are not typically the “healthiest” since they’re usually not made from whole foods and can contain some questionable ingredients. But, they are delicious and fun to eat from time to time and not everything we eat has to be a “health food” – especially not in times of a global pandemic. *End of spiel*
If you like this sweet potato breakfast hash, check out these potato-mushroom and curried chickpea versions.
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Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This simple sweet potato breakfast hash with sausage, peppers, and leeks is perfect for brunch at home.
Ingredients
- About 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces vegan sausage (in links or ground)
- 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 1 medium leek, white and green parts, thinly sliced and thoroughly cleaned (see Note*)
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- Lots of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 eggs (for a vegan version, make scrambled tofu instead)
- Chopped cilantro or parsley, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- If using sausage links, cut them up into bite-size pieces; if using ground, add the sausage to the skillet and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage until it’s golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the skillet and add the potatoes, garlic, paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Lower the heat and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until you can pierce a potato with a knife, about 8 minutes.
- Add the leek, bell pepper, black pepper, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir the sausage back in.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a separate non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Fry the eggs for a few minutes, until the edges are crispy and the whites are no longer giggly.
- To serve, divide the hash among 2 plates. Top with the eggs and herbs.
Notes
To clean leeks: Trim the root end of the leek, as well as a few inches off the dark green portion (just whatever looks bruised/dry). Slice the stalk into thin coins. Place the sliced leeks in a big bowl of cold water and swirl them around with your hands to release all the dirt between the layers. Lift the leeks out of the water and place back onto your cutting board. Drain the water and replace with new water. Repeat the process once or twice more until the leeks are clean.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of the recipe
- Calories: 400
Keywords: sweet potato, leek, hash, breakfast, brunch
