Breakfast Sweet Potato Hearty Morning Meal St. Patrick’s Day Easy
Introduction
In my travels, from the bustling kitchens of Paris to the serene temples of Kyoto, I have learned one universal truth: a truly magnificent day begins with a breakfast that nourishes the body and ignites the soul. We often relegate the morning meal to a hurried affair, but I implore you to reconsider. Imagine a dish so vibrant it mirrors the sunrise, with flavors so deeply satisfying they resonate throughout your day. I am, of course, speaking of the humble sweet potato, transformed. This is not just any recipe; it is an experience. This incredible Breakfast Sweet Potato skillet brings together sweet, earthy notes with savory, rich undertones, creating a harmony of flavors that is both rustic and refined. It’s a hearty, elegant, and surprisingly simple way to elevate your morning, especially for a festive occasion like St. Patrick’s Day. Let me show you why this dish will become a treasured part of your culinary repertoire.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A Symphony of Flavors: The natural sweetness of the sweet potato creates a stunning contrast with savory corned beef and aromatic herbs, resulting in a complex and addictive taste profile.
- Nutrient-Dense & Energizing: Packed with vitamins, fiber, and protein, this dish provides sustained energy to power you through your morning without the crash. It is satisfaction you can feel good about.
- Visually Stunning Presentation: With its brilliant orange, rich greens, and a perfectly cooked sunny-side-up egg, this breakfast is a feast for the eyes before it even touches your lips.
- Effortlessly Gourmet: This recipe delivers a restaurant-quality brunch experience in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for both busy weekday mornings and leisurely weekend gatherings. Crafting a beautiful breakfast sweet potato meal has never been so accessible.
Preparation Time and Servings
This quick skillet meal is designed to deliver maximum flavor with minimal fuss, making a gourmet breakfast achievable on any schedule.
⏱️ Preparation Time: 15 minutes
🔥 Cooking Time: 20 minutes
⏰ Total Time: 35 minutes
💡 Difficulty: Easy
👥 Servings: 4 people
Ingredients List
- 2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs / 700g), scrubbed and cut into a ½-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces (225g) cooked corned beef, diced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 4 large free-range eggs
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Breakfast Sweet Potato
- Prepare the Sweet Potatoes: To ensure a creamy interior and crispy exterior, it is wise to par-cook the sweet potatoes. Place the diced sweet potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, until just tender when pierced with a fork. Drain any excess water. This step is crucial and saves significant time in the skillet.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large, 12-inch cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the chopped onion and green bell pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until they soften and begin to caramelize at the edges. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Build the Hash: Add the par-cooked sweet potatoes to the skillet. Spread them in an even layer and let them cook, undisturbed, for 4-5 minutes to develop a beautiful, crisp, golden-brown crust on one side. Unlike a regular potato, the sweet potato browns quickly due to its sugar content, so watch it carefully.
- Combine and Season: Add the diced corned beef, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir gently to combine everything, being careful not to mash the sweet potatoes. Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes, allowing the corned beef to heat through and crisp up slightly. The aroma at this stage is simply divine. This is the heart of your breakfast sweet potato hash.
- Cook the Eggs: Using the back of a spoon, create four small wells within the hash. Crack one egg into each well. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny and luscious.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the skillet from the heat. Generously garnish the dish with fresh chopped parsley and sliced scallions. Serve immediately, directly from the skillet, for a stunning, rustic presentation.
Expert Tips for Success
- Do Not Crowd the Pan: For the crispiest sweet potatoes, use a large skillet that allows the cubes to have direct contact with the hot surface. Overcrowding will steam the potatoes instead of searing them.
- Patience is a Virtue: Resist the urge to constantly stir the sweet potatoes once they are in the pan. Allowing them to sit undisturbed is the secret to developing that coveted caramelized crust.
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- Ingredient Quality Matters: Whenever possible, use fresh herbs and high-quality corned beef. Leftover corned beef from a roast is spectacular, but good-quality deli corned beef, cut thick, also works beautifully in this breakfast sweet potato creation.
- Adjust to Your Palate: Feel free to add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat or a different herb like chives or dill. Cooking is about making a recipe your own.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the simplest dishes have nuances. Avoid these common pitfalls to ensure perfection every time:
- Overcrowding the Pan – This is the primary enemy of crispiness. It traps steam and leads to soft, mushy potatoes instead of delightfully browned ones. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Under-seasoning the dish – Sweet potatoes have a strong flavor and require bold seasoning to balance them. Don’t be shy with the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Taste and adjust before adding the eggs.
- Skipping the par-cooking step – Cooking the sweet potatoes from raw in the skillet takes a very long time and can lead to uneven results (burnt outside, hard inside). The microwave trick is a chef’s secret for speed and consistency.
- Using the wrong pan – A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is your best friend here. It retains and distributes heat evenly, which is essential for achieving that perfect crust on the hash.
Storing Tips for the Recipe
While this dish is best enjoyed fresh, leftovers can still be delightful with proper storage.
- Short-term storage: This dish is best consumed immediately due to the eggs. If you have hash without eggs, cover it and keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Refrigeration: Store leftover hash (without eggs, if possible) in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, then cook a fresh egg to serve with it.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the texture of both the sweet potatoes and eggs will be compromised upon thawing.
- Make-ahead option: To save time in the morning, you can chop the onion, bell pepper, and sweet potatoes up to 24 hours in advance. Store the diced sweet potatoes in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator to prevent browning.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I make this Breakfast Sweet Potato hash vegan?
Absolutely! To adapt this recipe for a vegan diet, simply omit the corned beef and eggs. To maintain the hearty, savory element, I recommend adding one 15-ounce can of black beans (rinsed and drained) or 8 ounces of crumbled firm tofu along with the spices. It creates a wonderfully satisfying and complete plant-based meal.
What’s the best way to reheat the leftovers without the egg getting rubbery?
The key is to separate the components. It is always best to cook the eggs fresh. Store the leftover hash on its own in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, reheat the hash in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until warmed through and crispy again. While it’s reheating, fry or poach a fresh egg to place on top. This preserves the perfect texture of both elements.
Conclusion
This is more than just a meal; it’s a celebration of fresh ingredients and bold flavors, proving that a spectacular morning is just one skillet away. This Breakfast Sweet Potato recipe is the perfect union of rustic charm and culinary elegance, destined to become a cherished favorite. I encourage you to embrace the joy of a well-made breakfast. Try it out and discover how transformative a simple dish can be. Don’t forget to share this glorious Potato recipe with your friends!
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OOLALA
This turned out so awesome they look like they came from a exspensive bakery.
Just a question
So what about the grease from the meat? Should I use the leanest meats or is the grease give more flavor.
What about a meatloaf on top of veggies ? Would that work?
Ingredients list good, directions lacking
There were great details on quantities of ingredients I should use, but the recipe didn’t tell me the cook time. Also, mentioned in the section about “common mistakes” that you need to let it chill enough but doesn’t direct you in the recipe that you need to let it chill. More details would be helpful
Dressing is perfect!
Not a big fan of mayo, loved the Greek yogurt swap. Reduced garlic a bit. Dressing was delish!
Best coffee cake- ever!!
This recipe was not the easiest to follow due to how it was written. It requires a lot of back and forth from instructions to the lists of ingredients but oh, hey, the end result is totally worth the effort! Mouthwatering and delicious plus it’s a pretty presentation.







