With melty cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and golden russet potatoes, our breakfast hash recipe will be your new favorite breakfast!
Rise and Shine, It’s Potato Hash Time!
There’s nothing quite like potato hash in the morning. Whether it’s a lazy Sunday or the beginning of an activity-packed Saturday, the hour it takes to make everyone’s favorite potato hash breakfast is oh-so worth it! We even add a little Worcestershire sauce to punch up that umami flavor. So wake up and turn on some tunes, it’s time to make the best breakfast potato hash!
Why Do We Call It Breakfast Hash?
Did you know that the word “hash” is originally from the French word “hacher”? It means “to chop”! So a breakfast hash essentially means a breakfast chop. Makes sense, since hash consists of finely chopped meat and potatoes! Hash was originally a way of using up leftover food (we still love it as a way to clean out our fridges), and dates all the way back to the 17th century. By the mid 1800’s, low-priced restaurants all around the US were referred to as “hash houses” or “hasheries”. That’s right, hash breakfast has a long history!
What Can I Add to Hash?
Traditionally, breakfast hash is made from corned beef, potatoes, and onions. But don’t worry, there really are no rules when it comes to breakfast hash! To give you some hash brown breakfast ideas, there are different ways of making hash around the world. In France, they use lamb with potatoes and in New England, fish hash is popular! The same goes for vegetables. You can add bell peppers, squash, mushrooms, or even greens like kale or swiss chard. So what can I add to hash? We say, the possibilities are endless! There is even a New England spin on potato hash called “red flannel hash,” named for the beets that are added to the potatoes! You can omit the meat, to make a delicious vegetarian breakfast hash! This breakfast hash is even great for camping. We recommend prepping the chopped veg before you hit the road, and everything else is pretty easy campside. It’s the perfect dish to jump start a day in the wilderness. No matter where you are or what time it is, we guarantee that you’ll be craving our smoky bacon cheddar breakfast hash!
Let’s Make This Recipe For Breakfast Hash!
Now that we’re better acquainted with the history and ingredients of the breakfast hash potato, let’s get cooking! The key here is to cook everything in batches. First the bacon, then the potatoes, the veggies, and last but not least, our favorite part–the cheese. Let’s fire up the skillet.
- Whip out your trusty skillet and add that bacon! Cook the bacon until it’s nice and crispy and the fat has rendered. This just means that the fat has been separated from the bacon. The less fat in the bacon, the crispier it is, so cook it to your preferred crunchiness. Once it’s done, put the bacon on a paper towel and leave some fat in the skillet.
- Next up: potatoes! Load the skillet with your diced potatoes and cook until they’re good and golden.
- Now it’s time to add the onions and peppers to the potatoes!
- Return the bacon to the pan and add in the flavor. Mix in the cream, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper. Then mix everything well, letting it simmer over low heat until thickened.
- Cut the heat and add the cheese and green onions! Then watch it turn into melty, gooey goodness while you fry up your eggs.
- Spoon out the hash and eggs and dig in!
Tools You’ll Need
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Nonstick skillet or cast iron pan
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Spatula
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Separate skillet for eggs
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Slotted spoon
Make It A Full Breakfast Menu
Here’s a few ideas for what we like to serve in addition to a hearty breakfast hash:
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Mom’s Zucchini Bread Muffins
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Oat Scones
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Fruit Salad
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Granola with Figs, Almonds and Coconut
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, if needed
- 2 russet potatoes (about 1½ pounds), cut into ½ -inch pieces
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 l arge red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- 6 eggs, cooked to your liking
- 6 slices crusty bread, toasted (optional)
Method
- Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until almost crispy and the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the fat in the pan. Discard all but ¼ cup of the bacon fat.
- Add the potatoes to the bacon fat in a single layer and cook until golden brown on mostly tender, 10-12 minutes. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, about 5 minutes more.
- Return the bacon to the pan and stir in the cream, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cream has thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle the hash with cheddar and green onions.
- Spoon the hash out of the pan, dividing it evenly between plates. Top each with an egg and serve with toast on the side.
