Hash with Runny Eggs
Is there anything better than a breakfast hash? Probably not.
When I’m exhausted and hangry (possibly hungover, too?) an easy, one-skillet hash with creamy-crispy potatoes and soft cooked eggs is all I want to eat. Maximum flavor, minimal work.
Let’s walk through why this is so easy, shall we?
To start, I’m pretty sure this recipe consists of ingredients you already have in your kitchen. And if you don’t already keep potatoes and onions at the ready, it’s time to reconsider that. So cheap! So many possibilities! I use red onions here, but if you only have yellow or white onions — or even shallots — that’ll be equally delish. I’m a major fan of the extra oomph and bite from the jammy red onions in concert with the rich, pillowy potatoes, but any onion will do.
Another easy hash hack: don’t peel your potatoes! Seriously, don’t do it! Unless you have an actual aversion to potato skins, which is totally a legit thing, scrubbing ‘em clean and chopping ‘em up with the skins on saves you a whole lotta time (and vitamins + minerals + fiber + all that boring stuff).
To complete the easy breakfast trifecta: you only need one skillet. I don’t know about y’all, but I live in New York City — which translates to “my kitchen sink is the size of a large glass of water,” thus I reallllllly hate doing dishes. This entire meal cooks up in the same pan you’ll eventually serve it in, which sounds pretty dreamy to me. No shade if you eat it straight out of the skillet, too.
While I can’t legally promise that this easy breakfast hash will cure your hangover or make all your dreams come true, I can promise that it will make your morning at least a little bit happier. And really, what’s more important than that?
Hash with Runny Eggs
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sweet potato, scrubbed and diced into bite-size, 3/4” cubes
- 2 medium white potatoes, scrubbed and diced into bite-size, 3/4” cubes
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 room temperature eggs
- Olive oil
- Thinly-sliced scallion or parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Add diced potatoes and onion to a large, non-stick skillet (with a tight-fitting lid!), adding enough cold water to just cover the potatoes. Season with a generous amount of salt (don’t worry, most will go right down the drain) and bring to a boil.
- When boiling, cover and cook until potatoes are nearly fork-tender—about 5-7 minutes. Test a larger piece of potato with a fork after five minutes; when your fork can pierce the potato with just a bit of resistance (not raw, but not fully-cooked) you’re ready to drain the potatoes into a colander.
- Return skillet to medium-high heat with about 2 Tbsp of olive oil—or enough to coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, add the partially-cooked potatoes and onion, along with garlic powder, paprika, and a generous pinch of salt & pepper; you’ll need more salt than you think!
- Sauté for 6-7 minutes, or until the mixture starts to get crispy and golden brown in spots. Stir intermittently to allow the potatoes ample contact with the bottom of the skillet for maximum crisp-factor. If the hash starts to look dry, add a drizzle of oil as needed.
- Lower heat to medium. Create four small “wells” in the hash, exposing the bottom of the skillet. Drizzle a bit of oil in each well, then crack an egg into each. Sprinkle each egg with salt & pepper and immediately cover.
- Watch the eggs carefully as they steam in the hash. The time varies greatly for cooking them until the whites are just set and the yolks are runny, mostly depending on the size of your pan and eggs. This could take anywhere from 4-8 minutes.
- Give the pan a slight jiggle every now and then; when the inner whites are barely set and the yolks are still soft (test by poking with a finger), you’re done!
- Remove skillet from heat. Serve in bowls or directly from the skillet, garnishing with scallion or parsley.