Southwestern Sweet Potato and Black Bean Hash

I used to hate sweet potatoes. Okay, that’s not really true. I just hate what most people do to sweet potatoes, so I thought I hated sweet potatoes themselves.  All slathered in marshmallows and maple syrup and candied and cinnamony and just…no.  Not my thing.  The turning point for me was when my husband ordered a dish at an Argentinian steakhouse where the sweet potatoes were cooked alongside the beef, which in turn made them awesome. At that point I realized that, when made more savory, sweet potatoes were damn good.  Since, I’ve mostly been roasting or grilling them with chili powder and cumin, or mashing them with similar flavors and/or a little orange.  Delicious all around.

I decided to try my hand at including sweet potatoes in a hash.  As we’re trying to reduce the amount of meat we eat, breakfast for dinner has been a popular choice.  Personally, I love breakfast food and could probably eat it all the time. Plus, breakfast is the one meal we almost never eat at a restaurant (which makes me sad, but my husband does not like going out for breakfast/brunch), so it’s nice to make fun breakfasts at home every once in a while.

If you’ve visited this blog….well, ever…you know that I love southwestern/Mexican-y type flavors, so I went that route by including some spice and black beans.  I know you can’t really see the black beans in this picture (bad food blogger!) but I promise they’re there.  Also, because I am the most amazing wife ever, I chop cilantro for my husband, even though I hate it.  In return for this and also for my hands smelling awful because of said cilantro, I get to photograph his plate instead of mine. 🙂

The hash turned out great!  I opted for adding a little water to the pan to cook the potatoes, so I wouldn’t have to add a bunch of oil to get them cooked through.  Another alternative is to parboil them until they’re almost  cooked, and then add them to the oil to brown up around the sides.  This will make the outside a little more crisp, but remember that sweet potatoes don’t really crisp up as much as regular potatoes, so you won’t get the same effect.

Southwestern Sweet Potato Hash

Serves 2

1 Tbsp. canola oil, plus a little extra for eggs
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2″ cubed
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
~1/4 cup water (or liquid of your choice)
1/2 cup black beans
1 tsp. chili powder*
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne
2 eggs
Chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, bell pepper, and potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the garlic, and then add the water, beans, spices, and salt to taste.  Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until potatoes are tender (adding more liquid if necessary).  Spoon the hash onto plates.

Wipe out the skillet and add a little oil or butter to the pan.  Crack the eggs into the hot oil and fry to your liking.  Top the hash with the fried eggs and sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

*I use hot chili powder because we like the spice.  Made with that, and the cayenne, this does make for a spicy hash, so depending on your preferences  you may want to reduce one or both.