This sweet potato hash recipe takes the classic American dish up a notch with fresh veggies, chickpeas, and warming Mediterranean spices. Top it off with poached eggs for a savory breakfast, brunch, or dinner that can’t be beat!
I have a deep love and appreciation for the classic American sweet potato hash’s humble and comforting flavors. However, as delicious as the classic recipe is, I decided to recreate my own version at home with a bit of a Mediterranean twist!
Every bit as satisfying as the original if not more so, this vegetarian sweet potato hash features sautéed onions and peppers along with chickpeas and warm Mediterranean spices. Then, I top it all off with perfectly poached eggs–but simply swap in a fried egg if you prefer, or leave the egg off entirely for a vegan option.
I first developed this recipe for my book, The Mediterranean Dish: 120 Bold and Healthy Recipes You’ll Make on Repeat, and now I’m sharing it with my loyal readers on the site!
Super filling and so quick to make, it’s the best breakfast or brunch for holidays, weekends, and more. One bite, and you’ll be hooked!
Ingredients for this Sweet Potato Hash Recipe
Fresh veggies, eggs, and a few pantry staples are all you’ll need to make a sweet potato breakfast hash. Here are the ingredients, and some easy swaps:
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Any quality EVOO works here, but I like the peppery note of our Spanish Hojiblanca to balance the sweet potatoes.
- Red onion: White or yellow onion also work.
- Sweet potatoes: You can also use russet or Yukon gold potatoes, if you prefer (or check out my potato hash recipe).
- Chickpeas: These add lean protein and texture, replacing the sausage that’s typically in sweet potato hash recipes. White beans like cannellini work as a substitute.
- Spices: Salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, sweet paprika, turmeric, and za’atar provide an earthy, warming, aromatic base. This vibrant spice blend is what makes this recipe so special! The za’atar is well worth seeking out. You can read all about it in our guide. But if you don’t have the time, feel free to substitute with Greek oregano.
- Garlic: Adds a strong savory kick to balance the sweetness of the potatoes.
- Red bell pepper: Brings a sweet-sunny flavor. Yellow, orange, or mini sweet bell peppers also work.
- Eggs and distilled white vinegar: You’ll need vinegar to poach the eggs, or swap with fried eggs if you prefer.
How to Make Sweet Potato Hash
I’m all about no-fuss recipes, and this sweet potato hash is no exception. Quick and easy, it requires just two dishes and makes enough for the whole family. Here’s what to do:
- Get your egg poaching water ready. Bring a medium pot of water to a steady simmer over medium-low heat.
- Prep your veggies. Chop 1 medium red onion and 1 red bell pepper. Mince 2 garlic cloves. Peel and cut 2 small sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain and rinse 1 cup of canned chickpeas.
- Soften the sweet potatoes. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the red onion, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas. Season with a big pinch of salt and black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Add 1 teaspoon coriander and 1/2 teaspoon each cumin, paprika, and turmeric. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is nicely caramelized and the sweet potatoes have softened quite a bit, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Build the flavor. Reduce the heat to medium, then stir in the garlic and bell pepper. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pepper has softened and the potatoes are now cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon za’atar.
- Poach the eggs. Add 1 teaspoon vinegar into the pot with the simmering water. Break 4 eggs into separate small bowls or ramekins. Stir the simmering water gently and carefully slide each egg in; the egg whites should wrap around the yolk. Cook for 3 minutes exactly, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a paper towel to drain. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a little more za’atar. (If you don’t like poached eggs, you can fry or scramble your eggs. Do what works best for you!)
- Finish and serve. Divide the sweet potato hash among 4 bowls and top each with a poached egg. Serve immediately.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Hash
This sweet potato hash recipe is plenty filling on its own. If you’re serving company, though, you can use it as a centerpiece for a Mediterranean-style breakfast spread. Fill your table with lots of small bowls and platters. Think nuts, honey, cheeses, homemade fig jam, and freshly baked olive bread.
We always have something fresh on the table. Sometimes it’s as simple as sliced cucumber and herb sprigs, which we use like a palate cleanser, or sometimes we toss together a cucumber tomato salad. Yes, we even eat salad for breakfast! And don’t forget the drinks! I love Arabic tea with fresh mint for something both cozy and refreshing.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
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Sweet Potato Breakfast with Eggs
Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Easy Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sides and Small Plates
Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey Tahini and Sesame Seeds
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Jazz up your sweet potato hash with this aromatic, tart, and savory spice blend.
Sweet Potato Hash Recipe with Za’atar and Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 small sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon za’atar, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar (to poach the egg)
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Get your egg poaching water ready. Bring a medium pot of water to a steady simmer over medium-low heat.
- Meanwhile, soften the sweet potatoes. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the red onion, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas. Season with a big pinch of salt and black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Add the coriander, cumin, paprika, and turmeric. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is nicely caramelized and the sweet potatoes have softened quite a bit, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Build the flavor. Reduce the heat to medium, then stir in the garlic and bell pepper. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pepper has softened and the potatoes are now cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the za’atar.
- Poach the eggs. Add the vinegar into the pot with the simmering water. Break each egg into a small bowl or ramekin. Stir the simmering water gently and carefully slide each egg in; the egg whites should wrap around the yolk. Cook for 3 minutes exactly, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a paper towel to drain. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and a little more za’atar.
- Finish and serve. Divide the sweet potato hash among 4 bowls and top each with a poached egg. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Feel free to top with a fried egg if you prefer. I love these za’atar fried eggs with this recipe! (It’s what I used in the video.)
Nutrition
*This post has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.
there is not a breakfast dish in the world that i love more than this one. if i could give it a million stars out of five, i would. knocked it out of the solar system, TMD team!
Wow! Thank you so much for the amazing review, Annika!
I don’t usually buy red onions, but I did for this recipe. I’m also not an exact type measuring spoon measurer. So less salt, and more of everything else. My wife who dislikes chickpeas, loved this recipe. I thought it was pretty darn good too.
I’m so happy I found your site.
Some really good recipes to try.
Thanks, Fred! So glad to hear you both loved this one!
im not a fan of sweet potato, but with this fab recipe i can become a convert. My wife loves it as well so this little brunchy baby is going into my special recipe book.
chris from the UK.
Thanks so much, Chris!
Easy to put together—YUM!😋. Luckily for me, my husband did all the prep. We doubled the sweet potatoes and chickpeas and served over rice. The egg really complements the hash.
Hi KiKi, Devin here from The Mediterranean Dish. You two sound like a great team! So happy you both loved the recipe, thanks for writing in.
Great breakfast! I love a breakfast that makes you feel good for eating it. I recommend using a 14″ skillet if you can as there are a lot of veggies for a 12 inch skillet.
Awesome recipe. Flavors blend well with the zaatar being the chefs kiss. Whole family loved it.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Benjamin!
A good hash is my breakfast comfort food. This one is perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. I split the hash into five servings so I’d have enough for the work week. Then I just whip up one poached egg every morning. This will definitely be in my regular rotation!
I have made this several times and I love it, I do like things spicy so I doubled the spices and gave a small shake of cayenne.
Loved this easy to make breakfast hash, the poached egg on top was fabulous!
Thanks so much, Shawna!
Incredibly delicious!! The flavors in this dish are amazing and the sweet potatoes add that extra level of flavor. I prepared oven baked eggs (with runny yolks) with my meal and they were also amazing. I highly recommend this dish and cannot wait to dive into another of Suzy’s recipes!!
Great recipe! I had some murasaki sweet potatoes I wanted to use, and this hit the spot. The only addition I made was to drizzle/dollop some zhoug on top for a kick/saucy component (in addition to the runny egg yolk). Thanks again!
YUM! Adding zhoug sounds amazing. Great idea.
Down to the nitty gritty in my cabinets BUT had all the ingredients for this hash but only one sweet potato so I halved it! No eggs so I finished with a quality Feta and it was perfect for me! Thank you for this hash, it’s tasty and versatile.
So glad you enjoyed it, Mary!
Tried this for the first time this morning as I was looking for something different for breakfast other than my usual oatmeal. It was so very flavourful! It was hubby approved too! Every recipe we’ve tried has been fabulous!
By far my new go to for a quick protein filled breakfast. I make this up in advance, then before work it’s a simple warm up and make the poached egg! Great way to start my day!!!
Thanks, Carl!
Thanks for this! I was going to write a comment asking about the potential for batch cooking, as I can’t imagine myself preparing and cooking sweet potato early in the morning. Your comment answered my question!
Always love your recipes but this one lacked flavor. Surprised because this had a great array of spices which I use regularly. I always avoid tossing food so I am trying to figure out what I can do with it that will help make it edible. If you have any suggestion on how to spruce this up let me know. Maybe I will let it remain cold and add it to a romaine salad with a couple of boiled eggs and some home made vinaigrette dressing.
seriously? did you forget to add all the spices? I did increase by 50% but still – very flavorful and a bit spicy.
Looks delicious! Do I have to use a cast iron skillet? I don’t have cast iron.
It’s so good! You really can use whatever other type of skillet you have on hand if you don’t have a cast iron one. Hope you give the recipe a try!