Alright y’all, let’s talk hash.
Okay, so picture this: it’s Saturday morning, maybe you stayed up a little late watching reruns (guilty!), and you want something *really* good but you don’t want to stand over a hot stove splattering grease everywhere for an hour. That, my friends, is exactly why this air fryer sweet potato hash is in my regular rotation. It seriously feels like a cheat code. I remember the first time I tossed sweet potatoes in the air fryer, just messing around, and BOOM. Magic happened. Now, this hash? It’s a foundation, a comfort dish, and frankly, it makes my kitchen smell like pure happiness. Forget the greasy spoon diner, you can make this right at home, easy peasy.
Why I keep making this (and why you should too!)
Honestly? It’s mostly the convenience. I can chop everything up, toss it in the air fryer, and go make my coffee (or, let’s be real, browse my phone for five minutes). Less flipping, less oil, and it gets everything so perfectly crispy brown around the edges without turning to mush. My husband wasn’t sure about sweet potatoes in hash at first, but one bite of this and he was totally sold. Plus, it’s versatile – great for breakfast with an egg, or a surprisingly good side dish for dinner.
Okay, Here’s What You Need
This is pretty flexible, use what you’ve got!
- Sweet Potatoes: About 1 large or 2 medium ones. You want around 2-3 cups cubed. Any color works, but the orange ones are classic here. I’ve used purple too, looks kinda wild but tastes fine!
- Onion: Half a medium yellow onion, roughly chopped. Red onion works too if you like a sharper bite.
- Bell Pepper: Half a bell pepper, any color. Red or yellow adds a nice sweetness; green is totally fine too.
- Garlic: 2-3 cloves, minced. Or a teaspoon of garlic powder if you’re feeling lazy (no judgement here!).
- Oil: About 1-2 tablespoons. Olive oil, avocado oil, whatever cooking oil you usually reach for.
- Seasoning: Salt and black pepper, obviously. A pinch of paprika (smoked is my favorite!), maybe a little garlic powder or onion powder too. Sometimes I add a dash of cayenne if I want a little kick. My secret ingredient lately? A little bit of Everything Bagel seasoning sprinkled on top at the end. Sounds weird, trust me.
How to Get This Cooking
- Prep everything: Wash and peel the sweet potatoes (or don’t peel, I sometimes skip it!), then chop them into about ½ inch cubes. Try to make them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Chop the onion and pepper about the same size, mince your garlic.
- Toss it up: In a medium bowl, dump in the chopped sweet potatoes, onion, and pepper. Add the minced garlic, oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you’re using. Give it all a really good toss to make sure everything is coated.
- Into the Air Fryer: Pour the seasoned veggies into your air fryer basket. Don’t totally overcrowd it! You want the hot air to circulate. You might need to cook it in two batches depending on the size of your air fryer. This is probably the most important step for getting it crispy, actually, overcrowding makes things steam instead of roast.
- Cook it!: Set your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Cook for about 15-20 minutes total.
- Shake it like a polaroid picture: Every 5-7 minutes, pull out the basket and give it a good shake. This helps everything cook evenly and prevents sticking. Check for tenderness and browning. You want the sweet potatoes to be tender when you poke ’em with a fork and the edges starting to brown and crisp up.
- Done! Carefully remove the basket. Your glorious air fryer sweet potato hash is ready!
Things I’ve Noticed (Trial & Error Notes)
- Sweet potatoes cook faster or slower depending on how small you chop them, so pay attention the first time you make it.
- The type of air fryer matters a bit. Some are hotter than others! Your first batch is your test batch.
- If your garlic burns easily, add it in for just the last 5-7 minutes of cooking.
Fun Ways to Switch it Up (Mostly!)
I’ve played around with this a lot. Adding chopped cooked sausage or bacon bits at the end is *chef’s kiss*. Sometimes I toss in some chopped zucchini or mushrooms with the other veggies. I even tried adding Brussels sprouts once, but honestly, they just didn’t get crispy like the rest of the hash, so I don’t recommend that particular combo.
Equipment You’ll Need (Mostly!)
Well, an air fryer, obviously! I’ve got a basket-style one and this brand works great for me. A cutting board and a knife are essential, and a bowl for mixing. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can totally make this in the oven on a baking sheet at the same temperature, it just takes a bit longer, maybe 25-30 minutes, and you’ll need to flip it halfway.
Storing Leftovers (If You Have Any!)
Pop any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps for 3-4 days. Reheating in the air fryer for a few minutes (at maybe 375°F) is the best way to get some crisp back. The microwave works too, but you lose the crispy bits, which is its heart and soul, right? Though honestly, its rare this lasts more than a day in my house!
Serving Suggestions
Oh man, the possibilities! Top it with a fried egg (my absolute favorite). Add some shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream. A sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives brightens it up. It’s also killer as a side dish for grilled chicken or pork chops. My grandma always served her hash with a side of toast, and that tradition has stuck with me.
Pro Tips (AKA, Learn from My Mistakes!)
Don’t skip shaking the basket – I once tried rushing this step because I was starving, and the bottom layer got way too dark while the top wasn’t quite done. Total bummer. Also, make sure your sweet potato chunks aren’t too big or too small; aim for that ½ inch sweet spot. Too big and they take ages, too small and they can burn before the onions and peppers are soft.
Got Questions? I Probably Do Too!
Can I use regular potatoes? Totally! Yukon Golds or red potatoes work great. They might take a *little* longer than sweet potatoes, just cook ’em until they’re tender and brown.
What if I don’t have a bell pepper? No sweat! Skip it, or add another veggie like zucchini or mushrooms. Just maybe not those pesky Brussels sprouts I mentioned!
Can I add meat at the beginning? If it’s raw meat like sausage, I’d cook that mostly separate first or add it partway through, depends on the meat. Pre-cooked stuff like bacon bits, add ’em at the end for warming.
My hash isn’t crispy! Help! Ah, yeah, that happens if you over crowd it or don’t use enough oil. Make sure you’re cooking in batches and everything has a light coat of oil. Shaking helps circulation too! Maybe try a few extra minutes at the end.
How do you chop the sweet potatoes so fast? Ha! Practice, mostly. Or a good sharp knife. Seriously, a sharp knife makes *all* the difference in cooking. If yours is dull, maybe check out some knife sharpening tips online.
Hope you give this a whirl! It’s truly a winner form my kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
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1In a large bowl, combine the diced sweet potatoes, red onion, and red bell pepper.
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2Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
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3Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
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4Carefully add the seasoned vegetable mixture to the air fryer basket in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
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5Air fry for 18-22 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through (around 9-11 minutes), until the sweet potatoes are tender and slightly crispy.
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6Serve hot as a side dish or topped with eggs for a complete meal.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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