Green Chile Breakfast Hash with sausage and potatoes
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Why this recipe works:
Diced potatoes are par-cooked in the microwave first to ensure they are cooked thoroughly when the recipe is done.
The brown bits and drippings from the sausage are used to cook the onions and potatoes, deeply flavoring the whole dish.
I cooked up this simple but very tasty breakfast hash with green chile a long time ago to use up some excess pork sausage and potatoes we had lying around. By using a few tricks I’d learned about cooking potatoes and working with green chile, this turned out amazing. My family loved it so much that I’ve been making it regularly ever since. Now I’m finally sharing it with you!
Why is it called ‘Breakfast Hash’?
Just to be clear, we’re talking about the kind of hash made from a delicious mixture of meat, potatoes, and sometimes vegetables (not the other kinds of hash!). So, what are the origins of our favorite way to eat leftover corned beef and why is it called ‘hash’?
Breakfast hash, sometimes just called “hash“, originates from the French word “hasher” which actually means to chop up meat, such as minced meat. “Hasher” or “hash” originated as a way to cook up leftover meat by combining it with potatoes and vegetables, turning it into a meal.
Hash first started showing up in the 19th century in the U.S. thanks to Jews cooking up corned beef hash (which I love). In the late 1800’s the precursor to the classic American diner restaurant was called a “hash house” or “hashery”. This is where the servers gained a reputation of shouting your order back to the cooks (probably because some couldn’t read or write).
Hash houses disappeared as fast food restaurants came onto the scene. But the term hash is here to stay.
What is Traditionally in Hash?
Most commonly you’ll hear of Corned beef hash (a mixture of chopped corned beef and potatoes) or breakfast hash. But what qualifies a dish as a “hash”?
As we learned earlier, a traditional hash is any dish made from small bits of meat that are cooked with onions and potatoes. Oftentimes additional ingredients such as vegetables or eggs are added. Hash originated as a way to use up leftovers, and is still being used for this purpose across the globe today.
Breakfast Hash for Dinner anyone?
Hash is one of those meals that is so versatile, you can have it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s also great as a foil dinner cooked in a campfire, on road trips, or at a sports event. So if you’re having a hard time figuring out what to cook up for dinner, a hash is a great go-to for a quick meal!
Where I grew up in New Mexico, Hatch chile goes in everything, and hash is no exception. Roasted and chopped Hatch green chile practically begs to be mixed into a hash. Its flavor pairs so well with a number of meats, and is a delicious and healthy addition to any meal. I love it and I am glad to feature it in this hash recipe!
What are Hatch Chile Peppers?
Hatch Chile peppers are world famous for their delicious flavors, produced by the unique climate and soil composition that exists only in the Hatch Valley of Southern New Mexico. These factors combine to grow exceptional-tasting chile peppers with smoky, sweet, and hot flavor notes. More people discover Hatch Chiles each year, and their popularity continues to grow.
Growing up in New Mexico where chile peppers are an integral part of the culture, I know that Hatch chiles have earned a reputation for being the best of the best. I personally only use authentic Hatch in all my cooking because it simply tastes amazing. You should be able to find canned Hatch chile in any supermarket these days, or you can order it directly like I do. Frozen chile is much, much better tasting than canned!
The Hatch Chile Store is the premiere website for ordering your Hatch chile– they are incredibly good at shipping fresh authentic chile right to your door, whatever variety and hotness lever you prefer. It’s where I get all my Hatch Chile, and I must say the flavor really does stand out above any other chile pepper variety.
Head on over now to The Hatch Chile Store to stock up on the most delicious Hatch chile you can buy anywhere- they’ve always got great deals on your favorite products!
Did you know I have a full-color cookbook with lots more easy and delicious New Mexican recipes? You can learn more about it here!
Frequently Asked Questions About Hash
Substitutions/customizations: This is a recipe that you can substitute just about anything in. Use any type of sausage for the meat or even leftover cooked chicken, beef, pork, etc.
Any type of potato will do- just keep in mind that some potatoes have more starch than others and may have longer cooking times than Russet potatoes. You can absolutely use storebought hashbrowns as well- skip microwaving them and just put them right into the pan after you remove the meat. Let them cook for a minute or two before adding the onion so both ingredients will be done cooking at the same time.
Any type of onion works well here, yellow, white, and even shallots! I am partial to yellow or sweet onions so that’s generally what I use in all my cooking unless something else is specified in the recipe.
Also, any type of seasoning is great~ lately, I’ve been using a Caribbean blend that I am in love with, but any type of seasoning blend is really good when cooking hash to elevate the flavor and tie every ingredient together.
What to serve with breakfast hash: If you don’t already plan to, serve fried eggs with your hash. They are practically born for each other. Since hash can be quite heavy and on the greasy side, I would recommend side dishes that are light, such as rice, a side salad or fruit.
How to store and reheat Breakfast hash: If you’ve made your hash with leftovers, store it in the fridge, covered, for just 24 hours. If you won’t have it eaten by then, freeze it right away once it has cooled to room temp. You don’t want to be storing already old food for another three days in the fridge- you might get sick!
I recommend reheating hash in a skillet with a little oil. You can microwave it, but it’s just not as good.
Making Hatch Green Chile Breakfast Hash, Step by Step
Start by heating oil in a skillet. I recommend using a stainless steel skillet for this recipe; you can put the nonstick skillet back in the cupboard for now ;0) Add the sausage and break it apart. I adore this ‘mix and chop’ tool I got from the Pampered Chef, but there are copycats on Amazon you can get right here.
Add a little cooking oil and cook the sausage PAST the no-pink stage to what I call the ‘dark browned bits on the bottom of the pan stage’. Most people undercook their ground meat and it’s a travesty. You are skipping the part that builds such great flavor! Those little browned bits are worth their weight in gold.
Remove the sausage and add a bit more oil and some butter to the browned bits in your skillet. Add the diced potatoes and onion in an even layer. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Leave it alone for a few minutes so the potatoes can brown on the bottom.
My pan below is overcrowded (because I always have to double the recipe or my family gets mad). Your pan shouldn’t be this crowded if you follow the recipe as written.
If your fond (the dark stuff stuck to the bottom of the skillet) starts to get a little too dark, you can add a spoonful of water or two and scrape it up into the potatoes and onion. You don’t want it to burn.
Once the potatoes are soft on the inside and a bit browned on the outside and your onions are translucent and spotty brown, stir in the sausage from earlier and the green chile. Remove from heat and serve it right away or cover it to keep it warm.
I hope you find joy in making this recipe and please give me a shoutout if you post a pic of the recipe on social! Follow me on Instagram @TheGoldilocksKitchen, Facebook page The Goldilocks Kitchen, or Pinterest @GoldilocksKitch. Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment- I want to hear your feedback! (This is a blog after all and that’s the whole point right?!)
Print
Hatch Green Chile Breakfast Hash
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Roasted chopped Hatch green chile is the star of this easy breakfast hash, followed by perfectly cooked potatoes, sausage, onion, and seasonings.
Equipment needed:
Cutting board and sharp knife
12-inch or larger skillet
microwave-safe mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1/2 pound breakfast sausage, or any other type of sausage
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1 & 1/2 cups finely chopped and peeled Russet potato
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon of your choice of seasoning
- 1/2 cup Hatch green chile, chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it apart, and cook until no pink remains and it is deep golden brown in spots. Remove to a separate container and set aside. Add 1 more teaspoon of vegetable oil to the skillet if no oil is left.
- While the sausage is browning, par-cook the diced potatoes by placing them into a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid. Microwave on full power for about 3 minutes, stopping to stir halfway through. Set aside while the sausage cooks.
- Add the butter to the empty skillet. Set the heat to medium and swirl the butter around as it melts. Place the par-cooked potatoes, along with the onions, into the skillet in an even layer. Season with salt and your choice of seasoning blend. Cook without stirring for approximately 3-5 minutes to allow the potatoes in contact with the skillet to turn golden brown. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding a spoonful of water, if needed, to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Remove from heat once the onions are translucent and the onions and potatoes are golden brown.
- Stir in the green chile and cooked sausage. Garnish with fresh cilantro or finely chopped jalapeno if desired.
Notes
My family loves this recipe so much that I always double it.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: cook
- Method: saute
- Cuisine: New Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: approximately 1/3 cup
