My husband loves corned beef hash. It’s the main thing he’ll order if we ever go out for a diner breakfast, so I leaned into his feedback for this recipe since he’s a connoisseur of this dish. I’m happy to say that he says this recipe is really good! He especially appreciates the big chunks of corned beef and how fresh-tasting it is. It was his idea to add some bell pepper, which helps balance the saltiness of the dish and creates a nice crunchy texture that complements the softer textures of the potatoes and corned beef. For all the corned beef hash lovers out there, like my husband, I know this recipe is a winner!
Recipe Highlights
Savory breakfast with protein: I always appreciate breakfast recipes that are savory and not sweet, as it seems like the first meal of the day can be high in total sugars. This comfort food breakfast is savory and also provides a good amount of protein, as well as veggies, which can be hard to get in a breakfast recipe.
Minimal ingredients: When made from scratch, this corned beef hash comes together with simple vegetables (potatoes, bell pepper, and an onion) and everyday pantry spices. I love that I don’t need to source any fancy ingredients or equipment to make it.
Dairy free and gluten free: Most corned beef hash recipes call for an ample amount of salted or unsalted butter to fry the potatoes in the skillet. But I discovered that I can make this recipe completely dairy free by using olive oil instead, which still results in a nice crispy texture on the potatoes and corned beef. This recipe is also naturally gluten free, as well as nut free, egg free, Paleo friendly, and Whole30, as long as the corned beef doesn’t contain added sugars.
Main Ingredients To Gather
One thing that I love about this recipe is that it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients and most of them are pantry staple ingredients like spices and oil. Here’s what’s needed:
- Corned beef – I typically make this recipe with 2 cups of leftover corned beef from when I make corned beef and cabbage. Or, I request thick-cut corned beef from the deli section at the grocery store, then chop or shred it into bite-size pieces.
- Potatoes – Use any type of potato. I prefer small red potatoes that I dice into uniform ½-inch pieces. Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes also work well.
- Onion – I like to use a small sweet yellow onion, but a white onion or red onion will also work fine.
- Bell pepper – The addition of diced sweet pepper pieces is a nice way to counterbalance the salty and savory flavors of the corned beef and potatoes. A green bell pepper gives a nice color contrast, but a red pepper or any other color of bell pepper will work.
- Other pantry staples – the only other ingredients required are cooking oil (I use olive oil), paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. If desired, add a dash of Worcestershire sauce instead of the salt and pepper.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
The Star Ingredient: Corned Beef
The first time I made corned beef I was a little intimidated, but that quickly subsided when I realized that it’s a widely available protein that’s so easy to cook. A corned beef brisket is a large cut of beef that comes wrapped in plastic with a seasoning mix. It comes in two cuts: the point and the flat. The flat is slightly leaner and more rectangular, which makes it easy to cut into uniform-size slabs. The point-cut has a higher fat content and pulls apart into chunks, similar to a beef pot roast. Since I like the shredded pieces better, I usually go with a point cut, but sometimes my grocery store only offers one or the other. Either one will work to make this corned beef hash.
The reason that corned beef has its name does not have anything to do with corn. It’s a tougher cut of beef, so it comes already seasoned and pickled in a salt brine, giving it a saltier spiced flavor and brighter red color than other cuts of beef. The brine is typically made from large grains (or “corns”) of kosher salt, which is how corned beef gets its name.
Cooking Equipment
These are the helpful tools I gather when I make this recipe:
- Cutting board and sharp knife: These are necessary to chop the potatoes, onion, and bell pepper into uniform pieces about ½-inch in size.
- Saucepan: The potatoes get boiled in a saucepan over water to make them tender and cooked before they’re added to the skillet.
- Large skillet: I prefer to use a large enameled-coated cast iron skillet to make this recipe, since I prefer working with the nonstick surface. But this recipe also can be made in a large standard cast iron pan. Or, it would even be great prepared on a flat top surface. I’m excited to try it on my Blackstone griddle this summer.
- Flat spatula: I recommend using a flat spatula, either silicone or metal, to really get under the crispy potatoes in order to flip them over while still preserving the crispy edges on the pieces.
How To Make Corned Beef Hash
Here’s how I make corned beef hash in a skillet. It’s a simple process, but it’s good idea to read through the basic steps before starting:
- Boil the potatoes – In order to make sure the potatoes cook through, it’s necessary to cut them into similar-size pieces, about ½-inch each. And then I cook them in a saucepan over boiling water until I can easily pierce them with a fork, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes of boiling time.
- Saute the veggies – While the potatoes are boiling, saute the chopped onion and bell pepper in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute them just long enough to soften but still have some crispy bite to them, about 8 minutes. Then remove the sauteed veggies to a bowl and set aside.
- Saute the potatoes – After the potatoes boil, drain them and cook them in oil in the same large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the seasonings to the potatoes and then let them cook, undisturbed, until they get brown and crispy on the bottom.
- Add the veggies and corned beef – Return the cooked onion and bell pepper to the skillet in a layer over top of the potatoes. Add the shredded or chopped corned beef pieces over top of the veggies. Then, use a flat spatula to flip everything over, lifting up from the bottom in order to preserve the crispy browned edges on the potatoes.
- Cook until crispy – Let the corned beef hash cook like this, flipping the ingredients over, for several more minutes. The timing can be flexible, as you’re looking for indicators that the corned beef is getting to be the right texture. The key to a good corned beef hash is to get bits of crispy potatoes and corned beef, which I achieve by letting them sit undisturbed in the pan for several minutes. Then I cook the dish in this manner by spreading the ingredients out evenly to let it cook undisturbed for several minutes, then I flip it over in big chunks, until I get the crispiness I’m looking for. For me, this takes about 10 to 15 more minutes of cooking total, with all of the ingredients together in the skillet.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Serving Options
Personally, I think a serving of this corned beef hash isn’t complete until I top it with a fried egg or poached egg. That’s how my husband and I like to eat it, with the runny yolk oozing out over the crispy potatoes and corned beef and making the perfect bite. My kids like to eat it with a side of scrambled eggs.
This recipe is a traditional breakfast to make for St. Patrick’s Day or even to make the next day from leftovers of making other corned beef recipes, like corned beef and cabbage or corned beef cottage pie.
Storing And Reheating
Store leftover corned beef hash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, mist a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Spread the leftovers in an even layer and heat, flipping and stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make corned beef hash with a can of corned beef, which already includes finely chopped up bits of corned beef and potatoes. But, in my opinion, it’s not the best representation of how good and fresh this recipe can taste, since the canned versions tend to be mushy, low quality, and quite high in sodium.
Yes, to save time, use store-bought diced potatoes and then skip the step of making parboiled potatoes in water. If using frozen potatoes, thaw them ahead of time and spread them on paper towels, blotting them often, to remove as much moisture as possible. This will help the potatoes get more crisp.
Homemade corned beef hash can be a healthy well-balanced breakfast that supplies good fats, protein, and energy-supplying carbohydrates from real foods. But keep in mind that corned beef can be higher in saturated fat and sodium than other proteins, so it’s not an everyday type of breakfast, especially for those sensitive to sodium, but rather an occasional breakfast or special brunch item to help break up the monotony of making the same recipes again and again. Homemade corned beef hash is definitely a healthier option than canned corned beef hash or diner versions.
Yes, you can make corned beef hash completely ahead of time and then just reheat it for a quick breakfast or as individual servings for meal prep breakfasts. I recommend reheating the servings in a skillet in order to get the desired crispy texture again.
More Skillet-Based Recipes To Try
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Corned Beef Hash
Make the best corned beef hash from real-food ingredients. Perfect for savory, hearty breakfasts or a brunch addition. Make it with leftover corned beef brisket or store-bought from the deli section.
Ingredients
- 1 lb potatoes (petite red, russet, or Yukon gold), diced to ~ ½-inch pieces (~3 cups)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (~1¼ cups)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced (~1¼ cups)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- 12 oz thick-cut cooked corned beef, chopped or shredded (~2 cups)
- Optional for serving: cooked eggs, chopped fresh herbs, chopped scallions
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan or pot halfway with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water is boiling, add the diced potatoes to the water. Return the water to a boil and boil the potatoes until they’re fork tender (still have some bite but starting to soften – they will cook further in the skillet), about 8-10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and drain the potatoes in a colander.
- While the potatoes are boiling, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, swirl the skillet to coat it, then add the onion and bell pepper; saute until mostly softened but still with some slightly crunchy texture, about 8 minutes. Remove the sauteed onions and peppers to a bowl and set aside.
- To the same skillet over medium to medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil, then swirl the skillet to coat. Add the drained potatoes to the skillet. Season the mixture with the black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and paprika; stir to coat. Then spread the potatoes out in an even layer. Let the potatoes cook at medium to medium-high heat, undisturbed, for 5-7 minutes to get browned on the bottom.
- Then return the cooked onions and peppers to the skillet over top of the potatoes, and add the cooked chopped corned beef. Using a flat scraper spatula, scrape up the potatoes from the bottom and flip them over, incorporating all of the ingredients together. Then spread the hash out in an even layer again and press down with the back of the scraper. Let sit, undisturbed for another 5 minutes, then repeat, scraping up from the bottom and flipping the ingredients over so they get nicely browned and crisp.
- After another 10-15 minutes of cooking like this*, remove the skillet from the heat and serve the corned beef hash. If desired, garnish with chopped scallions, chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, or top with a cooked egg.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive so we can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
* The key to a good corned beef hash is to get bits of crispy potatoes and corned beef, which is achieved by letting them sit undisturbed in the pan for several minutes. Continue cooking in this matter (spread out, let cook, then flip over in big chunks) until desired crispiness is achieved.
I recommend cooking this recipe in a large enamel-coated cast iron skillet or a very large traditional cast iron skillet. This recipe would also be a good one to make on a flat-top griddle, like the Blackstone.
Make this recipe with 2 cups of leftover corned beef (from a recipe such as corned beef and cabbage) or request thick-cut corned beef from the deli section at the grocery store, then chop or shred it into bite-size pieces.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1 cup corned beef hash
- Calories: 263
- Fat: 18 g
- (Sat Fat: 5 g)
- Sodium: 741 mg
- Carbohydrate: 14 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 3 g)
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!
