When testing our Garlicky Sweet Potato Noodle Pasta, I experimented with the best way to turn sweet potatoes into pasta. One such experiment led me to discover that frying them in a skillet makes the perfect hash brown-style sweet potatoes, while steaming yields the best pasta “noodle” texture. The rest is history.
Let me show you this quick and easy method for making perfect sweet potato hash browns every time!
This 2-ingredient, 1-pan, 15-minute recipe starts with preparing your sweet potatoes.
Our preferred method is spiralizing them. But if you don’t own a spiralizer, you can simply grate using a box grater, or use the grater attachment on your food processor to achieve a similar effect.
Once spiralized or grated, simply heat a skillet until hot, add a little oil and your sweet potatoes and seasonings of choice, and pan fry to perfection.
The trick to perfect sweet potato hash browns is making sure your pan is hot enough to brown the sweet potatoes, while also covering with a lid to create steam so the hash browns get tender on the insides.
We hope you LOVE these sweet potatoes! They’re:
Tender on the inside
Crispy on the outside
Salty-sweet
So easy to make
& Incredibly delicious
These would make the perfect side for your breakfast spread. We picture them being paired with this Chickpea Scramble or Masala-Spiced Tofu Scramble. But they would also be tasty with spreads like our 5-Minute Macadamia Nut Cheese and Creamy Hummus from Scratch.
For more sweet potato recipes be sure to check out our Sweet Potato Almond Butter Muffins, Cajun Sweet Potato Fries, Sweet Potato Avocado Salad, Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas, and Lentil and Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes, skin on (organic if possible)
- 1-2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil // if oil free, omit and use a non-stick pan)
- 1 pinch each salt and pepper (optional)
FOR SERVING optional
- Green onion or parsley
- Hot sauce or ketchup
- Tofu Scramble
Instructions
- Spiralize your sweet potatoes into thin noodles using a spiralizer, or grate using a box grater or the grater attachment on your food processor.
- Heat a large skillet (we prefer cast iron) over medium heat. Once hot, add a little oil and only as many sweet potatoes as will fit comfortably in the pan. If they crowd the pan, they won’t brown as well.
- Season with a little salt and pepper (optional) and cook for about 5-8 minutes COVERED or until browned on the exterior and tender on the interior. Covering helps the sweet potatoes steam on the interior while still crisping up on the outside.
- Flip / toss at the halfway point to ensure even cooking. Continue to do this in batches until your sweet potatoes have all been cooked.
- Enjoy as is, or serve with fresh herbs, hot sauce or ketchup, or your favorite scramble. Best when fresh, but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet for best results.
Tris says
These turned out amazing! I normally just roast sweet potatoes so they can caramelize but these were just as good and way faster.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tris! So glad you enjoyed!
Michele says
For those spiralizer-free households, you can substitute thinly- sliced Sweet potatoes on a mandoline. Halve or quarter them first if huge. Just lay them flat , slightly overlapping in the skillet, then proceed as directed.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing, Michele!
Tammy says
Also, do you know anything about the KitchenAid attachment spiralizer?
We aren’t familiar with that attachment!
Tammy says
Do you have a recommendation on spiralizers? I bought one that is cheap and clunky and so are the noodles it makes. Your noodles looks thin and long.
Hi Tammy, we like this spiralizer. It also produces long noodles, but we just give them a couple chops to shorten.
Kim says
This is by far the best website out there for recipes! As a newbie to cooking, the complicated recipes out there overwhelm me. With MB, I’m able to make amazing stuff without my head exploding with basic ingredients. Thank you!
Ha, sorry there. A lot of cast irons come with lids. Otherwise, you can (carefully) use a baking sheet, a large plate, or order a cast iron-friendly lid that will fit your pan.
Emily says
What do you use to cover your cast iron? Mid recipe as we speak. ;-)
Karley says
I spiralized a bunch of sweet potatoes to keep prepped in the fridge and I’ve had this for breakfast every day for the last 3 days. So good! I found if you use a small pan and let it sit for a long time (instead of moving it around) and then flip the whole thing, it turns into a kind of “pancake” and is delicious topped with avocado, sprouts, capers and hot sauce. Thanks for this idea Dana!
Ooh, great tip! Thanks for sharing, Karley!
Lily Pinarello says
…hmmm how long is “a long time” ?
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Looks heck of a lot better than white potato hash browns! Have you tried these hash browns with another kind of sweet potato–like Hannah, Japanese, or purple sweet potatoes? I’m just curious–I would most likely have to increase the cooking time for denser sweet potatoes, but it’d be nice to have a second opinion!
Aseel says
Hi! Glad I came across your page! Wondering if you have recipes that have less amount of carbs? I find it really hard to eat healthy and decrease my carb intake! Thank you!
Hmm, we’ll take that into consideration for future recipes! Thanks for sharing.
Jim says
Was in process if making this, but realized I had too many other things going on on top of the stove. Mixed a few tablespoons of olive oil (along with S&P) and a vertically sliced onion into the sweet potatoes and baked at 450 for about 15 minutes. Delicious! Used about 3 sweet potatoes and split between two baking sheets. Love your site!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Jim!
Janice Strom says
I followed this recipe with my small manual spiralizer and a week-old sweet potato. Spiralizing was tough but the sweet potato hash browns turned out delicious. They cooked in half the time – probably because my spiralizer made very thin strips. Would make this again with a fresh potato. Thanks for the recipe and Happy New Year!
Thanks for sharing, Janice!
monika says
this is really great : ))) i made it with tomato salsa, thank you ! :)
Thanks, Monika!
Lyndsey Starkey says
Made this with onions and really enjoyed it. Had it two days in a row with avocado on the side and an egg for hubby. Was glad to find such a super easy recipe to try out my new Veggie Bullet.
Lovely – thanks Lyndsey!
Shelly Brown says
What a great reminder for me this morning that sometimes simple is so much better than complicated.
This, as with everything i have tried from this site, turned out amazing.
So kind! Thanks, Shelly! xo
Sylvia says
This is the only foodie site I star and actually read. The videos are great too. Each recipe I’ve made from here is stellar. Thanks!
xoxo!
Michaela says
Had a sweet potato laying around so I whipped this up.. SO GOOD!!
Thanks for sharing, Michaela! xoxo
Marina says
Hi Dana!
Which spiralizer are you personally using?
thank you,
Happy holidays!
We use the “Inspiralizer” (which you can find in our shop https://minimalistbaker.com/shop/) – and the one in the video is the spiralizer attachment for a kitchenaid mixer!
Marina says
Thank you !
Kim Cruz says
I love this… a new way to use Lentils and easy way to incorporate veggies to my family. I can enjoy a vegetarian meal and I will Grill Chicken for my family. Love love love it. This makes my life so much easier.
Have a fabulous day.
xo Kim
Erin says
Did I miss the lentils part?!
Kim says
ooops! Hi Erin,
on the bottom of this recipes is also Shepard’s Pie with Sweat Potato and lentils.
Kim
pat marino says
all of your recipes that i made including sweet potato hash browns are outstanding.
thank you. pat
xoxo
Elz says
No need for negative energy.
xoxo :D
Olga Rakhmail says
How does it not?
This blog is, to me, about simplifying home cooking. This is a simple idea and clear instructions. I had never thought about making hash browns, someone thought of it, cooked it and took pretty pictures to make me consider a healthier hash brown. What can possibly be wrong with that?
thanks for the kind words, Olga!
Ernesto says
Cooked as stated no one likes it i mashed then added things made like mashed potatoes with same thingsvinput in sweet potayies I make every year. Sorry just was not what every one like all tried just did not like that’s all
sorry it didn’t work out, Ernesto!
Gary says
Very simple and very delicious!