Vegan Breakfast Hash (Gluten-Free)

This hearty vegan hash is full of flavour, colour, and texture – perfect for a weekend breakfast when you've got a bit more time on your hands (but still want to keep things to one pan).

Featuring potatoes, veg, spices, and black beans, it's a relatively healthy option that tastes great and is sure to fill you up. If you prefer, you could add vegan sausages, mushrooms, or another meat substitute of your choice.

For more delicious vegan breakfast ideas, see these recipes for eggy scrambled tofu, mashed potato pancakes, and vegan haggis fritters.

What is hash?

In cooking terms, the word 'hash' comes from the French hacher meaning 'to chop'. It traditionally consists of chopped meat, potatoes, and fried onions.

To some British readers (my Yorkshire partner included), the idea of 'hash' may conjure up images of an evening meal involving corned beef and plenty of gravy. It's a similar idea, but not quite what's going on with this version.

If you are after that kind of thing, you may be interested in checking out this recipe for vegan stovies (a Scottish stew made with potatoes and other leftovers).

How to make potato hash vegan

From mushrooms and vegan sausages to other plant-based substitutes such as vegan pancetta, you have several options to replace the traditional chopped meat component. This recipe uses healthy black beans to add plant-based protein, but you could replace (or combine) these with the options above.

Not to state the obvious, but any attempts to chop up the black beans will be pretty futile – you can just leave those little guys whole. 😬

Making it in one pan

Some recipes include the step of par-boiling the potatoes before frying, but I've found that it isn't necessary. This is especially true if you put a lid on the pan during cooking.

As long as the potatoes have some oil to cook in and you use a lid, the hash should turn out just fine. If you'd prefer not to use oil, it may be better to roast the potatoes separately, cook the other ingredients in a little water or stock, then combine at the end.

Is vegan breakfast hash healthy?

This dish is packed full of healthy plant ingredients, with one serving providing:

• Calories: 270 kcal
• Protein: 11 g (22% of RDA)
• Fibre: 12 grams (50% of RDA)
• Vitamin C: 82 mg (99% of RDA)
• Potassium: 1119 mg (32% of RDA)

Figures from a third-party calculator based on one tablespoon of olive oil.

What you'll need

To make this vegan potato hash recipe, you'll need:

• Potatoes chopped into small cubes for frying
• Black beans for added nutrients and texture
• Colourful veg in the form of onion, garlic, red pepper, and greens
• Cumin and smoked paprika for a delicious flavour combo

How to make vegan hash

In a large pan (with its own lid), heat the oil on a medium heat. Add the chopped potato, shake gently, and cover with the lid.

Cook for around 7-8 minutes, stirring regularly. If necessary, add a little extra oil and adjust the heat to prevent sticking.

After 7-8 minutes, the potatoes should be crisping up and starting to soften but not yet cooked through (1).

Stir in the sliced onion and red pepper, sprinkle with salt and pepper, mix well, and return the lid to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until starting to soften, stirring regularly (2).

Once the onion and pepper are starting to soften, add the garlic and sliced greens (3).

Stir well, cover with the lid, and cook for another few minutes until the greens have softened.

Add the drained black beans, cumin, and smoked paprika and mix well (4).

Continue to cook until the potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a knife. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve.

Serving suggestions

Enjoy this breakfast hash with toppings such as grated vegan cheese, homemade cashew parmesan, chopped fresh parsley, or your favourite hot sauce.

It'll serve roughly 4-6 depending on portion sizes, or you could make it stretch further with other breakfast items like scrambled tofu, mashed potato pancakes, vegan sausages, or leftover haggis fritters.

Variations and tips for vegan hash

• Cooking time: Note that this may vary slightly depending on the size of your potato cubes. It also helps to use a pan with a lid during cooking.
• 'Meatier' texture: If you prefer, you could add vegan sausages, mushrooms, or another meat substitute of your choice (such as vegan pancetta).
• Vegan cheese: If using vegan cheese, I'd suggest one with a good smoked flavour. You could also sprinkle over some nutritional yeast.
• Potato skin: I prefer the texture here without skin, but feel free to leave this on.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Sweet Potato Pancakes with Chilli and Lime
• Eggy Scrambled Tofu
• Roasted Black Beans
• Vegan Haggis Toastie
• Vegan Haggis Quesadilla
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chilli
• Aloo Palak (Potato and Spinach Curry)
• Vegan Cranachan

You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.