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Sweet potato hash makes a perfect healthy breakfast. Sweet potatoes and zucchini are spiced with smoked chipotle and lightly pan-fried until crisp-tender. Finished with a poached egg and fresh cilantro pesto, this simple breakfast hash is not only easy to make but it is healthy as well.

One of my favorite meals to make for breakfast is a simple hash.
A little bit of this, a little bit of that and you can have a delicious, hearty breakfast using up whatever you have on hand.
But the ultimate recipe for breakfast hash is a Southwestern Sweet Potato Hash.
This sweet potato hash is a healthy, nutrient-dense breakfast! Made with sweet potatoes, kale, zucchini, and poached eggs and finished with bright cilantro pesto, this vegetarian breakfast hash is truly a great way to fuel your day and add a little spice to your morning.
How to Make Sweet Potato Hash
Saute Veggies
- Heat oil in a nonstick or cast-iron skillet.
- Add in sweet potatoes, onions, and seasonings and saute for about 10 minutes.
- Add in chopped zucchini, bell peppers, and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes longer, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Add in kale or spinach and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until greens are wilted.
Poach Eggs
- While hash is cooking, bring a large saucepan of water to a rapid boil.
- Add 2 tablespoons vinegar to simmering water and swirl water together with a spoon.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, to the swirling water, and gently swirl the water once all the eggs are back in the water.
- Let cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how runny you want your yolks.
- Remove eggs from the water with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate.
Alternatively, you can prepare Oven Poached Eggs--which is much simpler than poaching eggs on the stove.
Cilantro Pesto
- Pulse the almonds in a food processor until slightly broken down.
- Add in the parsley, cilantro, salt, pepper, avocado, and lime juice.
- Process until smooth.
- In the opening of the food processor, slowly add the olive oil with the food processor running. Process until smooth.
- This makes more pesto than what you need. Use for recipes like Sweet Potato Nachos or to top Mexican Chicken Skillet.
To Serve Southwest Sweet Potato Hash
- Divide Hash Between 4 plates.
- Top each plate with a poached egg.
- Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of Cilantro Pesto over Hash.
- Top with hot sauce if desired.
More Sweet Potato Breakfast Recipes
- Sweet Potato Waffles
- Healthy Baked Sweet Potato Oatmeal
- Sweet Potato Smoothie
- Baked Eggs in Sweet Potatoes
- Breakfast Sweet Potato
Southwestern Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients
Cilantro Pesto
- 1 cup cilantro
- ½ cup parsley
- 2 tablespoons almonds
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 avocado
- ¼ cup olive oil
Sweet Potato Hash
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into ½ inch cubes
- 1 large green pepper, diced
- 1 vidalia onion, cubed into ½ inch cubes
- 2 small zucchini, cubed into ½ inch cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chipolte chili powder, or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4-8 cups kale, or baby spinach or arugula
- 4 eggs
- Hot sauce, optional
Instructions
Cilantro Pesto
- Pulse the almonds in a food processor until slightly broken down.
- Add in the parsley, cilantro, salt, pepper, avocado, and lime juice. Process until smooth.
- In the opening of the food processor, slowly add the olive oil with the food processor running. Process until smooth.
Sweet Potato Hash
- Heat a large skillet, or cast iron pan, to medium-high and add in the oil.
- Add the sweet potatoes, salt, pepper, chili powder, and onions to the skillet. Cook for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are browning and becoming fork tender.
- Add the garlic, bell peppers, and zucchini and saute for another 5 minutes-7 minutes. Add in greens and cook until just wilted.
Poached Eggs
- While hash is cooking, bring a large saucepan of water to a rapid boil.
- Add 2 tablespoons vinegar to simmering water and swirl water together with a spoon.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, to the swirling water, and gently swirl the water once all the eggs are back in the water. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how runny you want your yolks. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate.
To Serve Southwestern Hash
- Place a quarter of the hash onto each plate. Top the hash with an egg and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of pesto. Hot sauce is optional.
Notes
- Use whatever veggies you have on hand. I love zucchini, onions, and kale with sweet potatoes. But spinach, yellow squash, peppers, tomatoes, and even white potatoes work (just then it won't be Paleo.)
- To get this breakfast on the table quicker, use leftover Baked Sweet Potatoes. Dice up the leftover cold potatoes and this hash will be ready in faster.
- An egg on top is a great way to bump up the protein and moisture to this dish. However if a fried or poach egg is not your thing, scramble in some eggs into the hash at the last 5 minutes or Oven Poach Eggs for a faster version of a poached egg.
- If you don't happen to have fresh spinach or kale, use frozen and add to the hash when you add in zucchini and peppers to skillet.
- This cilantro pesto is great served on chicken or burrito bowls as well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.













Ahhh I love hash dishes! Making this one with sweet potatoes sounds yummy, and I adore cilantro pestos! Such a nice Spanish twist to a lovely topping!
Thanks Erica!
Dairy-free and gluten-free, this is the kind of dish my husband will enjoy! I love the Cilantro Pesto smothered all over the potatoes - makes it so yummy! 🙂
YEA! Gotta love when you can make the husband happy!
Huge hash lover here! That pesto sounds phenomenal!
Thanks girl!
This sounds amazing Kristen!! I love potato hash, but never tried it with sweet potatoes 🙂 Sounds SO good!
Well, you must now try sweet potato hash! I think you will be happy.
This is an impressive put together breakfast!!
Thanks Pam! I am truly in love with it and could eat it daily!
I love love love hash and I love sweet potato even more! Put southwestern in front and I'm in heaven!! Gotta try this one!
Yes you do NEED this in your life Michelle!
This looks like the perfect hearty (yet healthy) breakfast that you could also eat for dinner. I love the addition of arugula. Pinning for sure!
Thanks Denise. I can get this dish for breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack--you name it 🙂