Corned Beef Hash
Corned beef hash is a hearty skillet loaded with buttery herbed potatoes, sautéed onions, and salty corned beef. Add a fried egg on top for the ultimate savory breakfast!
On paper, there is nothing about corned beef that should make it delicious. I mean: packaged shredded beef that’s brined in salt doesn’t sound all that appealing, and yet, somehow it is!
Corned beef is salty in the best kind of way, with a satisfying, chewy texture that’s hard to resist. Pair it with potatoes to make corned beef hash and you’ve got a hearty Irish breakfast for St. Paddy’s Day—or anytime you’re craving a big savory skillet.
Corned beef hash is a classic comfort food that dates back to 19th century. It’s made with shredded corned beef, potatoes, and onions, and just enough seasonings and herbs to add flavor without distracting from the key ingredients.
About this corned beef hash
So let’s talk about those ingredients! Or, more specifically, the main ingredient that separates this recipe from your standard hash browns: the corned beef.
Corned beef is a type of brined, cured meat that was originally made with salt-cured pieces of beef. Soaking cuts of beef in salty brine was a traditional way of preserving meat in the days before refrigeration. Although Americans often associate corned beef with Ireland, it’s popular throughout the British isles, and the British commonwealth too.
Now that we’re done regaling you with food history factoids, let’s talk about corned beef today. Most American grocery stores sell corned beef in vacuum-sealed plastic packaging, although you may also find it in cans, similar to Spam. For this recipe, you want the vacuum-sealed corned beef, which is sometimes also labeled as fresh corned beef.
What you need
- For the roasted potatoes – Russet potatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, dried thyme, black pepper
- For the corned beef – Salted butter, onions, fresh corned beef
- To garnish – Parsley
How to make corned beef hash
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 400ºF and toss the potatoes, oil, thyme, and pepper in a medium bowl, coating them well.
Tip: We skip the salt here because we use salted butter in this recipe and the corned beef is salty. Salting the potatoes too would be too much!
Roast the potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to a greased sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cook the onions. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook the onions for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they’re just beginning to soften.
Cook the corned beef. Add the corned beef to the skillet.
Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until it’s heated through.
Finish. Stir in the roasted potatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Garnish with parsley and serve.
FAQs
Corned beef is just the beef; corned beef hash is hash made with corned beef and potatoes and onions. In other words, corned beef is an ingredient in corned beef hash!
Corned beef hash can be served as a side or as a main dish with a poached egg or fried egg on top. It can also be topped with cheese, sautéed peppers, or mustard.
How to make this recipe your own
The corned beef, potato, and onion combo is the classic one for corned beef hash, but there are so many variations you can try. Here are some of our favorites.
- Add cabbage. If you have leftover corned beef and cabbage from St. Patrick’s Day, you can make corned beef hash with cabbage in addition to or instead of the potatoes. If it’s raw, toss it in with the onions; if you’ve already cooked the cabbage, add it with the potatoes.
- Make it into tacos. Talk about fusion cuisine! Add your corned beef hash to warm flour tortillas with shredded cheddar or Dubliner cheese. Scrambled eggs are a nice addition, too!
- Give it a low carb makeover. Try using rutabagas or turnips instead of potatoes. Maybe serve some keto pancakes on the side?
Make Ahead Ideas
Get a head start on this corned beef hash recipe by roasting the potatoes a day or two in advance. Store the potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Storage Suggestions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat your corned beef hash in a skillet set over medium heat.
Reheating Tips
You can freeze corned beef hash in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
More savory breakfast recipes
Get the Recipe: Corned Beef Hash
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed russet potatoes (about 3 small-medium potatoes)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup chopped onions (1 medium onion)
- 2 ½ cups cubed or chopped fresh corned beef (about 1/3 pound)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- In a medium bowl add your potatoes, oil, dried thyme and pepper and mix well until evenly coated.
- Lay potatoes on a small, greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. They should not be burnt, just browned.
- In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the salted butter and cook onions for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the corned beef into the skillet and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Then add in the oven roasted potatoes and cook for about 2-3 minutes, mixing everything together.
- Serve on a plate topped with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Get a head start on this corned beef hash recipe by roasting the potatoes a day or two in advance. Store the potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat your corned beef hash in a skillet set over medium heat.
- You can freeze corned beef hash in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.