Just about anyone in the South will recognize the black-and-yellow sign of a Waffle House from miles away. While yes, Waffle House is known for its waffles, perhaps better known to the masses are the variations on hash browns and the vernacular that accompanies them (the servers use diner lingo to call their orders). Scattered (scattered and fried on the griddle), smothered (with onions), covered (topped with a piece of cheese), chunked (with diced ham) . . . the list goes on and on. Here’s our variation on hash browns with more paleo-friendly sweet potatoes that are “scattered, smothered, and chunked.”
2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut, avocado, or olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 pound (450 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded/ grated
1 pound (450 g) cooked chicken or turkey sausage, cubed into small dice
3 teaspoons (15 ml) cumin
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cayenne pepper
~ salt and pepper to taste
- Heat a large sized skillet over medium heat and add in oil.
- Sauté onion until translucent.
- Stir in the potatoes, mixing to combine and cook until potatoes start to soften and then eventually brown.
- Mix in the sausage, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and cook until sausages start to get a bit brown.
Variations—While I personally love these hash browns with some chorizo or andouille sausage (I heart spicy!), it also tastes great with any of the Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s chicken/turkey sausages. You could dice up some ham, or so many other protein options here. If you need extra protein with your hash, fry up or poach an egg and serve it on top. Or, just like Waffle House, cap them (mushrooms), pepper them (jalapeños), or get really crazy and top them (with chili!).
Tips & Tricks—The potatoes cook up and get crispy a lot faster if your par-cook them in the microwave first (heat for about 3–4 minutes in a microwave safe bowl or dish).
More Recipes You'll Love
Scattered, smothered and chunked sweet hash reworks the Waffle House hash brown lexicon with shredded sweet potatoes, diced sausage, and caramelized onion. Cumin and cayenne keep the skillet savory and warm. Fry an egg on top and you have diner breakfast, paleo edition.
Pro Tips
- Shred the sweet potatoes and let them soften before browning - raw shreds burn outside while staying hard inside.
- Cube the sausage small so it crisps alongside the potatoes instead of staying cold in the middle.
- Saute the onion to translucent first; the sweetness built there seasons the whole skillet.
- Waffle House style, you can cap them with mushrooms, pepper them with jalapenos, or top them with chili.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sausage works best?
Chorizo or andouille for heat, or any chicken or turkey sausage from the store. Diced ham works too.
Can I add an egg?
Yes - the recipe says fry or poach an egg right on top for extra protein.
Is the hash spicy?
A teaspoon of cayenne gives real warmth. Halve it for a milder skillet.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a large sized skillet over medium heat and add in oil.
- Sauté onion until translucent.
- Stir in the potatoes, mixing to combine and cook until potatoes start to soften and then eventually brown.
- Mix in the sausage, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and cook until sausages start to get a bit brown.
