Better Than A Diner Crispy Corned Beef Hash!
Homemade corned beef hash is a hearty, comforting breakfast classic that combines tender corned beef, crispy potatoes, and sweet caramelized onions. With its rich, savory flavors and crispy texture, it’s perfect for a leisurely weekend brunch or special occasion meal. Topped with poached eggs, this dish becomes irresistible! And my version? It’s based on my all-time favorite hash from a diner in San Francisco.
It pains me that I can’t remember the name of this diner 16 years later.
What Sets This Hash Apart:
- Crispy texture! Is a hash even worth making if it doesn’t have a super crispy crust?! My trick for achieving this is two-fold: (1) use a cast-iron skillet, and (2) cook the hash undisturbed for several minutes before flipping… and then repeat twice more.
- Better than a restaurant (truly)! Ordering corned beef hash from a diner often leads to disappointment. Turns out it’s one of those breakfast recipes that’s better when made at home! The key is to pulse the corned beef in a food processor before crisping. It also helps to use a really high-quality, homemade corned beef.
This is hands down my favorite use for leftover corned beef (except maybe for this deli-style reuben sandwich… please don’t make me choose!).
For more restaurant-worthy brunch recipes, try my Southern fried chicken and waffles, spicy Cajun shrimp and grits, or this vegetarian-friendly eggs Florentine next!
What You’ll Need
To make corned beef hash at home, you’ll want a generous handful of parboiled diced potatoes—something like a russet or Yukon gold is perfect—along with some leftover corned beef (homemade if you can swing it, but store-bought sliced corned beef works just fine).
A lightly sautéed sweet onion in butter adds a mellow sweetness, and a good squirt of ketchup brings in that signature tangy-sweet tomato flavor. Don’t forget to top it all with a couple of poached eggs—there’s nothing quite like breaking into those runny yolks and mixing it into the hash!
I haven’t tested this with canned corned beef, because I don’t really like the packaged stuff, but I’m sure it would work. Those jars typically already have potatoes mashed in with the corned beef and are overly salty, so proceed with caution and adjust the recipe to fit your needs.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Potatoes can be substituted with sweet potatoes for a slightly sweeter taste.
- If you want to make this dairy-free, switch the butter for olive oil or even rendered bacon fat.
- If you don’t have ketchup, you can use tomato paste with a pinch of sugar to achieve a similar flavor.
Directions
Full recipe instructions and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Parboil the potatoes. Boil diced potatoes in a pot of salted water for 5-10 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
- Shred the corned beef. Finely chop or shred leftover corned beef. You can do this by hand or use a food processor to pulse coarsely.
3. Cook the onion. Sauté diced onion in a little butter, then season with salt. Cook until softened.
4. Add corned beef and potatoes. Add corned beef and potatoes to the skillet, then stir in ketchup, remaining salt and pepper, then cook for 10 minutes.
5. Cook until crispy! Press the mixture down with a spatula, let it crisp for 5 minutes, then flip in sections. Garnish with parsley and serve with poached eggs if desired (I always desire ha!).
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Ari’s Best Tips!
- Achieve maximum crispiness! Press the hash down firmly in the skillet and avoid stirring to allow it to develop a golden, crispy crust.
- Non-stick skillet: Use a well-seasoned cast-iron or non-stick skillet for the best results.
- Be sure to taste and adjust seasonings before serving! Corned beef varies greatly, from homemade to store-bought, and you want to ensure the salt is just right.
Make-Ahead and Store
- To make-ahead: Prepare the hash up to the step of crisping. Cool completely, then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat and crisp in a skillet when ready to serve.
- Store: Leftover corned beef hash can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat to restore crispiness. Alternatively, microwave in 30-second intervals, though the texture will be softer.
Yes, corned beef hash can be frozen. Place cooled hash in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in a skillet, then serve with poached or fried eggs.
Serving Suggestions
The classic pairing for any corned beef hash recipe is eggs! I like to top crispy hash with a poached egg, but fried or over easy eggs would also be great.
I prefer any of those over scrambled eggs because I really like to mix runny egg yolk into the corned beef and potatoes.
Other ideas to complete a brunch spread: toast or biscuits (try my easy scallion drop biscuits which take a total of 35 minutes start-to-finish to make!), fresh fruit, or yogurt and granola. Let the hash and eggs be the star of the show!
I’m telling you, if you need a holiday or special occasion brunch that will truly impress your friends and family, it’s gotta be homemade hash!
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Truly Epic Homemade Corned Beef Hash & Eggs
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Corned Beef Hash
- 1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
- ½ lb (454g) corned beef, about 1½ cups
- 2 Tbsp (28g) unsalted butter
- 1 small sweet onion, finely diced, about ½ cup
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
For Serving
- Poached eggs (1-2 per person)
Instructions
- Parboil the potatoes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil, then add peeled, diced potatoes. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until they’re fork tender, but not mushy. Drain.
- Shred the corned beef. While the potatoes are cooking, place ½ lb of corned beef in a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Pulse several times until the beef is finely chopped. Alternatively, you can cut the corned beef into a fine dice or use your hands to shred it.
- Cook onion. Heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion, season with ½ tsp kosher salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add corned beef. Add the chopped corned beef and cooked potatoes, stir well, then cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in ketchup. Add 3 Tbsp Ketchup, the remaining ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir until well mixed, then cook for another 5 minutes.
- Flip, then cook until crispy. Use a thin metal spatula to carefully flip the hash over (it’s ok if you have to use the spatula to break it into pieces before flipping). Cook for another 5 minutes, then garnish with a tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy immediately with poached eggs!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include poached eggs.
- Poach eggs:
- Cook the eggs. Fill a medium saucepan with at least 3 inches of water, then add 1 Tbsp white vinegar. Set over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, or just lower. You don’t want the water to boil. Crack each egg into a small ramekin or bowl. When the water is just below a simmer, carefully drop one egg at a time into the water and poach for 3 minutes, or until the whites are fully set, but the yolk is still runny. I recommend doing two eggs at a time to ensure even cooking. The eggs will not overcook as they rest!
- Drain the eggs. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the poached eggs to a paper towel or kitchen towel lined plate to absorb excess moisture. Repeat with remaining 2 eggs.
- To make poached eggs in advance: The eggs can be poached 1 day in advance. Store in a sealed container filled with ice cold water, then refrigerate until needed. When ready to eat, heat a saucepan of water on a stovetop over medium heat. When it’s hot, lower each egg into the warm water for 30-60 seconds, then serve.
- To make-ahead: Prepare the hash up to the step of crisping. Cool completely, then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat and crisp in a skillet when ready to serve.
- Store: Leftover corned beef hash can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Nutrition
Photography by: Megan McKeehan.
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