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Call it cottage fries, call it hash, call them home fries. No matter what you call it, this is my favorite way to eat a sweet potato. I remember 15 years ago, thinking I was a chef of the highest caliber and I, too, served up the sweet potato fries complete with a super sweet dipping sauce at country clubs from Rhode Island to Arkansas.

I am not only tired, but have a general disdain towards the super sweet sweet potatoes. Oh, I still make those for my kids, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, topped with marshmallows, honey, maple syrup, balsamic reduction, ancho chili honey, sweetened Sriracha concoctions, on and on. The sins I have committed to the root of Southern haute cuisine are many.

I recently learned that a sweet potato is a root, not a tuber. It is something we grow locally in Arkansas and is an item we often keep in our pantry. I find this hash to be a very quick and easy diner, very veg-centric, and delicious. If you must, throw some honey or cinnamon in, but I think you will find it is delicious without it.

Chef Shane Henderson

Sweet Potato Hash

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound Country Pleasin’ Sausage (I like the andouille but find it is too spicy for Chloe)
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup green onions
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-3 cups of chicken stock or water

Add the sausage and render on medium high heat with 2 tbsp. of the oil. Remove the sausage and drain on paper towels, reserving for later.

Add the red onions, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until tender and lightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove to a bowl.

Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of oil to the skillet and then add the sweet potatoes. Cook in a single layer, stirring occasionally, on medium heat until they begin to gain some color.

Start adding a little stock, cooking like risotto, 4 oz. at time, about 4 minutes, add about 4 more oz., and continue to cook and stir slowly, adding stock slowly, just enough to keep from burning.

Taste after 10 minutes and you should be getting slightly soft. Slowly add more stock as needed to just barely finish the potatoes. Just as the potatoes finish, toss in the sausage, thyme, green onions, red onions, bell pepper and garlic, toss to mix. Increase the heat to high and cook, just heating through.

At this point, you may also want to get a little added color to the potatoes. Add in any additional seasonings you might like — cayenne pepper and chipotle pepper are a couple of my favorites.

The best thing about this meal is it does not take more than 30 minutes including prep time and only takes one pot. It is perfect to cook as you are in the kitchen doing prep for a larger holiday meal. Feel free to garnish with even more green onion or parsley, or sometimes I like to add a little cumin and cilantro.

We asked Shane Henderson, Executive Chef for Ben E. Keith Foods, to share his special month-by-month guide to introducing new nutrient-rich veggies into kids’ diets. Shane knows all about trying to please his own picky eater, his 6-year-old daughter Chloe, and has crafted a calendar complete with kid-friendly recipes to help parents win more mealtime battles. Check back with FITArkansas.com for Shane’s monthly installments!