Caramelized Sweet Potato Apple Hash Browns {Paleo & Whole30}

With lots of sweet and a bit of savory flavor, these caramelized sweet potato apple hash browns will be your new favorite side dish for any meal.  Using Japanese sweet potatoes plus sweet and tart apples, you get a delicious flavor combination that’s free of refined oils and sugars yet feels like the ultimate comfort food.

Like I said yesterday, it’s apples before pumpkins over here!  Plus, I have to finish sharing my favorite stove-top recipes before I start baking everything in my new oven.   This is a good one, and look guys – no meat!  Not even a bacon bit!  I would say it’s pretty rare that I have a recipe on here that’s not a cookie, muffin or fudge yet has not a drop of meat.  Or a pound.

I’m talking up my apples but I literally just took a pumpkin recipe out of the oven 5 minutes ago.  I’m hoping this one does not break my heart, but whatever happens, happens.  I’m getting better at regulating my emotions when faced with a recipe that just wasn’t meant to be.  Or one that is purposefully trying to make my life harder.   Because cookies will do that to you, this I know.

But really, I guess I finally caught on to the thing about recipe heartbreak that’s much more awesome that actual heartbreak – you can literally just manipulate the recipe, make it again, and, voila, you’re back in love.  Magical stuff right?  Not like human relationships, where that sort of thing is way frowned upon and doesn’t work anyway.  I guess that is my relationship/cooking tip of the week – manipulate your recipe, not your partner.

But getting back to the hash browns, because these you really need to make these and with my recipe, they’re foolproof!  I used to burn my sweet potatoes on the stove before I figured out a way to cook them that gets them both soft on the inside and crispy on the outside – something it’s easy for the oven to do, but with the stove it requires a method.

My method involves both steaming and frying and since I started doing this, my hash recipes come out great every time.  If you guys follow me on Instagram (and if you don’t, now’s your chance!) you know I’m just a leeetle into hash browns of all kinds for breakfast.  It’s sorta been my thing since I started out with paleo.  I can’t even remember what inspired me to start making them, since I never ever did prior to paleo, but, it happened and now here we are.  With me giving you and your cookies relationship advice.  We’re really living the dream now, I’m telling you 🙂

Caramelized Sweet Potato Apple Hash Browns {Paleo & Whole30}

Caramelized Sweet Potato Apple Hash Browns

Caramelized Sweet Potato Hash Browns using Japanese sweet potatoes, pink lady apples, and ghee, for a delicious and healthy sweet/savory combo for breakfast or anytime! Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, refined sugar free.

Author: Michele

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Paleo

Servings: 2 -4 servings

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4.75 from 20 votes

Ingredients

• 1 very large sweet potato* or 2 medium ones, peeled and diced - about 2 cups diced
• 1 large pink lady or granny smith apple diced (peeling optional)
• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp ghee or coconut oil - separated
• 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
• 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp organic coconut sugar** - optional omit for Whole30

Instructions

1. Heat a large, seasoned cast iron pan (or any heavy skillet that won't stick) over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of the ghee*
2. Once the pan is heated, add the diced sweet potatoes and sprinkle evenly with the sea salt and stir/toss to coat the potatoes cooking fat and salt.
3. Cover the pan, using any cover that is large enough, for about 2 minutes. Uncover and stir, lower the heat a bit if the potatoes are starting to brown too much. Recover and cook for another 2-4 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
4. Uncover the pan and continue to cook, stirring, until the potatoes are light brown all over.
5. Add the diced apples plus the 2 tsp ghee and stir to combine. If adding the coconut sugar*, do this now.
6. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes or until the apples and potatoes are brown. Adjust the heat of your stovetop as necessary to avoid burning.
7. Once apples and potatoes are toasty, remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon. Let cool a bit and then serve warm. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*I used a Japanese sweet potato with purple skin and white flesh on the inside and their texture is more like a white potato, the flavor is mildly sweet. These are great, but you can use whatever sweet potato you like!
**Completely optional (it will be sweet without), omit to keep this recipe Whole30 compliant.

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Are you as obsessed with caramelizing things as I am?

What are your favorite apples for cooking?  For eating raw?