Alright, so you know those mornings when you wake up and all you want is something crispy, a bit sweet, a bit salty, and warm enough to make you forget your feet are cold? That’s where these savory sweet potato hash browns come in for me. Honestly, I started making them when my regular spuds ran out (forgot to buy more, per usual) and the only thing left in the veg drawer was a slightly lumpy sweet potato, which I’m convinced was judging me. Long story short, it turned out to be a happy accident that’s become a Sunday staple at our place. Plus, if you ever watched your hash browns fall apart in the pan and thought, why isn’t this working, mate, you’re not alone.

Why You’ll Love This (Or at Least, Why I Keep Making It…)

I make this whenever I need to coax my family out of bed—yelling doesn’t work, but the sizzling smell of these on the hob totally does. My partner, who claims to only like classic hashbrowns, now sneaks leftovers from the fridge (I caught him at midnight once; not even sorry). They’re sweet but not too sweet—basically the Goldilocks of breakfast sides. Also, for some reason, these don’t stick to the pan like white potato ones do, which used to drive me up a wall. Plus, and here’s the hard sell, the leftovers taste even better the next day, if you ever get that far.

What You’ll Need (Plus My Lazy Swaps)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated (sometimes I leave the skin on if I’m feeling rebellious—extra fiber, you know)
1 small onion, grated (red or yellow, or skip it if onions make you weepy at inopportune moments)
1 large egg, beaten — you could use a flax egg if you’re out or plant-based, totally works
2-3 tablespoons flour (all-purpose, or sometimes rice flour for gluten-free—my gran swore by self-raising, but honestly…)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more; I probably use a little more than I should, shh)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (sometimes I just up the pepper instead, if I can’t be bothered to dig out the spice jar)
A handful of chopped chives or parsley (when I have ‘em—optional, but nice)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or whatever frying oil you fancy—skip olive oil here, it smokes too much for my taste)

How to Make Them: Step-by-Step (with Tangents)

First, peel and grate the sweet potato (use a box grater, but if it’s missing, those food processor grating blades work in a jiffy). Squeeze out the excess moisture by wrapping the grated potato in a clean tea towel and giving it a proper twist. (Pro tip—I once skipped this bit and ended up with soggy, sad hash browns. Never again.)
Now toss your grated potato in a bowl. Grate the onion right in there; less to wash up, though it will sting. Cry it out—maybe it’s cathartic? Add the beaten egg, flour, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and whatever optional green herbs you’ve got. Mix it all together with a fork (I sometimes use my hands if I’m feeling rustic, but then you smell like onion all day, so be warned). If the mix is too loose, add a tiny bit more flour. If too stiff, a splash of milk or water helps.
Heat the oil in a large skillet (nonstick is easiest, but if it’s cast iron, that’s good too—unless it’s not seasoned and then you’ll be prying bits off the pan for ages). It should sizzle if you drop a tiny crumb in. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the mixture and press them lightly in the pan—thinner equals crispier, if you ask me.
Fry for about 3-4 minutes per side (don’t try flipping them too early—ask me how I know); you want golden brown, not burnt like that toast you keep forgetting about! I usually sneak a taste at this point, under the guise of ‘quality control’.
Once they’re lovely and crispy, transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Or don’t, if you’re feeling wild and just want to eat them straight out the pan. Sprinkle a pinch more salt if you like.

Some Notes from Experience (Take or Leave)

If you don’t squeeze out the sweet potato, they’ll come out mushy, like, almost baby food levels (not ideal for breakfast, though maybe some people like that?).
Mixing the batter by hand is oddly satisfying. But actually, using a fork is less messy. I change my mind every time.
I tried making these with white potatoes and it just wasn’t the same. Too bland, kind of like when you expect orange soda and get seltzer.
Let them rest for a few minutes before eating—they crisp up a bit more as they cool, promise.

Variations I’ve Tested (and the One I’d Skip)

Added a bit of shredded cheddar—melty, good, but makes them a bit heavy.
Chopped jalapeños for a kick (my partner says too spicy, I say just right).
I once swapped in carrot for half the sweet potato—nice color, didn’t love the sweetness combo if I’m honest.

What If I Don’t Have a Grater?

If you’re missing a grater (lost mine in a move once), just finely chop the sweet potato, or even give it a few pulses in a food processor. Or, honestly, a humble vegetable peeler can save the day in a pinch. Not perfect slices, but it cooks up just fine!

Got Leftovers? Here’s What Actually Happens

Keep any leftovers (ha!) in an airtight container in the fridge. They technically keep for two days, but truthfully, mine never survive more than a day—someone always finds them. Pop ‘em in a hot pan to crisp back up, or as a last resort, the microwave. They’ll taste better if you add a fried egg on top the next morning, trust me.

Serving These Up

We eat these as a side to eggs (poached if we’re feeling proper, or fried if it’s “let’s just eat” Sunday), but they’re lovely with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or a little chili sauce, too. Sometimes I’ll tuck ‘em into a breakfast burrito. Oh, and my cousin swears they’re perfect with maple syrup, though I haven’t gone down that road myself. Yet.

Pro Tips I Learned the Hard Way

I once tried to double the batch in my tiny skillet—don’t do this; they get crowded, don’t crisp, and you’ll end up with a sad sweet potato mash.
Don’t get impatient and try to flip them before the bottom’s golden—otherwise, you’ll spend ages patching them back together in the pan.
If you want to meal prep, mix the veggies ahead but add the egg and flour right before cooking. Otherwise the mixture gets, well, kind of funky.

People Have Asked Me…

Can I bake these instead of frying? Well, I tried it. They go soft around the edges and don’t crisp up as much. Might be healthier, maybe, but I’m a crispy hash brown person at heart. Closer to a fritter, really. If you must, bake at 200°C for about 20 mins per side—use parchment, though, or they fuse to the tray something cruel.
What about paleo or vegan? You do you! Flax egg or chia egg works, coconut flour if you must. I reserve my opinion about coconut flour but it technically works.
Can you freeze them? I haven’t, but a friend of mine does—she flash freezes, then reheats in a hot oven for like 10 minutes. Not exactly as good, but still better than most freezer food. Here’s a guide I found handy: The Kitchn’s freezing tips.
How do you serve them to kids? Small, bite-sized rounds, and sometimes with ketchup. Or just straight from the spatula, apparently, if anyone else is home and hungry at the same time.
And if you want to geek out more about sweet potatoes (like I did that one rainy afternoon), SweetPotatoUSA has all sorts of weird facts.

That’s all the potato wisdom I can muster today. If you try these and come up with a spin I should know about, drop me a line or tag me (I check Insta more than email, to be honest). Just don’t blame me if your family starts requesting these every weekend!