Hash browns are one of my favorite quick meals. But I usually opt for an unhealthy version bathed in cheese, ketchup and oozy egg yolk, among other trashy toppings. But last night I set out the make a healthy, fall-inspired hash brown—using sweet potatoes rather my regular yukon gold and topping the spuds with vegan chickpea stew instead of ketchup and eggs.
To complement the sweetness of the potatoes, I seasoned the tomato-based stew with cinnamon, paprika and honey. I also added fresh cilantro and oregano for herby undertones.
As the hash browns fried, the potatoes’ natural sugars caramelized—delivering crunch and deeper flavors than I expected. This meal offered us salty and sweet and herby and crisp and soft. What a mouthful.
For next-day leftovers I slopped the chickpeas stew (whose flavor had improved overnight) onto a baked sweet potato instead of a day-old, soggy hash brown. Although it was missing the caramel crunch, the tuber and its partner stew still worked magic in my mouth. So for the calorie conscious and those averse to dirtying extra pots and pan, a baked sweet potato works (almost) as well with this this recipe.
Sweet Potato Hash Browns with Chunky Chickpea Stew
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
2 gloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1 cinnamon stick
1 28-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups whole tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 large)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200°.
In a small pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until onion begins to turn translucent. Add paprika and cinnamon stick, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add chick peas, tomatoes, honey, salt, pepper, and herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. As mixture cooks, break up tomatoes with the back of a spoon.
Meanwhile, peel and grate sweet potatoes. Squeeze excess moisture from the potatoes with an absorbent towel. In an 8-inch, non-stick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of canola oil over medium-high. Add 1/4 of the sweet potato, and spread evenly in the pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the bottom begins to brown. Flip the hashbrown, cooking another 3 minutes. Transfer hash brown to a baking pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining sweet potato.
To serve, sprinkle salt and pepper onto each hash brown and top with 1/4 of the chickpea stew.
Serves 4