Veggie Breakfast Hash

Confession time. For all the fancy recipes I like to make and heavy-duty cooking I like to do, breakfast-for-dinner is my favorite dinner. And lunch. And breakfast. Basically I could eat all breakfast all the time. What’s not to love? The staples are delicious and uncomplicated. Cleanup is usually pretty easy. And eggs are so yummy and versatile. On a busy weeknight, I’m perfectly happy to have an avocado toast with egg and call it a night. The only problem with breakfast food for dinner is the lack of vegetables. The usual suspects are all pretty light on the veg, unless you count potatoes. I like for my dinner to have something green. This veggie breakfast hash is a perfect solution. On the table within 20 minutes, veggies a-plenty and only 1 pan to clean. Oh, and it’s really, really good, too.

There are a couple of easy techniques that help ensure this hash is brown and crispy, like a traditional potato based hash, instead of a soggy mess. First, zucchini is tossed with salt and allowed to sit for 5-10 minutes. This enables the salt to draw moisture from the zucchini, which in turn helps the zucchini brown and stay intact. Second, the veggies are cooked on high heat, which sears the edges and encourages browning. The mushrooms, especially, get brown, meaty and slightly crisp, which means you really don’t miss the potatoes. Red bell pepper adds a mellow sweetness and beautiful color, and diced shallot adds a slight oniony bite. I like to serve this with sunny side up eggs and hearty whole grain toast. If you’re trying to cut back on carbs, leave out the toast. If you’re feeling indulgent, add a side of bacon. Whatever you decide, and whenever you decide to serve this, you’ll walk away feeling healthy and satisfied. And you’ll have plenty of time to move on with the rest of your day.

Veggie Breakfast Hash

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 large shallot, chopped
7 large mushrooms (baby bellas or white button), cut into ½ inch cubes
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 eggs, cooked as desired
2 slices hearty whole grain bread, toasted

Instructions:

Start by drawing moisture from zucchini. Toss zucchini with some salt (about ¼ to ½ tsp). Allow zucchini to sit for 5-10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.

In large, heavy bottomed skillet, such as cast iron, heat butter and olive oil over high heat. Add vegetables and cook about 2 minutes undisturbed to allow browning. Toss vegetables and continue to cook, stirring periodically, until browned- about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle basil over vegetables. Serve with eggs and toast.

Serves 2