Description
These baked vegan sweet potato hash browns are crispy, flavorful, and perfect for a healthy breakfast or brunch. Made with simple ingredients like sweet potatoes, spring onions, and a touch of cornstarch, they are baked to golden perfection, delivering a guilt-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free option. Served with a spicy sriracha and maple syrup vegan yogurt dip, they offer a delightful balance of sweet and heat in every bite.
Ingredients
Hash Browns
- 450 g / 1 lb sweet (orange) potatoes
- Heaped ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 2 spring onions, white parts only, finely chopped
- A good grind of black pepper, adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (or cornflour, potato starch, or tapioca starch)
Sriracha Dip
- 80 ml / 1/3 cup neutral tasting vegan yoghurt (e.g. natural Nush)
- 1 tsp sriracha paste (ensure gluten-free if required)
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ½ lime (or lemon) juice, adjust to taste
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Grate Sweet Potatoes: Coarsely grate the sweet potatoes using a food processor or a manual grater for a uniform texture.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Equipment: Preheat your oven to 200°C / 390°F (no fan). Prepare a baking sheet, preferably aluminum, and have a round cookie cutter or egg ring (about 8 cm / 3″ diameter) ready.
- Salt and Rest: Add a heaped ½ teaspoon of salt to the grated potatoes and let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Remove Excess Moisture: Transfer the salted potato mixture into a clean muslin cloth or kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible — expect around 120 ml / ½ cup of liquid. Let this liquid settle so starch separates; pour off the water and add the settled starch back into the potatoes to retain crispiness.
- Mix Ingredients: Combine the dried grated potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, finely chopped spring onions, black pepper to taste, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Mix gently but thoroughly.
- Shape Hash Browns: Lightly oil the baking sheet using a brush or spray. Place the cookie cutter onto the oiled sheet and loosely fill it with the potato mixture, up to just under 1 cm (0.35″) thick. Spread the mixture evenly to the edges using a fork without compacting it too tightly to ensure even cooking and a tender texture.
- Bake First Side: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. After baking, carefully loosen the hash browns with a flexible spatula, as they will be fragile at this stage.
- Flip and Bake Second Side: Re-oil the baking sheet surface, then flip each hash brown so the baked side is up and each piece sits directly on the oiled surface. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until golden and crispy on both sides.
- Prepare Sriracha Dip: While the hash browns bake, mix 80 ml vegan yoghurt, 1 tsp sriracha paste, 1 tsp maple syrup, and juice of half a lime in a small bowl. Season with salt and adjust lime juice to taste.
- Serve: Serve the hot baked sweet potato hash browns immediately with a sprinkle of salt and the prepared sriracha dip on the side.
Notes
- Do not skip squeezing out the moisture from the grated sweet potatoes – this step is key to achieving crispy hash browns.
- The addition of the settled starch back into the mixture helps bind and crisp the hash browns.
- Use an aluminum baking sheet if possible, as it produces better baking results than non-stick coated trays.
- Opening the oven mid-bake to flip and re-oil ensures both sides get crispy texture without burning edges.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free.
- The hash browns should be loosely packed in the cutter to avoid toughness and uneven cooking.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha in the dip to your preferred spice level.
