Hamburger Hash

Ingredients for the Best Hash
How to Make Hamburger Hash
Love Your Leftovers
Cozy Ground Beef Comforts

Hamburger Hash combines crispy, buttery potatoes with savory ground beef for an easy, budget-friendly skillet dinner. It’s a fast way to turn ground beef and potatoes into cozy comfort food any night of the week with minimal dishes.

plated Hamburger Hash with pan full in the back

Flavor: Golden, crisp-edged potatoes with juicy beef, sweet onions, and buttery garlic.
Prep Note: Let potatoes drain in the strainer before they hit the pan.
Recommended Tools: A large skillet, a saucepan, and a simple strainer.
Swaps: Use frozen diced hashbrowns to skip boiling and make this a quick weeknight dinner.
Serving Suggestions: It’s great with a fried egg, sautéed green beans, or a simple salad, or enjoyed as leftovers for breakfast the next day.

oil , onion , garlic , beef , butter , steak spice , parsley and potatoes with labels to make Hamburger Hash

Ingredients for the Best Hash

Potatoes: Yukon gold or red potatoes hold their shape and crisp up beautifully. Scrub the potatoes well, and cut them into ½-inch cubes for even cooking.
Ground Beef: Choose lean ground beef and drain the excess grease so the potatoes crisp instead of getting oily. It can also be replaced with ground turkey.
Steak Spice: Salt levels vary by brand, so start with less and adjust at the end. No steak spice? Use seasoned salt plus a pinch of paprika and black pepper.
Variations: Add cabbage or diced green pepper with the onions, stir in shredded cheddar cheese for a cheesy twist, or sprinkle in a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.

potatoes in a pot to make Hamburger Hash

How to Make Hamburger Hash

Cut and boil the potatoes until fork-tender, then strain to dry (full recipe below).
Brown the beef with onions, then transfer to a bowl.
Crisp the potatoes with the butter and spices, stirring occasionally.
Add the beef back to the pan. Before serving, season with salt and pepper.

After boiling, let the potatoes steam-dry in the strainer for a few minutes so they crisp in the skillet instead of steaming.
Use a 12-inch skillet so the potatoes sit in a single layer and brown properly.
For crispier potatoes, stir less. Let them sit against the pan for a few minutes between turns to build golden edges.

Love Your Leftovers

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months for the best quality.

The potatoes can turn a bit soft after thawing, so thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a pat of butter or a splash of oil. Let it sit briefly to re-crisp before stirring.

Cozy Ground Beef Comforts

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Add the diced potatoes to a saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook 8-10 minutes, or just until fork-tender. Drain well and let rest in the strainer for 3 minutes to dry.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes to soften.
Push the onion to the sides and add the ground beef to the center of the pan, breaking it apart and cooking until no pink remains. Drain any fat if needed and transfer to a bowl.
Add the potatoes to the skillet along with 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with steak spice. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden and lightly crisp, about 10 minutes. (don’t stir too often or the potatoes won’t have time to get crisp)
Move the mixture to one side of the skillet. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the garlic. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the beef and onions with any juices back to the skillet and stir. Taste and season with additional steak spice or salt and pepper if needed.

Shortcut: Skip boiling the potatoes and use diced hashbrown potatoes.
Some steak spice blends are more salty than others. Taste your steak spice and if you find it salty, start with a bit less and add more to taste before serving. No need to peel your potatoes, just scrub them well before dicing. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for 4 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Main Course

Cuisine American

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