Scraps Hash
intro
A thrifty, crispy no-waste skillet meal that repurposes leftover meat, veggies, and potatoes into a cozy, flavorful dish ready in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep leftover ingredients
Pat all leftover cubed potatoes, diced meat, and diced cooked vegetables completely dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture; cut any larger pieces into uniform 1cm cubes so they cook evenly. Discard any overly soggy or mushy scrap pieces that won’t crisp up.
Preheat cast iron skillet
Place a 30cm (12-inch) well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp (15ml) canola oil and 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, and heat for 2 minutes until butter is fully melted, foaming subsides, and the oil shimmers across the pan surface.
Crisp the potato base
Add the dried, cubed leftover potatoes to the skillet in a single even layer, sprinkle with ½ tsp (1.5g) kosher salt, and cook undisturbed for 6 minutes over medium-high heat until the bottom layer is deep golden and crispy. Flip the potatoes once with a metal spatula, then cook undisturbed for another 4 minutes to crisp the second side.
Add meat and vegetables
Toss the diced leftover meat and mixed diced vegetables into the skillet with the potatoes, sprinkle with the remaining ½ tsp (1.5g) kosher salt, ½ tsp (1g) black pepper, and ½ tsp (1g) smoked paprika. Stir to combine evenly, then spread into a flat, even layer and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring once halfway through, until edges of meat and veggies are slightly crispy and heated to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
Cook eggs in hash
Use a spatula to press 4 evenly spaced shallow wells (about 7cm wide) in the hash mixture. Crack one large egg directly into each well, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until egg whites are fully opaque and set, with yolks remaining runny (cook 7 minutes total for firm, fully set yolks).
Garnish and serve hot
Turn off the stovetop heat, remove the skillet lid, sprinkle the entire surface of the hash evenly with 2 tbsp (6g) chopped fresh chives, and serve immediately while hot, adding extra black pepper or hot sauce to individual portions if desired.
Tips
2.Resist the urge to stir the hash too frequently while cooking; letting ingredients rest undisturbed against the hot skillet surface is the secret to developing deep, savory, crispy browned edges.
3.This recipe is endlessly customizable: swap in leftover corned beef for a classic corned beef hash, use roasted sweet potato instead of russet, or top with shredded cheddar, hot sauce, or sour cream to match your preferences.
OMG this scraps hash is a total game changer! I had a random pile of leftover roasted veggies, half a pack of bacon, and a couple sad potatoes in the crisper last night and threw this together for dinner. My kids loved it, even the picky one who turns her nose up at anything that’s not chicken nuggets. 25 minutes start to finish? No way, I had it on the table in 20 even with fumbling to find my spatula. SO good.
I make a big batch of this every Sunday for my weekday breakfasts! Toss in whatever leftover protein and veggies I have from the week before, top with a fried egg when I reheat, and it keeps me full all the way to lunch. Way better than wasting food and spending money on sad office cafeteria meals. 10/10, will keep this in my rotation forever.
I swapped the meat for crumbled tempeh and used leftover sweet potato, bell pepper, and onion from taco night and this slapped! So customizable, I love a recipe that doesn’t require me to run to the store for a million specific ingredients. Easy enough for even my terrible cooking skills.
I brought this to our neighborhood block party last weekend and people were asking me for the recipe left and right! I used leftover brisket from our Fourth of July cookout, diced up some leftover roasted corn and potatoes, and topped the whole pan with green onions and a drizzle of hot sauce. It was gone in 10 minutes flat. Who knew leftover scraps could be such a crowd pleaser?
Pretty good! I used leftover ham, potato, and broccoli from Easter dinner but I think I overcooked the potatoes a little so they were mushy. Flavor was great though, even with my mess up. Will definitely make again, just watch the cook time on the taters next time.
Made this in my dorm room with a tiny electric skillet! Used leftover pizza toppings (yes, really—pepperoni, diced mozzarella, bell pepper) and a couple leftover microwave baked potatoes I had from the dining hall. My roommate thought I was a genius. Zero food waste, cheap, and way better than ramen. 10/10 for broke college students.
It was fine, but I felt like it was missing a little kick? I followed the recipe exactly with leftover sausage, peppers, and potatoes but it was pretty bland. I ended up dumping a bunch of hot sauce on it to make it taste like something. Maybe add more seasoning suggestions next time?
We do breakfast for dinner every Friday and this is our new go-to! I toss in leftover breakfast sausage, hash browns scraps, diced onion, and a handful of leftover spinach, then make a little well in the hash to crack eggs into right in the skillet. It’s a one pan meal, barely any cleanup, and my husband asks for seconds every single time. SO good.
Love that this is naturally gluten free! I have celiac and so many hash recipes sneak in flour or weird thickeners, but this is just straight up scraps and seasonings. I used leftover roasted chicken, carrots, parsnips, and potato from Sunday roast and it tasted like a fancy restaurant brunch dish. No weird reactions, totally delicious.
Used leftover venison sausage from last hunt, diced up some leftover grilled potatoes and onions, and tossed in a handful of leftover roasted Brussels sprouts and this was killer. Way better than letting all that good meat go to waste after we spent all weekend processing it. My dad said it’s the best hash he’s had since he was a kid.
Super easy to throw together on nights I get home late from work, but I wish the recipe gave more guidance on ratios? I had a ton of leftover zucchini and not a lot of potato the first time I made it and it turned out a little watery. Flavor was on point though, once I adjusted the veggie amounts it was perfect.
Made this for our pre-game tailgate last weekend with leftover pulled pork, grilled potato wedges, and diced pickles and it was a smash. Served it on little slider buns with a dollop of BBQ sauce and people were coming back for thirds. Way better than the same old chips and dip we usually do.
I just moved into my first apartment with my husband and this was the first recipe I made that didn’t turn out burnt or terrible! We had a bunch of random leftover veggies from our first grocery haul that were about to go bad, plus some leftover ground turkey from taco night, and this came out so tasty. My husband thought I’d been secretly taking cooking classes 😂
Full transparency: I burn 90% of the things I try to cook, but this was foolproof! Even when I accidentally forgot about it for an extra 5 minutes and the edges got extra crispy, it still tasted amazing. Used leftover corned beef, cabbage, and potato from St. Patrick’s Day and it tasted just like the corned beef hash I get at my favorite diner. Who knew I could make diner food at home?
I’ve been making variations of scraps hash for 60 years and this is the best basic guide I’ve ever seen! I remember my mom making this during the Great Depression to stretch every last bit of food we had, and it’s still a staple at our house. I love that young people are getting into zero waste cooking and making recipes like this. It’s simple, it’s cheap, and it tastes like home.
Perfect for my low carb diet! I skipped the regular potatoes and used leftover turnips, radishes, and cauliflower from my weekly meal prep, plus leftover grilled chicken thighs and a sprinkle of cheese. Tastes just like regular hash but without all the carbs, I didn’t even miss the potatoes. Great for anyone doing keto or low carb who still wants comfort food.
Made this for me and my partner last night but I had to pick out all the onion because my dog kept begging and I wanted to give him a little bite (I know, I’m a sucker). It was good, but I think next time I’ll add a little garlic and maybe some cheese on top to make it a little richer. Also, pro tip: don’t give your dog hash with onions, it’s toxic for them! I had to google that last minute.
I froze half of the batch I made last week and pulled it out for dinner last night when I didn’t feel like cooking. It reheated perfectly in the skillet, no weird freezer burn or texture changes. This is going to be a staple for my postpartum meal stash when my baby arrives next month—easy to make in big batches, freezes well, and uses up all the random bits I have in the fridge. Win win win.
I’m a line cook and I make scraps hash for family meal at my restaurant at least once a week with all the leftover prep bits from the week. This recipe is exactly the method we use—high heat, don’t stir too much, season as you go. People act like fancy restaurant food is magic but half the time it’s just making something delicious out of bits that would otherwise get thrown away. Great recipe.
Full disclosure: I’ve hated hash my whole life because my mom always made it with mushy canned corned beef and overcooked potatoes. I tried this because I had a bunch of leftovers I didn’t wanna throw away and I’m shocked to say I actually liked it? I used leftover smoked sausage, crispy roasted potatoes, bell pepper, and onion, and the crispy bits made all the difference. I still won’t go out of my way to make hash every week, but this was solid.