Inside: Enjoy the corned beef hash you've always loved but without the potatoes. This quick and easy keto corned beef hash low-carb breakfast recipe uses radishes instead of potatoes, and no one will notice the difference!
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Corned beef hash is one of my all-time favorite breakfasts, consisting of chopped corned beef sauteed with potatoes and browned in the pan until crisp. The crisp edges are what make corned beef the most delicious!
As a huge fan of corned beef hash, I've been searching for ways to enjoy corned beef hash breakfast while sticking to my low-carb, keto diet. I finally discovered the secret with this easy keto corned beef hash recipe.
Table of Contents
What Is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is a beef brisket cured in brine and then boiled. Large-grained rock salt, or “corns,” creates the salty brine.
The pink color of corned beef comes from “Prague powder” used during the curing process. Prague powder is sodium nitrate, an additive many believe to be unhealthy.
Which Spices Are Used to Make Corned Beef?
The spices in corned beef vary across cultures. Corned beef spice mixes may include:
- Peppercorn
- Bay leaves
- Allspice
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Coriander
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
- Mustard Seed
Create your own corned beef spice mix with this recipe from Hilda's Kitchen.
Why You Can't Just Order Corned Beef Hash Without Potatoes in a Restaurant
As a corned beef hash lover, I'm a connoisseur of corned beef hash at breakfast restaurants.
Molly Brown's Country Cafe, one of our favorite local breakfast spots, makes the most flavorful corned beef hash with hand-chopped corned beef and fresh potatoes. I asked them if they could prepare this delicious hash for me without the potatoes.
If they chop the corned beef by hand, can't they make it without the potatoes?
The short answer: No.
Most restaurants, including Molly Brown's, pre-mix the corned beef and potatoes when they prepare the hash before the restaurant opens for the day. There needs to be corned beef without potatoes to give me!
The next best step is to make corned beef hash at home.
First, you'll need quality corned beef.
Canned Corned Beef Hash vs. Fresh Corned Beef
Corned beef is available in two ways:
- Canned corned beef
- Fresh corned beef
I grew up eating canned corned beef hash, so I preferred the flavor of the canned meat. Then I noticed that canned corned beef contains sodium nitrate, a preservative I avoid for clean eating.
Prepared corned beef from the butcher or meat counter in the grocery store also includes sodium nitrate.
As I've changed my diet, I now prefer fresh corned beef in my hash. But fresh homemade corned beef is time-consuming to make.
I plan to try this corned beef recipe from Against All Grain that looks simple and is a cleaner version of corned beef.
You can use canned corned beef if you're in a pinch and don't have two days to brine a brisket for homemade corned beef.
The Best Canned Corned Beef
While canned corned beef could be better, the best canned corned beef for the hash is the Hereford brand. I usually pick up Hereford corned beef at my local Stater Bros Market in Southern California.
Guess what? You can order Hereford corned beef online and deliver it to your house!
Order “canned corned beef” and not “corned beef hash,” which includes potatoes.
The Secret Ingredient in Keto Corned Beef Hash
Potatoes are paired with corned beef to make the traditional hash we see for breakfast. But potatoes are high in carbohydrates.
The secret ingredient in this low-carbohydrate keto corned beef hash is radishes!
Radishes are low in carbs and have a texture similar to cooked potatoes. I now use radishes instead of potatoes in my pot roast and slow cooker recipes!
I didn't tell anyone in my family that I had substituted radishes for the potatoes in the hash. The kids even commented on how yummy my keto corned beef hash was!
Then my daughter asked, “Hey, these don't look like potatoes … what are they?”
This recipe is a winner!
Which Radishes Are Best as a Potato Substitute?
Any variety of radishes will do as a potato substitute. Red types like Cherry Belle and French Breakfast are best as they're easy to find in the grocery store or grow yourself.
Radishes are easy to grow and thrive in cooler weather during spring and fall. Some radish varieties are ready to harvest in 3 weeks, while others take up to 2 months to mature.
I have three varieties of radishes in my raised bed garden that I have used for this recipe and in salads, roasts, and more.
Tips for growing radishes:
- Water daily – if you don't water radishes enough, they can become spicy and “hot”.
- Sow the seeds far apart – If you plant them too close to one another, they won't have room to grow. I usually sow mine too close together and have to thin them when they are tiny. I use these baby radish shoots in salads so they don't go to waste.
- Grow in full sun or partial shade – make sure they get some sun.
- Plant them anywhere – need a garden? No problem – you can plant radishes anywhere you have dirt about 5″ deep.
As much as I love gardening, I know you're here for the corned beef hash recipe, so let's get to it:
How to Make Keto Corned Beef Hash
This corned beef hash recipe makes six servings perfect for meal prep. I typically make it for breakfast one day and save the rest of the servings in Fitpackers that I can reheat for breakfast the entire week.
Step 1: Cut the radishes into 1/4″ cubes. I use four bunches of radishes, about 16 radishes total, to yield 1.5 cups of chopped radishes. Then dice one whole small yellow onion.
Step 2: Cook the radishes and onions in the olive oil for about 5 minutes or until softened. I like to brown the edges of the radishes a little before the next step.
Step 3: Add all of the spices and fresh herbs. I picked the fresh oregano and tarragon from my garden, washed it, and chopped it into the pan using scissors.
Step 4: Open the canned corned beef and add to the pan. If using fresh corned beef, weigh 24 ounces of coarsely chopped meat and add to the pan. Stir to mix with the onions, radishes, and spices.
Step 5: Spread the hash over the bottom of the pan and press to make a patty or cake. Allow to brown for 1-2 minutes. Then turn to brown the other side to create deliciously crispy edges on the corned beef.
Step 6: Remove from the heat and enjoy!
No Potatoes Keto Corned Beef Hash Recipe
Fresh herbs give this hash a delicious punch of flavor. Get fresh herbs at the market or grow them to produce the best flavor.
I picked this fresh Mexican Tarragon from my garden the morning I made the hash.
If you don't have access to fresh herbs, I've added dry substitutions to the recipe for you.
What if I Don't Have (Or Like) Herbs?
If you don't want to use herbs, you can make a simplified version of this hash with five essential ingredients:
- Corned Beef
- Radishes
- Onion
- Butter
- Salt and pepper
My dad recently cooked this simplified hash recipe, topping the crisped hash with two over-medium fried eggs.
PrintBest Keto Corned Beef Hash
This crispy corned beef hash tastes just like the traditional hash but with a secret low-carb ingredient: radishes!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 bunches of radishes chopped in 1/4 cubes (about 1.5 cups)
- 2 – 12 oz. cans of Hereford Corned Beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp chopped fresh Mexican Oregano (or 1/2 tsp dried oregano )
- 1/2 tsp chopped fresh Mexican Tarragon (or 1/4 tsp dried tarragon)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan.
- Add the onions and radishes. Saute on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softened with slightly browned edges.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried spices or fresh herbs. Mix well.
- Add the canned corned beef, using the spatula to break it down in the pan. Mix with the radishes and onions.
- Spread the keto corned beef hash across the bottom of the pan and pat it into a patty. Allow to brown for 1 minute, then turn. This will produce crispy edges.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: .6
- Sodium: 1363
- Fat: 16.3
- Saturated Fat: 6.4
- Carbohydrates: 1.6
- Fiber: .4
- Protein: 28.1
- Cholesterol: 80
Keywords: keto, corned beef hash, hash, radishes, low carb, breakfast, keto corned beef hash, corned beef without potatoes
What to Serve with Keto Corned Beef Hash
Serve eggs with corned beef hash for breakfast. I make scrambled eggs with fresh chives when I eat this keto corned beef hash recipe.
Here are some more low-carb breakfast ideas for this hash.
- Stack the corned beef hash with sauteed spinach, a poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce for a low-carb eggs benedict.
- Scramble the radish and meat mixture with eggs for a yummy corned beef scramble.
- Bake the hash with eggs and cheese for a corned beef hash casserole or frittata.
- Serve with crispy Brussels sprouts as a hearty dinner or egg-free breakfast.
- Eat the keto corned beef hash by itself.
How Are You Going to Enjoy This Keto Corned Beef Hash?
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Thank you!!! This was fantastic! I omitted the salt and found for my particular corned beef I didn’t need it. My corned beef hash prayers have been answered!
★★★★★
Wooohooo I am so glad to hear this!
Great recipe! Thank you for including my corned beef spices in your recipe. 🙂
★★★★★
Sounds good but I think you forgot the peppers, I like sweet red but sweet green work too. I don’t think I have ever seen corned beef hash without peppers in either a restaurant or the frozen kind, maybe the canned version but I don’t like that. The sweetness of the peppers plays against the salt if the corned beef and the pungency of the onions.
Poached or soft fried eggs on top are pretty much obligatory on hash, 2 please.