Recently, I was out for brunch with some friends, and had a very subpar breakfast hash. All I could think was, I am positive I could do this better. And so, I went home and thought about it for a few days. In the end, this vegan tempeh turnip hash recipe with sage, onions and spinach is where it’s at!
Using turnips instead of potatoes may seem unconventional for a breakfast hash recipe, but wow, it is good. It’s rustic, flavorful, and a nice change of pace from the norm. I love how well they work with fresh sage and fresh thyme, and with the hints of bacony flavor from the smoked paprika and soy sauce. It’s one tasty tempeh turnip hash!
One note: No fresh herbs? Use dried herbs instead (¼ tsp dry rubbed sage and ¼ tsp dried thyme). Although there really is something about infusing the olive oil with fresh sage, and topping this with crispy sage that came right out of the skillet. Nevertheless, if you use dried herbs, taste the tempeh turnip hash at the end, and add more, if needed.
Check out other UVK recipes, like Roasted Breakfast Potatoes, Vegan Southwestern Casserole with Soy Curls, Sweet Corn and Hash Browns, Stuffed Turnips, Slow Cooker Vegan Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens, Butternut Squash Spinach Soup and more.
Let’s go make a delicious vegan tempeh turnip breakfast hash!
Tempeh Turnip Hash
4 medium turnips, peeled and cubed
¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce (OR gluten free tamari)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp hot sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp maple syrup
2 sprigs of fresh sage, stems removed (see note above)
4 Tbsp olive oil
8 ounce package of tempeh, crumbled
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (see note above)
3 cups fresh spinach leaves, packed
Splash of lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
1. First, you’ll prep the turnips for the vegan tempeh breakfast hash. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Boil turnips for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse. Set aside.
2. Next, you’ll put together the tempeh marinade for the hash. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, smoked paprika, hot sauce, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and maple syrup. Set aside.
3. Now, it’s time to infuse the oil with sage. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil and the fresh sage leaves to a large skillet. Over medium heat, crisp the sage leaves in the oil. Once the leaves are crisped, remove them from the skillet and save them to top the dish at the end.
4. Add the tempeh to the sage infused olive oil in the skillet. Over medium heat brown the tempeh to your preferred level of crispness (I did about 10 minutes).
5. Add the browned tempeh to the mixing bowl with the soy sauce-smoked paprika marinade. Toss thoroughly. Set aside, and give the tempeh time to marinade a bit, while you work on the next step of the vegan breakfast hash recipe.
6. Add an additional 2 Tbsp of olive oil to the skillet, the turnips, onion, fresh thyme, a dash of salt, and some black pepper. Sauté the turnips over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until the onions are golden and the turnips are a little browned.
7. Stir in the spinach and tempeh, and sauté another minute or until the spinach wilts. Finish with a splash of lemon juice. Taste, and adjust flavors, if needed (salt? black pepper? additional herbs?). Serve the vegan tempeh turnip breakfast hash with crispy sage leaves on top.
