Gochujang tempeh breakfast hash with sweet potato and kimchi
This Korean-inspired breakfast hash pan-fries crumbled tempeh and diced sweet potato until crisp, glazes them in a quick gochujang sauce, then folds in kimchi and spinach for a savory, spicy one-skillet morning meal.
Published .
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 2
- Protein
- ~25 g
- The vegan swap
- Crumbled, crisped tempeh stands in for breakfast sausage or bacon, bringing the chewy, browned, savory bites a hash usually gets from meat.
- Make ahead
- Dice the sweet potato and whisk the sauce the night before. The finished hash keeps 3 days in the fridge; reheat in a hot skillet so the edges crisp back up, and add fresh kimchi after.
Ingredients
Gochujang sauce
Hash
To finish
How to make it
Prep everything
Cube the sweet potato, crumble the tempeh, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Whisk all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. About 8 minutes.
Steam then sear the sweet potato
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the sweet potato and a pinch of salt, splash in 3 tbsp water and cover for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 to 6 minutes more, stirring now and then, until tender and browned in spots.
Crisp the tempeh
Push the sweet potato aside, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, then the tempeh and onion. Let them sit for 2 minutes to brown, then stir and cook 4 to 5 minutes until the tempeh is golden. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
Glaze
Pour in the sauce and toss for 1 to 2 minutes, until it turns sticky and coats everything.
Fold in the greens
Turn off the heat. Stir in the kimchi and spinach and toss for about 1 minute, just until the spinach wilts.
Finish and serve
Pile onto plates and top with green onions and sesame seeds. Eat hot.
Why this works
Covering the sweet potato with a splash of water steams it through fast, then the lid comes off and the same pan browns the outside. You get a tender middle and crisp edges without boiling anything or turning on the oven.
Tempeh crumbles brown beautifully because it is dry and firm, so it soaks up the gochujang glaze instead of turning soggy. The sauce balances sweet, salty, sour and spicy in one quick toss, and the kimchi and spinach added off the heat bring freshness and crunch to the rich, caramelized base.
Tips
- If tempeh tastes a bit bitter to you, simmer the crumbles in water for 5 minutes and drain before frying.
- Leave the tempeh alone for the first couple of minutes. That undisturbed contact is what gets it crisp.
- Gochujang heat varies a lot by brand. Start with 2 tsp if yours is fiery, then taste.
- Kimchi goes in off the heat so it stays crunchy and tangy instead of going soft.
Questions about this recipe
Is kimchi always vegan?
No. Many brands use fish sauce or salted shrimp. Look for one labeled vegan, or check the ingredient list for fish, shrimp or anchovy.
Can I use regular potatoes instead of sweet potato?
Yes. Yukon Golds work great. Cut them the same size and give them a couple of extra minutes under the lid, since they take a little longer to soften.