When I first began the autoiummune protocol (AIP) diet, one thing that stumped me was breakfast. I had two problems: 1) I had always been a lover of sweet breakfasts – cereals, granola, pancakes, fruit, baked goods, etc. However, I discovered that many AIP breakfast recipes included savory meat and vegetables, designed to limit sugar intake. 2) I also didn’t want to have to cook something each morning. AIP recipes can be labor intensive. I like being able to wake up and eat with little to no effort!
Well, after some experimenting, I found a recipe to solve both of my problems! This Turkey Apple Breakfast Hash contains a bit of sweetness, thanks to the Fall flavors of apples, butternut squash, and a touch of cinnamon. Yet, it’s protein and veggie-packed – perfect for AIP. One recipe makes a huge batch, so you can eat it throughout the week. It’s a no-brainer in the morning, which is what you need with the start of school and busy Fall activities! My Turkey Apple Breakfast Hash is an easy, healthy, and tasty breakfast option to include in your morning routine!
So, you know how sometimes you’re searching for something and the answer is staring you in the face? That is exactly what happened with this Turkey Apple Breakfast Hash. I was literally in the middle of making it and thinking, “I wonder what recipe I should try to create next for Fed and Fulfilled?”
It was in that moment that I looked down and realized my answer was right in front of me! Unfortunately, I had already finished cooking it. Nevertheless, I grabbed my camera and snapped a few photos of the end result. My apologies for not having step-by-step pictures to share, but the good news is, I don’t think you’ll need them! This recipe is super simple to make.
I went with ground turkey as my protein in this breakfast hash, but you could use ground pork, beef, chicken, etc. (Try to find organic, if possible!) I found it best to cook the meat first and remove it from the pan so it didn’t overcook. Then, I added it back in after the veggies were done.
To sauté my veggies, I heated up coconut oil and threw in onion, zucchini, spinach, and carrots. This is where you can get creative, though. Use your favorite vegetables! I also peeled, cored, and chopped an organic apple and threw that into my hash, as well as butternut squash. Apples and squash just make me so happy because I love that FALL is near! 🙂
Normally, hash calls for potatoes of some sort. This recipe would be great with sweet potatoes, but I’ve found that I really enjoy making it with butternut squash. I was inspired by other AIP recipes to utilize frozen organic butternut squash that is already cut up and pre-cooked! It only takes a few minutes to soften up in the skillet. Such a time-saver!
Once the veggies were almost finished cooking, I added my turkey into the veggies and stirred to incorporate everything. I tossed in a pinch of almost all of my AIP-approved spices: sea salt, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cinnamon.
It seems like an odd combination – cinnamon with vegetables and meat? But, trust me, the cinnamon gives the dish a warmth and compliments the squash and apple so well! It really creates a lovely breakfast flavor.
This Turkey Apple Breakfast hash is a beautiful array of colorful vegetables and is such a healthy alternative to traditional breakfast foods. I now enjoy a big plate of my breakfast hash in the mornings with a cup of tea or even bone broth! (Gasp!) Never imagined it would happen, but I’m slowly converting into a savory breakfast food eater. And I’m actually enjoying it!
As you prepare for your back-to-school, busy Fall season, definitely consider making a big skillet full of Turkey Apple Breakfast Hash! It will help you ease into early mornings as you savor something hot, comforting, and nutritious! You could also try this as a healthy breakfast-for-dinner! 🙂
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- sea salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 onion
- 1 large or 2 small zucchini
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 2 cups cubed frozen butternut squash (or sweet potato)
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 2 cups spinach or greens of choice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon powdered ginger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- sea salt, to taste
- Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a skillet over medium/high heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned. Season with cinnamon, thyme, and a pinch of sea salt. Move to plate.
- Drop remaining coconut oil to the same skillet and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Add in zucchini, carrots, apple, and frozen squash. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until veggies have softened.
- Add in spinach and stir until wilted.
- Stir in cooked turkey, seasonings, and salt and turn off heat.
- Enjoy this hash fresh from the skillet or let cool and refrigerate to eat throughout the week. The hash will keep for about 5-6 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
~Use your favorite ground meat or veggies! Just note that cooking times made need to be adjusted depending on what you use.
~If you can't find frozen squash, you could try using fresh, but it may take longer to cook.
I made this for a week’s worth of lunches, and it was great for lunch, too! It was healthful, easy to make, and very satisfying.
Yay! Thanks for sharing! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
How many calories per serving?
Hi Katherine,
Thanks for your question. I don’t count calories, personally, so I haven’t calculated calorie counts for any of my recipes. You could try to plug in the ingredients to an online calorie counter and hopefully that will give you a good estimate. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
This is delicious! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Caroline! I’m so glad you liked it!
HI, I am local in Pgh, where do you find the butternut squash cut in a bag? Thanks!
Hi Linda,
You should be able to find the cubed butternut squash in the freezer aisles with the other frozen bagged vegetables at Giant Eagle, Whole Foods, and Fresh Thyme. I’m assuming Shop and Save might also have it. Thanks for asking!
Does this freeze well ?
Hi Lorraine,
I haven’t tried freezing it, so I can’t tell you for certain, but I’d imagine it would be fine. If you try freezing it, let me know how it turns out!
Yum! I just started the AIP diet a week ago, and breakfast has also been my biggest challenge. This was delicious and a great way to use up some of the extra veggies I had on hand. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
You’re so welcome, Cara! I’m glad you found a good breakfast solution with my recipe! All the best to you on your AIP journey! 🙂
Delicious recipe! Definitely a keeper. Thank you 🙂
Thank you, Kathryn! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Here I am again; I forgot to leave a rating the first time; this one definitely deserves 5 stars 🙂
Aw, thanks so much! 💕
Hi Joanna
Any suggestions if you dont eat meat , only fish and shell food ?
Kindest regards
Hi Christina,
That’s a tough one! I’ve only ever made this with ground meat, but if you feel up to experimenting, you could try using a very mild white fish like cod or mahi and saute it separately. Then cut it into bite sized pieces or flake it up and stir it into the hash. Shrimp might be a good option, too. Hope it works out for you! 🙂
Looks so nutritious, and i love the use of cinnamon too!!
Thanks so much, Autumn! Yes, I love cinnamon in savory dishes! One of my favorite spices for sure! 🙂
This looks so good! What a great breakfast meal prep for the family!
Thanks so much for the compliments, Suzanne! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I love the combination of fruit, veggies, and protein!
Thank you, Vanessa! It’s become a staple recipe in my home!
This is a favorite of mine for Whole30 and has continued as a staple. I skip the onion and add toasted chopped pecans and raisins. I also prefer diced sweet potatoes over the squash. I pre cook the potato cubes in the microwave and then brown in the pan. This is a brilliant combo. Never thought I would eat this for breakfast but it’s amazing and so easy to heat up a bowl. Thank you!!!!
Thanks so much, Kim! Great ideas for substitutions! I love it with sweet potatoes, too! 😉 So happy it’s been a staple recipe for you!
I’d like to make this to take to a potluck brunch. Do you think this would work cooked as directed and then put into a slow cooker to keep it warm for the party?
Hi Cindy,
I think that should be fine! I haven’t personally tried it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Hope it’s a hit at your potluck! 🙂
Thanks, this is delicious. The only problem I had with it is there wasn’t enough oil to do the sauteing with, since the turkey is lower in fat content. I had to keep adding water and more coconut oil when things were sticking. I was hoping the vegetables and fruit had enough juice, but it didn’t happen that way. Perhaps I’m cooking at too hot heat? I’m just now starting in the paleo diet this month and hope to transition to the AIP diet a month from now. Thank you for having recipes that don’t require out of the norm ingredients or require multiple pots and pans.
Hi Mary, glad you enjoyed it! It probably depends on the type of skillet you’re using. If it’s not a non-stick pan, more oil or liquid would be required. Or, like you mentioned, just cooking at a lower heat might help, too. Thanks for your comments!
I forgot to add that this also cooks well with canned sweet potato puree instead of frozen butternut squash. You just add the puree at the end before you put the Turkey in. Was going to try it with canned pumpkin puree, but that doesn’t have enough to do it without adding additional liquid.
Great to know, thanks for sharing! 🙂
I have been dragging my feet on doing AIP cause I was certain the food was going to be bland….but this was my first fully compliant recipe and I have to say this is delicious!! I will definitely be making this one many more times!
Thank you so much, Dana! I appreciate the compliments! AIP isn’t so bad once you find some reliable, tasty recipes!
So glad this can be one of them! ☺️ All the best to you on your health journey!
I had this on regular rotation for a long time a while back. Just made it again for my meal prep and WOW it is great. An oldie but a goodie! Today I used bison and added a shredded turnip to bulk it up.
Lydia, thank you! So glad you like it! I make it regularly, too! Love the bison/turnip idea! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Love this dish! Switching from my standard bacon, egg, potato breakfast to a healthier Paleo dish . This dish is almost too sweet LOL but perfect for fall. I found spiralized butternut squash at my grocers. Worked out great.
Awesome, thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! And feel free to leave out the apple if you want a less sweet version. 😉
I just made this (for dinner and to continue through into the week!) and it is TERRIFIC. I used a white sweet potato (omg seriously if you haven’t had, go out and find some) and a fresh honeynut (like a baby butternut, a bit sweeter) and a turnip to balance out and add a hint of bitterness. Skipped the greens because shockingly I dont have any right now. Definitely would be pretty with some greens but otherwise this is really amazing.
Thank you so much, Jodi! So glad you enjoyed it! I LOVE white sweet potato, too, and I totally agree- it’s great in this hash! 🙂 Your customizations sound delicious! Thanks for sharing!
This is one of my favorite AIP recipes! Full of good for you foods from the vegetables, the apple which adds the perfect amount of sweetness
and protein from the turkey. The flavor is very good and it has a nice presentation with the variety of colors. I cut up my own butternut squash, it’s easier to peel and cut if you microwave it first for a couple of minutes. I doubled the ground turkey and spices as I am a runner and need more protein in my diet. Thank you for sharing this nutritious flavorful recipe!
Lynn, that’s wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing! I’m glad the recipe was a hit for you and great tip about microwaving the fresh butternut squash in order to peel it more easily. All the best to you on your AIP journey! 🙂
This looks so good! What a perfect breakfast meal prep for fall!
Thank you, Suzanne! It really is a great Fall breakfast! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I would have this any time of the day!
My pleasure, thank you, Vanessa! And I agree- it’s a great dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Hey! Just started the AIP and was super stumped about breakfast, but this is a keeper. Really nice, complex flavors.
But, I have one question, I thought garlic wasn’t allowed on the diet? I’m not mad. I was honestly concerned about the lack of this flavor profile since its an essential in my own cooking. Lol
Just curious if this is a newer addition to the diet or if you have some insight a newbie like me is unaware of.
TIA!
Hi Vern,
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! Garlic is AIP-friendly, so no need to worry about that! Some people who are sensitive to FODMAPs (a type of sugar found in certain foods) need to eliminate garlic. But that is not a requirement for AIP. Thanks for asking!
Hi!
I made this for my breakfast prep and holy Batman, amazing! Thank you! Do you have the nutritional information on this by chance?
Thank you, Meg! So happy that you like it! I don’t have nutritional info, sorry! You could probably find a free nutrition calculator online and just enter the ingredients to get a ballpark estimate.
This is one of my favorite AIP recipes! I’ve shared it with everyone. My whole family love this!
Aw, thank you, Pam! I’m so thrilled to hear that! 🥰
Just made this today. I love that I can just add whatever veggies I have on hand. It was super yummy and I’m excited to have my breakfasts prepared for the week! Thanks, Joanna!
Yay! Thanks so much, Julie! I’m so happy to hear that it was helpful and tasty for you! 😘
100% fantastic. I will add this to my menu planning.
Thank you so much, Tasha! I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
I thought it a bit sweet at first … Then found myself absolutely craving the leftovers a few hours later! AND the kiddo liked it!
Love the ease and variety, too. This will now be the base process for hash at our house. Deep thanks for sharing; it’s really a blessing for us newbies daunted by the change.
Thank you for the compliments! So glad it’s helpful for you! 🙂
I went on an AIP-style “healing diet” about a year ago at the advice of a nutritionist. I found this recipe when searching for breakfast ideas and it’s been a mainstay since then. I love all the flavors and have tweaked it a bit depending on what was available. To make prep a bit quicker, I add the onion right in with the turkey; when they are almost completely cooked I add the rest of the veggies and the apple. It’s a great way to start the morning!, I can’t thank you enough!
Awesome, Judy! Thank you for sharing! Glad you liked it!
Sorry! I forgot to leave a rating!
Thank you! 😉
I am eating this now as I write. This is a delicious dish.
Definitely one to make again.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Linda!
This was super easy and absolutely delicious. I am gluten intolerant, I can’t eat eggs or dairy so this is a perfect breakfast for me. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
My pleasure, Dawn! So glad you enjoyed it!
This is such a wonderful recipe! I made it exactly according to the recipe and the flavors combined to make such a wonderfully delicious and satisfying dish. I portioned out lunch meals for the entire week too! Thank you!
Wonderful, Karen! Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the kind words! 🙂
Absolutely delicious!! I love that this is a complete meal in one pan. My 1 year old gobbled it up, too.
Thank you so much, Jess! I’m glad you liked it and great to know it’s kid-friendly, too! 😊
Such a good breakfast (or anytime) option for AIP. I’ve always struggled to find breakfasts that keep me satiated and this does the trick. I used fresh sweet potato and boiled the cubes for 3-4 minutes before using so cooking times remained the same. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Yay! So thrilled to hear that, Stephanie! Thank you for the kind words and for the helpful tip on incorporating fresh sweet potatoes!