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Meat, European

Pytt i panna with fried egg

Pytt i panna with fried egg is a Swedish dish of diced potatoes and leftover meat pan fried until golden, topped with a fried egg and served with beets. It serves 4, takes 40 minutes, rates as very easy, and costs about €2.70 per person. The key is browning the potatoes separately so they turn crisp instead of soggy.

Tonight it's Swedish leftover cooking, a pytt i panna of golden diced potatoes and meat, topped with a fried egg and served with beets.

Pytt i panna with fried egg
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.70
Calories per person
600 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Pytt i panna is Sweden's way of turning leftovers into something worth cooking again for. The diced potatoes form a crisp golden crust, the meat browns alongside, and the fried egg on top brings a runny yolk that works as a sauce over the whole hash. Beets and pickles add a sweet, tangy bite that keeps every forkful interesting.

It's the kind of weeknight dinner that rescues a leftover roast sitting in the fridge, or uses up cooked sausages before they go to waste. Kids love breaking their own egg over the hash, and the whole family can dig in without any fuss. You don't need fancy skills, this is a forgiving recipe built for using what you already have.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 800 g
  • Onions 2
  • Cooked beets 4
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

Butcher

  • Leftover roast beef or cooked sausages 400 g

Dairy

  • Eggs 4
  • Butter 40 g

Pantry

  • Picklesoften in the pantry 4
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the potatoes, meat, and onions into small half inch cubes.

    Even cubes brown evenly all over.

  2. Brown the potatoes in the oil and a knob of butter over medium heat. 15 min

    Don't stir too often, they need to form a crust.

  3. Add the onion and meat and keep cooking until everything is nicely browned. 8 min

    Turn up the heat at the end for extra crispness.

  4. Dice the beets and slice the pickles into rounds, then add the chopped parsley.

    The sweet beets balance out the savory hash.

  5. Fry the eggs in another pan with the remaining butter. 4 min

    Cover the pan at the end so the white sets without hardening the yolk.

  6. Plate the hash, top with a fried egg, and serve with the beets, pickles, and mustard.

    Break the yolk over the hash, it becomes the sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut every cube to the same size so everything cooks evenly and looks appetizing on the plate.
  • Use a wide pan so the potatoes have room to spread out, otherwise they steam instead of browning.
  • If your meat is already cooked, add it near the end so it warms through without drying out.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for leftover ham or roast chicken, the method stays exactly the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, use mushrooms and cooked lentils instead of the meat.
  • For a quicker kids' plate, skip the beets and pickles and serve the hash with just a fried egg and a bit of ketchup.

What to serve it with

  • A sharp green salad
  • Buttered rye bread
  • Sparkling water or buttermilk

Storage

The hash keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat it in a pan to bring back the crispness, and fry a fresh egg each time you serve it. Freezing isn't recommended since the potatoes lose their texture.

Questions about this dish

Can you prep pytt i panna ahead of time?

You can dice the potatoes, meat, and onion ahead and keep them chilled. It's best to actually cook everything right before serving so it stays crisp.

What meat works if I don't have leftover roast?

Cooked sausages, ham, or even roast chicken all work well. The key is starting with meat that's already cooked so you just need to brown it.

Why cook the potatoes separately from the meat?

On their own, the potatoes form a golden crust instead of softening in the meat's juices. That's what gives the dish its signature crispness.

Can you swap the cooked beets for something else?

Grated raw beets or a slightly tart applesauce can stand in for them. The goal is a sweet note that contrasts with the savory hash.

How long does it take to make a pytt i panna with a fried egg and pickled beets?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pytt i panna with a fried egg and pickled beets?

About 600 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pytt i panna with a fried egg and pickled beets cost?

About €2.70 per serving, or €10.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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