Corned beef might be the underdog of breakfast proteins, often overshadowed by bacon or Filipino classics like tapa and longganisa. But when it comes to versatility, convenience, and flavor, corned beef deserves the spotlight.
The brand you use makes all the difference. You want it chunky, meaty, and packed with savory, beefy flavor—like Highlands Gold Corned Beef, which is made with Angus beef for quality you can taste.
See how we give corned beef the starring role it deserves in these two extra special breakfast recipes, both made with Highlands Gold: Corned Beef Eggs Benedict and Corned Beef Breakfast Tacos.
Get your corned beef crrrrispy
For our Corned Beef Eggs Benedict, you want to cook your Highlands Gold Corned Beef in a nonstick pan until most of the liquid evaporates. When done right, this step takes your corned beef to crispy, flaky territory—which is our favorite way to enjoy corned beef!
The crispy corned beef adds a textural contrast to the softer elements of eggs Benedict, like the tender, just-set poached eggs and rich hollandaise sauce.
Same with the toasted pandesal, which we’re using in place of the traditional English muffins. Get the biggest pandesal you can find, slice them in half, and slowly toast the cut sides in butter until golden and crusty. This toasty base will cradle your crispy corned beef, poached eggs, and hollandaise, ensuring a satisfying bite with every forkful.
Feed a crowd with a breakfast taco bar
For a fun, interactive breakfast that feeds a crowd, set up a build-your-own breakfast taco bar that’s sure to win over your whole family. The best part? It’s totally customizable to your tastes, so everyone gets to enjoy their taco creations.
For the main filling, dress up your Highlands Gold Corned Beef with potatoes and onions to make a delicious corned beef hash. A tip from us: After cooking your corned beef, save some of the rendered fat to cook the potatoes and onions in. This fat is packed with flavor and adds an extra layer of richness to your hash. Don’t let it go to waste!
From there, the rest of your breakfast taco toppings are entirely up to you. We’ve got a few suggestions to get you started: fluffy scrambled eggs with a sprinkle of grated cheddar, fresh avocado slices, a quick lime-tossed salsa, and a smoky, spicy crema to tie your tacos together. Arrange all of these ingredients in individual bowls, warm up a stack of soft flour tortillas, and let everyone dive in and build their own plate of breakfast tacos.
Not only is this setup fun and engaging, but it also lets everyone personalize their meal, whether they like it cheesy or spicy, loaded with fresh veggies, or piled high with extra corned beef. Sure, it takes a lot more prep than simple corned beef and rice. But it pays off by bringing your family together through a memorable meal.
So go ahead—make Highlands Gold Corned Beef the star of your breakfast lineup!
Corned Beef Eggs Benedict
Serves 2–4 people. Prep time 5 minutes; active time 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Hollandaise Sauce
- 3 small egg yolks
- 1–2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- cayenne pepper or chili powder, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste
Poached Egg
- 4 whole eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
For Assembly
- 2 260g-cans Highlands Gold Corned Beef
- ⅓ cup white onions, sliced into half moons
- 2 large pandesal, sliced in half, toasted
- cayenne pepper or chili powder (optional)
- 2 tbsp minced green onions
Make hollandaise: Bring a saucepot of water to a low simmer. Add a heatproof bowl on top of the pot of water; make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water. Add egg yolks and lemon juice into the bowl, then whisk to combine. While still whisking, pour a slow and thin stream of melted butter into the bowl. Continue whisking vigorously until all of the butter is fully incorporated and the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with cayenne pepper, more lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside. If hollandaise looks too thick, whisk in 1 tbsp of room temperature water at a time to get your desired consistency.
Make poached eggs: Add 3 inches of water to a saucepan or pot. Bring water to a very slight simmer (not a rolling simmer!). You want a calm surface of water with just a few bubbles attached to the side of the pan, and no bubbles rising from the center bottom.
Add white vinegar to the water. Swirl the water with a chopstick or a spoon, creating a gentle whirlpool. Crack an egg into the center of the whirlpool. The circular motion of the whirlpool will help keep the egg’s spherical shape.
After 2 minutes, use a slotted spoon to carefully remove egg from the water. The whites should be firm, while the yolk should remain liquid. Transfer poached egg to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining eggs.
Cook corned beef: In a separate nonstick pan over medium heat, add white onions and sauté until slightly translucent but still crunchy. Add Highlands Gold Corned Beef and cook, stirring as needed, until liquid has evaporated and corned beef has crisped up, 8–10 minutes.
Assemble: Divide cooked corned beef between the four halves of toasted pandesal, cut side up. Top corned beef with a poached egg. Drizzle hollandaise on top of the egg, top with more cayenne pepper (if using) and minced green onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
To reheat your poached eggs, bring a small pot or pan of water to a boil, remove from heat and drop the eggs into the hot water. After 30–60 seconds, remove eggs with a slotted spoon.
Corned Beef Breakfast Tacos with Avocado, Salsa, and Smoky Crema
Serves 6–8 people. Prep time 20 minutes; active time 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Salsa
- ¾ cup diced tomato, in ¼-inch cubes
- ½ cup diced white onion, in ¼-inch cubes
- ¼ cup roughly minced cilantro
- ⅛ cup jalapeños, in ¼-inch cubes (optional)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Smoky Crema
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2–3 tbsp lime juice
- 1–2 tbsp hot sauce like Tabasco, Sriracha, or Cholula
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp cumin powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Cheesy Eggs
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- salt, to taste
Corned Beef Hash
- 2 260g-cans Highlands Gold Corned Beef
- 1 cup sliced white onions, in crescents
- ½ cup diced potatoes, in ½-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
For Assembly
- 6–8 pcs soft flour tortillas, 6- to 6 ½-inch diameter
- 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
Make salsa: Combine tomato, white onion, cilantro, jalapeño (if using), lime juice, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make smoky crema: In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, hot sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make cheesy eggs: Heat neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add beaten eggs into the pan. Working quickly with a heatproof spatula, scramble eggs until eggs are 80% set. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of the eggs. Cover pan and let sit for 1 minute so the cheese can melt. Divide into 6–8 portions (match how many tortillas you have) and set aside.
Make corned beef hash: In the same or another nonstick pan, heat neutral oil over medium high heat. Add Highlands Gold Corned Beef and cook, stirring from time to time, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove corned beef from pan with a slotted spoon, pressing out and leaving all the excess fat and liquid in the pan. Add onions and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until potatoes are cooked through, onions are translucent, and the excess fat / liquid has fully evaporated. Add the cooked corned beef back, toss to combine, and set aside.
Heat tortillas: In a hot pan, (with no oil) toast flour tortillas until soft and slightly browned. Repeat steps for all tortillas. Keep tortillas in a basket covered with a tea towel.
Assemble and serve: Lay a taco flat and add a portion of cheesy eggs, 1–2 slices of avocado, and corned beef hash. Top with salsa and smoky crema. Repeat for all tacos.
Notes
This recipe works well if all components are laid out ready for you to work and assemble. Corned beef hash should be made last to keep it fresh as possible.
