Homemade Hash Browns
*This post first appeared on Yellow Bliss Road where I am a contributor.
Homemade Hash Browns are a delicious way to complete your breakfast. Easy to make and loaded with crispy goodness!
Why We Love Shredded Hash Browns
- These homemade potatoes are a thing of beauty! Crispy outside, and tender inside, and the seasoning is just right. One bite and you’ll never go back to frozen hash browns!
- My husband always gets has browns with his breakfast. He mixes them with some sunny-side-up eggs and whatever breakfast meat is on the plate and goes to town. It’s his favorite… next to a good Belgian waffle.
- I’ve made hash browns using frozen shredded potatoes before and it was fine. Not great though. I had to use way more oil than I wanted to get a crispy crust on the outside and the insides were gummy. Hard pass. That’s why I’ve started to take the extra 10 minutes to whip up my own hash browns on the weekends.
- You can pre-shred the potatoes the night before and let them soak in cold water in the fridge overnight. Then all you have to do in the morning is drain and dry them. Super easy.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Homemade Hash Browns
POTATOES: Russet potatoes work best for this recipe. You can peel them first or leave the skins on like I did. Totally your call.
BUTTER: I prefer to use butter for getting those crispy edges. You can also use vegetable oil or lard if you prefer.
SEASONING: We’re keeping it classic with salt and pepper and then giving the hash browns a little kick of cayenne. (The cayenne pepper is optional.) You could even swap in 1/2 teaspoon of paprika instead.
How to Make Hash Browns
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Start by washing and drying your potatoes. If you’re going to peel the potatoes, do that instead, but you can also leave the peels on. Then either grab a box grater or your food processor fitted with the grating disc attachment and shred the potatoes.
STEP 2 Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl of cold water to keep them from turning brown. Use your hands to stir the potatoes around in the water until it becomes cloudy, then drain and repeat.
STEP 3 Dry the shredded potatoes on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Then use the towels to squeeze out as much moisture as you can. (Be careful not to let the paper towels break or the potatoes will spill out.)
STEP 4 Melt some butter in a large skillet. Add the potatoes and form them into a single layer, like a big potato patty. Season them with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
STEP 5 Cook for 5 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom of the potatoes. No messing with them before 5 minutes is up! Then flip the potatoes. I work in sections so I’m not trying to flip the whole thing at once. Add a little more butter and cook for 5 minutes until the potatoes are golden and crispy. Then serve them up ASAP!
Tips & Tricks
- You can use either butter or oil, or use both. I prefer butter because you get a really crispy exterior, more so than with just regular oil. If you’re trying to cut a few calories, use an equal mix of butter and oil.
- To shred the potatoes, I like to use a box grater, but a food processor with a grater attachment will work too, and is a little easier.
- These crispy shredded potatoes are at their very best served freshly made. If you do happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or store them in a resealable plastic freezer bag and pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F oven and place the hash browns on a baking sheet. Bake until they’re warmed through and crispy, or pop them in the air fryer for a few minutes. Microwaving the hash browns won’t retain the crispiness.
Hash Brown Recipe FAQ
Why do you soak hash browns?
Soaking and rinsing the potatoes removes the excess starches. You need to fully submerge the potatoes, not just run water over them. Removing these starches will help prevent raw sections inside your finished dish. This also helps get them nice and crispy!!
Are hash browns gluten-free?
Yes. Russet potatoes (actually all potatoes) are gluten-free. Since we’re not adding any flour to this recipe you’re good to go.
If you make homemade hash brown patties, just be sure to use gluten-free flour to bind the potatoes together.
What are the two types of hash browns?
Generally, there are two preparations – shredded or cubed hash browns.
Shredded browns are what we’re making here. You grate the potatoes and then fry them in a loose patty shape. Shredded potatoes are also used to make hash brown patties, you just need a few extra ingredients.
Cubed hash browns or “Southern hash browns” are cubed potatoes that can be chopped into small pieces or tiny bits (typical for frozen cubed hash browns). You can fry ’em, bake ’em, or cook them in an air fryer. This type of potato/hash brown is used to make Potatoes O’Brien.
How to Make Hash Browns Crispy
- Drying the potatoes – Dry those bad boys out! Removing all possible excess moisture is the key to getting a nice crispy crust on your potatoes. This also helps them keep from sticking together, so DO NOT skip this step!
- Use a non-stick skillet – So your potatoes won’t stick to the pan while that crispy crust forms. A cast-iron skillet would be your next best option if you don’t have a non-stick pan on hand.
- Leave them alone – Don’t mess with your potatoes while they’re frying. This lets the crust form and get that nice color. If you finish cooking and want them crispier, you can flip and cook each side once more for 3 minutes.
Other Recipes You May like
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel Breakfast Sandwich
- German Pancakes
- Cheesy Sausage Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Homemade Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet potatoes
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon salt (see note)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Wash and scrub potatoes. Using a box grater or a food processor, shred the potatoes. (If you prefer, you can peel the potatoes before shredding them.)
- Place shredded potatoes into a cold water bath. Stir the potatoes until the water becomes cloudy, and then drain the water from the bowl. Soak, stir, and drain the potatoes once more.
- Spread the potatoes out into a single layer on a kitchen towel or layered paper towels on a baking sheet. Pat the potatoes dry. Then wrap the towel around the potatoes and squeeze to remove any excess moisture. (Be careful if using paper towels, you don't want them to break open and have the potatoes spill out.) Set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add half of the butter. Once the butter is melted and the skillet is hot, add half of the potatoes, spreading them into a single layer. Season with half of the salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Cook the potatoes for 5 minutes until a brown crust forms on the bottom. Flip the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. (I flip the potatoes in sections instead of trying to lift the whole thing at once.)
- Once the potatoes are browned and crispy (see note), divide the hash browns onto two plates. Place the plates into a warm oven while you cook the rest of the potatoes.
- Carefully remove the plates from the oven and serve warm with your favorite breakfast items.
Notes
- If you want a little extra flavor boost, swap out all the seasonings for some seasoned salt instead. You’ll want to use about 1/2 teaspoon on each side of the hash browns.
- If you like your potatoes extra crispy, you can cook the hash browns for another 3 minutes per side, or until they’re cooked to your desired crispiness level.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Can I use this recipe to make funeral potatoes with?
Hi Andrea, you’ll need to modify the prep process a bit to use fresh (not frozen) potatoes in a funeral potato recipe.
The potatoes need to be cut into 2″x2″ pieces (peel optional) and then boiled in a large pot of salted water for about 20 minutes (until fork tender). Then you’ll drain the water and let them cool to room temp. From there you can shred the potatoes on a box grater (big holes) and use them in your favorite recipe.
If you use raw shredded potatoes, there will be more liquid released into the casserole and it’ll need to cook longer. The boiled and shredded potatoes come out creamier (think mashed potatoes) and have a shorter bake time. If you REALLY want to use raw potatoes, you can. Just be sure to squeeze all the excess liquid/starch out that you can before using them.