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Quick, easy and SO INCREDIBLY CRISPY! Comes out perfect every single time. Serve with ketchup and hot sauce!
reasons to make homemade crispy hash browns
- Restaurant-quality hash browns. Now you can make crispy, golden brown restaurant-quality hash browns right at home! You’ll never want to go back to store-bought shredded hash browns ever again.
- Easier to make than you think. Simply grate your potatoes, squeeze dry, stir in seasonings and throw onto a hot skillet until golden brown and crispy. It’s so easy, and so so good.
- Perfect any time of day. Hash browns is a crowd-favorite for the entire family – serve for breakfast or brunch, or even as a side dish to elevate any meal (think fried chicken!).
tips and tricks for crispy hash browns every single time
- Grate the potatoes. Quickly shred the potatoes using a food processor or a handheld box grater.
- Add a kick of heat. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the potato mix for a little bit of a spicy kick to your hash browns.
- Use fat with high smoke points. Always use a hot skillet with fat such as bacon grease, butter, canola or vegetable oil before adding the shredded potatoes for ultra-crispiness.
- Avoid adding too much oil to the pan. Too much fat or oil will yield greasy hash browns.
- Patience is key. Avoid the urge of stirring – let the potatoes sit undisturbed for that consistent golden-brown crust.
- Cook in batches. Work in batches to properly cook the hash browns for maximum crispness. An overcrowded pan will unfortunately steam the hash browns instead, yielding soggy potatoes.
- Thin hash browns will be crispier. Thinner hash browns will be more crispy and cook more evenly.
- Keep warm. Keep the hash browns warm in a low oven at 200°F on a baking sheet in a single layer until ready to serve up to 20 minutes (or else they will start to dry out or burn). Stacking the hash browns can also lead to soggy hash browns.
pro tip
Dry potatoes equal crispy, crispy hash browns.
Squeeze dry the shredded potatoes as best as possible – this is a crucial step to achieving extra crispy, golden brown hash browns. Wrap the grated potatoes in a clean dish towel or cheese cloth and wring out as much liquid as possible.
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Homemade Crispy Hash Browns: Frequently Asked Questions
Russet potatoes are best due to its high starch and low moisture content, yielding the crispiest hash browns possible. Waxy potatoes (red or new potatoes) have a higher moisture content and are not recommended as they may yield less crispy (and sometimes gluey) hash browns.
This will help remove the excess water and starch for that favorited extra-crispy texture. Too much moisture in the potatoes can lead to gummy hash browns.
Yes! The hash browns can be kept warm in a low oven at 200°F on a baking sheet for up to 20 minutes.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Homemade Crispy Hash Browns
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium russet potatoes peeled (about 1 1/4 pounds)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 4 tablespoons canola oil divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Shred potatoes using a food processor or grate using the large holes of a box grater.
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Using a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, drain potatoes completely, removing as much water as possible.
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Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Stir in garlic powder and onion powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
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Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
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Working in batches, spread potatoes in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until evenly golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes longer. Repeat with remaining canola oil and potatoes.
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Serve immediately.
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