Hash browns are an easy-to-make breakfast main course and are similar in taste to French fries. They are delicious and versatile, and help kickstart your daily vegetable intake. Nutritionally, homemade hash browns are high in healthy carbs and fats, yet decently low in calories. This makes it perfect to pair with high-protein foods like eggs and yogurt.
Additionally, homemade hash browns can be mixed with various cheeses, meats, herbs, and spices. This is the best advantage of making your hash browns from scratch instead of buying them from the store!
For basic hash browns, the recipe is simple: peel and grate the potatoes, strain them dry, then put them on the skillet. The skillet you use for cooking should be around 10 to 12 inches in length, and the amount of potatoes you use is up to you. Generally, 1-1.5 lbs (0.454-0.68 kg) of fresh russet potatoes are preferred by most people.
Use a light oil such as olive oil or coconut oil, and add butter if you want some extra rich flavor. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to cut/peel potatoes-a box grater will help do the work for you.
Ingredients for homemade hash browns
- Russet potatoes. The classic choice, these potatoes are hearty and cook nicely. Yukon gold potatoes can be used as an alternative.
- Mix-ins. There are plenty of mix-ins for cooked hash browns such as cheese, meat, and spices. The sky is the limit here and you can add as much or as little as you want. Refer to the information below the recipe for mixing ideas.
- Oil or grease. Light oils and bacon grease are the best way to lubricate your skillet. Bacon grease in particular adds some awesome flavor.
- Butter. Optional to use with the oil, this adds richness but it isn’t too healthy in large amounts.
- Salt & pepper. Use these to top off your hash browns at the end.
Crispy Homemade Hash Browns
Equipment
- 1 10-12 inch cooking skillet
- 1 cheesecloth
- 1 spatula
- 1 boxed grater
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs russet potatoes or Yukon gold
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp oil or bacon grease olive oil preferred
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter optional
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your skillet over medium heat on a stove.
- Grate your potatoes into shreds with a boxed grater. Once done, transfer them to a cheesecloth and wring them out as dry as possible.
- Clump your potatoes together and add onion powder, then stir to combine.
- Lubricate your preheated skillet with oil/bacon grease. Use butter if you want as well.
- Spread the potatoes out evenly in a thin layer. Cook for 4-6 minutes on one side. Make sure the finished side is not too dark, golden-brown is just right.
- Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and any seasonings at this time.
- Flip over the hash browns with a spatula. Cut the hash browns into slices before flipping if it is too big to flip.
- Sprinkle additional salt, pepper, and seasonings on the second side. Add any additional ingredients if they need to be cooked with the hash browns, such as bacon bits.
- Cook for 4-6 minutes or until golden-brown.
- Remove and serve on a plate. Add additional toppings if you like.
Additional mix-in ideas for homemade hash browns
Being able to add lots of small ingredients is the best advantage of making hash browns from home instead of buying them at the store. Here are some creative ideas for hash brown mix-ins.
Cheeses
Shredded/grated Parmesan, cheddar, or Mexican style cheese. Crumbled feta is also good if you enjoy its strong flavor.
Meat
Small meats like bacon bits and small, thin-sliced steak work well with hash browns.
Fruits and veggies
Any form of diced fruits/veggies like apples, pears, oranges, tomatoes, carrots, jalapeños, and bell peppers are good mixing options.
Herbs
Any herb is good-remember to chop them in small pieces with a knife before serving. Examples include basil, dill, cilantro, rosemary, and parsley.
Spices
Onion powder, celery powder, garlic powder, ground pepper, ginger, and even cinnamon powder can be used to enhance the taste without too much overwhelm.
Storing your homemade hash browns
For chilling your hash browns in a refrigerator, simply wrap them in plastic wrapping and place them in a container. They may last up to 5 days.
Freezing is the best way to store your hash browns, especially because freezing stops the oxidation process in potatoes. Store hash browns in one or more vacuum-sealed Ziplock bags, and place them in your freezer. They may last up to 6 months.
