Enjoy homemade hash browns that are simple to prepare and delicious. You can cook them to your preference, whether tender or crispy. They complement your favorite breakfast dishes perfectly, creating a full and satisfying meal. Making these classic potato hash browns from scratch is nearly as effortless as using store-bought ones!
Pair them with some waffles, air fryer bacon, scrambled eggs, or a cheese omelet.
Jump to:
Those fantastic breakfasts that I used to enjoy at my Grandma's beautiful family home were frequently served with these homemade hash browns.
There's a reason the potato is such a popular side dish, and that's because it is as delicious as it is extremely versatile! These hashbrowns are so super easy to make you will never buy store-bought again!
🥘 Ingredients
These tasty hashbrowns only use a handful of ingredients! I prefer russet potatoes, but you can use your favorite variety!
- Russet Potatoes - 4 medium-sized russet potatoes. Red or yellow potatoes are great for this recipe, too.
- Olive Oil - ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil or any vegetable oil to fry with.
- Salt & Pepper - ½ teaspoon each of both salt and pepper.
- Chives (optional) - ½ teaspoon of fresh or dried chives, if desired.
- Sharp Cheddar (optional) - ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese if you want some cheesy hashbrowns!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Homemade Hash Browns
This simple recipe starts with raw russet potatoes for crispy breakfast hash browns.
For 4-6 servings, grate up four russet potatoes (or more for small potatoes, including red potatoes), and you can easily use more or fewer potatoes depending on how many people you are serving.
- Prepare & Soak Potatoes:
- Peel 4 russet potatoes and grate them into thin shreds.
- Place the shreds in a bowl of cold water. This soaking step helps remove excess starch, which is key for achieving crispiness.
- Dry the Potatoes:
- After soaking, thoroughly squeeze the water out of the potato shreds using your hands or a clean cloth.
- Spread them on paper towels and pat them dry. Removing as much moisture as possible is crucial for a crispy texture.
- Cook the Hash Browns:
- Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wait until the oil is hot but not smoking.
- Add the dried potato shreds to the skillet. Flatten them into a thin layer for even cooking.
- Season with ½ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and dried chives for flavor.
- Cover and cook for 5 minutes, then carefully flip the hash browns. If you like cheese, sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheese on top at this stage.
- Continue cooking uncovered for another 5-7 minutes or until they reach your desired level of crispiness.
- Serve:
- Once cooked to a golden brown and crispy texture, remove the hash browns from the skillet.
- Serve hot as a delicious breakfast side or a standalone dish.
These tasty potatoes pair well with any breakfast items! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Prepping Potatoes: For crispy, cafe-style hash browns, rinse the shredded potatoes to remove starch and water. This step is crucial for achieving that desired crunch.
- Heating the Oil: Wait until the oil in your pan is hot before adding the potatoes. Adding them to oil that's not fully heated can lead to soggy hash browns that absorb too much oil.
- Cooking Time: Once the potatoes are in the pan, cover them and let them cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. This helps in forming a nice crust.
- Managing the Size: If you're making a single layer of hash browns (as opposed to patties), divide them into manageable sections for easier flipping.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
To store any leftover hashbrowns, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until heated all the way through.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes! When making homemade hashbrowns, soaking the shredded potatoes is a necessary step. It helps to release the starch and ensures that it cooks evenly.
Yep! You can prep the potatoes up to 3 days in advance. Go ahead and shred them, and then submerge them completely in water. Cover and store them in the fridge. When ready, continue the recipe.
For crispy hashbrowns, choose a starchy potato like Russets. For hashbrowns that stick together, you can use Yukon Golds.
🍳 Awesome Breakfast Ideas
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe Card
Homemade Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes (or potato of your choice)
- ¼ cup olive oil (or any vegetable oil)
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper ( or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon fresh or dried chives (optional)
- ½ cup sharp cheddar (optional - grated)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Peel and grate your fresh, raw, russet potatoes and place the grated potatoes in a medium-sized mixing bowl filled halfway with cold water. Once all of the potatoes are grated, squeeze the excess liquid and starch from the grated potatoes and place them onto paper towels. Continue until you have squeezed the water and starch from all of your grated potatoes.
- Pat the grated potatoes dry before frying them.
- Preheat a large frying pan or skillet with the olive oil to medium to medium-high heat. The oil should begin to shimmer when heated fully. Portion hash browns into serving size patties (if desired) or place into an oiled, heated frying pan. Add the salt, pepper, and dried chives for seasoning.
- Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and flip hash browns over. They should be nicely cooked and golden brown. Top with the optional cheese, if desired, and cook uncovered for approximately 5-7minutes. Your potatoes should be nice and crispy.
Notes
- When making hash browns from scratch, rinse and squeeze the water and starch from your shredded potatoes. By removing the starch you will end up with cafe-style crispy hash brown potatoes!
- Be sure to allow the oil to get hot! Don't add the potatoes before the oil is fully heated, as otherwise, they will just absorb the cooking oil.
- Cover and let the spuds cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.
- Split the hash browns (if in a single layer and not patties) into manageable sizes for flipping.
Samantha says
I made this tonight it was really delicious. They got burnt a little bit I like them a like that