I totally don’t utilize potatoes enough in my kitchen. They’re cheap and can be used about a bazillion different ways. So, when someone asked me for a tutorial on how to make crispy hash browns, I was on it! Besides, I like making an indulgent breakfast on the weekend to celebrate the time off and these crispy hash browns made the perfect base for what I like to call my “ultimate hash browns”. Scroll to the bottom of the post to check out what I topped my hash browns with that made them so ultimate. ;)
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I’m sure everyone makes their hash browns differently, but there are three things that I have found to be key to making really great, golden brown hash browns:
- Rinsing the starch off the potatoes
- Drying the potatoes
- Using an adequate amount of oil
Yes, that’s right, OIL. Hash browns are fried and there’s just no way around that, aside from not eating them. If you don’t use enough oil the potatoes will be dry and tend to go from white to burnt. Use enough oil and you’ll get crispy yet moist potatoes with a beautiful spectrum of golden brown color.
Also on that note, you’ll want to use an oil with a high smoke point, so something like canola, corn, peanut, or sunflower oil. Butter obviously gives amazing flavor to hash browns, but the butter solids tend to burn, so you’ll want to use clarified butter or ghee instead. I didn’t have patience to clarify any butter, so I just used canola oil. #lazybutt
I used my 10″ cast iron skillet because it offers non-stick protection while giving really even heat and a nice surface for crisping. While stainless steel is also great for crisping, starchy foods (like potatoes) tend to stick a lot more on stainless, so it can be tricky. If you’re not well practiced with keeping food from sticking on stainless steel, I’d suggest either cast iron or a non-stick skillet.
How to Make Crispy Hash Browns
Servings 4 (1 cup each)Ingredients
- 2 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs.) ($1.00)
- 4 Tbsp cooking oil, or as needed ($0.20)
- Seasoning salt to taste ($0.05)
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes, if desired. Use a large-holed cheese grater or food processor to shred the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a colander and rinse well, or until the water runs clear. Let the potatoes drain.
- Squeeze the potatoes of their excess water by pressing against the side of the colander or squeezing in your fist. Or, place the potatoes in a clean, lint-free dish towel, roll them up, then press to remove excess moisture.
- Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Tilt the skillet to spread the oil over the surface. Add about 1/3 of the shredded potatoes or enough to cover the surface of the skillet in a solid, yet thin layer (1/2 inch thick or so). Let the potatoes fry, without disturbing, until deeply golden brown on the bottom (3-5 minutes). Season lightly with seasoning salt.
- Flip the potatoes, and drizzle with additional oil if needed. Let the potatoes cook on the second side without disturbing until golden brown and crispy again. Season lightly on the second side.
- If needed, flip and cook one more time to achieve the ratio of brown to white that you like. Repeat the process until all of the potatoes are cooked. Serve hot.
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Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Crispy Hash Browns:
Start with two russet potatoes, or about 2 lbs. You can either scrub them clean and leave the skin on, or peel them.
Use a large-holed cheese grater or a food processor to shred the potatoes. I found that the potatoes shredded fairly easily with the cheese grater, so it wasn’t worth cleaning out the food processor.
Place the shredded potatoes in a colander and rinse them really, really, really well. The water running from the colander should be clear. Then, let them drain.
Making sure the potatoes are as dry as possible is key to keeping them crispy. If they have too much water on them that water will turn to steam while they cook and basically steam the potatoes and make them soft. So, you can either let them drain a long time in the colander, squeeze them dry with your hands, or roll them up in a clean, lint-free towel and press them dry. I chose the towel method.
Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add about a tablespoon of oil. Spread the oil over the surface of the skillet, then add about 1/3 of the shredded potatoes, or enough to cover the bottom of the skillet in a solid but thin layer (only about 1/2 inch thick). You’re shooting for maximum surface contact here, so if they’re packed in there too thick, some won’t touch the skillet… and they’ll generate steam again and make everything mushy.
While the potatoes are cooking, sprinkle on a little seasoning salt. This is the kind I like because I live in Louisiana and we put it on EVERYTHING, but you can use whatever brand you like. I love the little bit of extra flavor and kick that seasoning salt adds to the crispy hash browns compared to just plain salt and pepper.
Now, the key here is to not touch them long enough for them to get really nice and brown and crispy. If you mess around with them, stirring or flipping too often, they won’t form a nice crust and the long strands will kind of break down. So, LEAVE THEM BE. :) Then, once they’re very golden, flip them. You might need to drizzle on a little more oil at this point to help the second side crisp up. Then, LET THE SECOND SIDE BE until it’s also golden and crispy. Now, depending on how many potatoes you have in the skillet, you may want to flip and cook one last time to get most of the potatoes crispy, but that’s up to you. Some people like a 50/50 ratio of crispy to soft, some people like almost all crispy.
Once you get the ratio of crispy/soft that you like, it’s time to move on to the second batch. Remove the cooked crispy hash browns to a plate, then repeat the process a couple more times, or until you’ve cooked all the potatoes.
Hash browns are great on their own and all, but why not make them ULTIMATE by adding lots of yummy toppings? I did a fried egg, some avocado slices, diced tomato, sliced jalapeño, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream. Waffle House ain’t got nuthin’ on my hash browns. 😎
I hate to do this because I love most of your recipes, but this was a complete failure for me. I followed exactly (even though grating the potato by hand KILLED my wrists) and came out with simultaneously over- and under-cooked potato shreds that did not make a nice patty and that tasted like oil and raw potato. It also dirtied way more dishes (and towels!) than my usual breakfast potatoes and made a huge potato-y mess of the kitchen.
I’ll be sticking with homefries from here on out, I think!
No one cares.
I would like to know how a recipe will turn out to know if it’s worth making, so I care 🤷♀️
I care, too. Feedback is valuable to me.
I just made hashbrown this morning using regular table salt. Peeled, shredded and washed the potatoes (we have yellow here in the philippines), let drip dry in collander, cut 1 medium onion small pieces (diced), heat (2-3 tbls) oil til hot in skillet, put handfuls of raw mixed hashbrown with onion in hot oil to cover bottom of skillet plus a little more for desired thickness, cook until bottom starts to brown (or when there is no more steam) turn do same on other side, finish cooking to golden brown, remove from skillet, salt to desired taste, cook more if necessary or serve while hot. This worked good for me close to the method described here, just letting you know this ol man can make it turn out right, try again.
I have tried rinsing my potatoes before, and they still came out gray and mushy. It sounds like my issue was not rinsing them enough — So, to anyone reading this, be sure to extensively rinse and dry your potatoes if you use this method.
That being said, I have found it more convenient to par-bake my potatoes and save them in the fridge for later. Then I will take them out and shred (or wedge or dice or etc.) them as I need them. And, if you par-bake the potatoes when you are using your oven for other purposes (e.g. pizza, hot dish, enchiladas), you essentially remove all potato prep time. I have found this to be easier for my lifestyle.
Definatley cook them in the cast iron! I take an onion section and grate it on the fine setting of the cheese grater, then mix it in with the grated ‘taters before cooking for mmmmm mmm flava. I don’t rinse, or dry, and have no crisping problems. To me, keeping the starch in helps to hold the shape and keep from seperating . Before flipping, I oil down the raw side. We keep our olive oil in a condiment squeeze bottle, add just a little before flipping. Top with shredded cheese of choice when done, smoked Gouda rocks. Serve with side of sliced fried ham and eggs of choice, all cooked in cast iron.
Great tips Jim!
This may be a stupid question but is there anyway to combine this with the crustless quiche recipe so that you have hashbrowns on top or bottom or both or anywhere LOL? Besides just adding it after the fact of course
That’s not a stupid question at all! :) That would be very similar to a Spanish Tortilla. But unfortunately I think I would need to do some testing before I could advise on the best method.
Ill back burner that then till i get more adventurous LOL. I made these the other morning and it was my first attempt at ever making hashbrowns. By the third batch I was getting really good at knowing when to flip (I grated two jumbo russet potatoes – turns out that makes a LOT of hashbrowns for two people). Because of my lack of experience I wasnt sure at first about the white parts that werent browning but figured its pretty normal to have a mixture of white and brown.
they were so crunchy you could hear it when someone bit on one – IT WAS AMAZING. They were absolutely delicious. There is a place nearby that I get their hashbrown bowl for like 9 dollars and I can basically replicate it at home with no problem and make a lot more with my 9 dollars.
My brother couldn’t believe that I had made them from scratch. muahahaha
Thank you
First time tonight to use the water removal and not turning till brown. I did one very large potatoe and it came out perfect ,used one small batch at first ,once they cooked removed from skillet. Then cooked second and third batch . Once done put all back in the skillet,and best too a very hot heat.
Great ,,but no canola oil. its a GMO,,,,Peanut oil adds great flavor for those with no allergy to nuts ,Mc Donalds used it in the 60s ,, since they stoped , Day Aint da same ……GO PEANUT OIL ,,
Is there a way to store the shredded hash brown for future use? Maybe freeze?
Some people find that the texture of potatoes gets mealy with freezing/thawing, but I’ve never noticed it myself. So I would consider this to be okay to freeze. After all, there are plenty of frozen potato products available at the store. :)
I make wonderful oven fries with a crinkle cutter-crispy & delicious…try ’em-you’ll love ’em-Crinkle cut oven fries-I spray ’em with canola oil and season ’em with Italian Seasoning,Garlic powder, cumin,basil…quite delicious
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I create things in my head when I can’t sleep , menu/meal ideas . Wasn’t sure about hash browns in cast iron,, but I thought I’d try it in the oven? Cast iron and ovens together , oh what beautiful food . Making it Thursday . Using in new recipe for ommelette in a hole . Plan is cook hash browns in oven , cool slightly , put bread ring in greased pan, add thin layer inside , add favorite egg or ommelette ingredients, put bread center in bread ring , wait till it’s just firm enough to flip, give it a few minutes more , comes out as a ommelette in a hole with one side hash browns . I also put a weight on top of the bread center , holds up better . It’s like a frenhtoast , hashbrown ommelette in 1 PC. Yum
I am a self-confessed potato lover so I love anything with potatoes in them. This hash brown recipe is a life-saver! It is definitely nice to know how to fry hash browns to the right crisp. Will definitely try this later! Thanks for sharing, Beth!
The title is somehow missleading ….
Just made these with frozen hashbrowns. My husband took one bite and asked “Wow, what’s the secret to making them crispy?” I replied with “Beth.” 😂
Hahaha I love it. :)
Beth, how do I keep the first batch warm while waiting for the second batch to finish
You can cover the plate with foil to help hold in the heat, and/or even place it in a warm oven. :)
Ahh homemade brunch for the win!
Oh, so that’s how you get crispy hash browns. My dad used to always make them like that when I was a kid, but I never could get them to brown like that. I didn’t rinse them or dry them first. I’ll have to try this next time.
Hi. Your method of frying your hashbrown sounds good. I must try your method the next time.
itry ko tong hash brown :) mahilig akong magluto ee
I don’t really care that the hash browns stay together in a patty – in fact I prefer they don’t. But I do want them nicely browned. Agree a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, and right amount of oil (I sometimes mix oil and bacon grease), and the right temp when you add the potatoes is essential. Russet potatoes, I agree, are the best. Onions are essential. From there I add pepper, mushrooms, diced cooked bacon or ham, etc depending on what is in the refrigerator and my taste buds that day. BTW, if you have some leftover french fries from the fast food joint, you can dice ’em, add your extras like onions, and have a cheap and quick (albeit not quite as good) hash brown side at breakfast.
Sorry to say these were not really an improvement over my previous attempts, and a lot more work. I still had the same problems with them falling apart when I flipped them, and as a result having simultaneously too-crunchy and too-mushy hash browns. I don’t think I’ll be trying this again.
Yep, we also bake our potatoes whole in the microwave, and cool them first, before cutting them in half and shredding them with a cheese grater. Definitely cooks faster that way. I use olive oil, shred in a bit of onion, add some salt and pepper, more oil as needed… no problem!
Super simple and cheap to make! You could also use a food processor to shred the potatoes if you don’t have a blender. 😊
I also use a ricer to squeeze the moisture out of my shredded potatoes. Then I cook them for three minutes in the microwave. The best tip I got online was how to flip them: put an inverted dinner plate on top of the pan, turn it all so the potatoes are now on the plate, then slide the potatoes back in :)
Thank you so much for another great how to post. Our Budget Cooking Class is winding down for the year, and I am really grateful for all of the help your blog and facebook page have provided. At least one of the recipes we do each month in the class has been from your site. Your hard work is reaping rewards in an economically depressed area where there are people learning how to cook for the first time for free! I know you have a lot of fans and followers, but just so you know, there is a little knot of people in southern Ohio who are now big fans and have learned a lot. Thank you!
Loved this website and found it to be very helpful in my kitchen: ) I too am a fan of stretching meats for health reasons so thank you so much for all the great cooking tips. Buon apetit!: )
Do you magically manage to flip the whole mass at once with chef ninja skills, or do you dig through with a turner and flip in sections? If so, about how many for that skillet? I usually make a bit of a mess of them while trying to flip them.
It was able to flip the whole lot in about three sections. :)
“Leave ’em be!” words to save a body from many a spanking!
I know I don’t have the hand strength to hand grate potatoes (arthritis), but I need to figure out how to use my Ninja to grate them. That looks delicious!
try a cuisinart to shred it for you
Thanks so much for posting this-I always make homefries and never even thought about hash browns-maybe it just seemed like too much work to even attempt. Breakfast dinners are my go-to lazy dinner but I like to make it a little more than just eggs or pancakes. Can’t wait to try my hand at these!
I tried to do this with diced pepers and onions in the potato shreds, but it didn’t cook well at all. any way to do it with onions? Thanks
The onions and pepper probably produced too much moisture and caused a steaming effect. You can sauté the onions and peppers first to get out some of the moisture before adding the potatoes.
Like Liana, I either parboil or give potatoes a partial cooking in the microwave. I sometimes dice the potatoes for “home fries” cooked with diced onion, bell pepper & poblano either as a side dish for eggs or a base for breakfast tacos (good portion of potato, plus scrambled egg, a sprinkle of either grated cheddar or crumbled queso fresco. Delicious add-ons include diced tomatoes, diced avocado, a bit of crumbled bacon or sausage. Salsa is a must, sour cream a delight.
I also precook my potatoes in the microwave. Really shortens the cooking time on the stove top.
Id love to see you utilize more potatoes in the future. I grew up in Appalachia and our staple mea was fried potatoes and corn bread, and the adults sometimes ate fresh pork chops with it. Yum.
Rebecca, you guys sound like real folks. I grew up with the same food in the same area, well, actually about one state below Appalachia proper.
Three things I like about Beth’s recipe and instructions: iron skillet, “leaving be” what’s in the skillet, fearless about oil
We’ll totally try this out tonight! Thank you for sharing this great recipe and keep up the good work!
do you think another type of potato would/could work? like say a baby red?
I think the russet potato is best for this because of it’s texture and composition. Other potatoes may not crisp up quite as well.
I made these hash browns but I used two pieces of bacon cut in half with no extra oil. With organic tomato. This was super easy. Loved them.them!
Beautiful hash browns! I love Tony Chachere’s. I didn’t know there was a “More Spice” version. I may have to order it online to get it in Seattle.
I love the last pic. They’re so “ultimate” you can hardly tell there’s hash browns in there :)
Ohhh yes, love this! Great tips as well, I definitely need to try this soon. Have a great weekened!
I don’t currently own a cast iron skillet. My grocery store sells one for about $20, but I’m not sure about the quality of that product. How much should I expect to spend to get a decent one?
BW, if you are near a Walmart, you can pick up a Lodge 10-1/4″ cast iron skillet in the $15-$20 range. These are American made, good quality and come pre-seasoned. Really terrific cookware.
A 10″ Lodge (very reputable brand) usually goes for $15-$20 dollars and it will last a lifetime. :)
I use my potato ricer to squeeze excess moisture out of veg. This is especially handy for squeezing all the moisture out of spinach.
I actually made some hash browns last weekend, but I parboiled the potatoes and them shredded them. I think it helps them cook faster. Also, Beth, I’m surprised you didn’t mention how easy this would be for freezing! Just shred a bunch, shape them into little patties on a cookie sheet, freeze, and then store. Presto – frozen hash browns that can be plopped into a skillet for a midnight breakfast!
I was wondering about this! How do you parboil and do you parboil and then shred? Any elaboration helps. Thanks!!
I wash, peel, and then cover with one inch of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 6-7 minutes. You should be able to stick a fork in slightly, but you don’t want them totally cooked through. Drain and put them in the fridge to cool completely, then shred and freeze.
I can’t believe I didn’t think about that! :D
This is tempting me to change my dinner plans. There’s always tomorrow. I always squeeze the moisture out of the potatoes for hash browns, but I’ve never rinsed them. I’ll have to try that.
I live for crispy hashbrowns (covered in Heinz ketchup) I judge restaurants on them. I grew up on a potato farm, so we ate A LOT of potatoes as a kid. I find that the cast iron skillet and drying the potatoes thoroughly is the key. That and not touching them. Excellent post. I think I will make some tomorrow morning for breakfast. YUM!
Sweet potato hash browns, made with your method, and covered in Tony’s taste great too!
I love hash browns but admit to having trouble making them. I do better with sliced fried potatoes. Yours look heavenly crispy. That’s a breakfast I could eat for dinner. (I don’t think I realized that you live in Louisiana…)