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This homemade hash browns recipe is made with only four ingredients and is really simple to make!
Hash browns are a delicious addition to any breakfast. But if you’ve ever read the ingredient list on the pre-made ones in the freezer section at the store, you may be scratching your head a little. I mean, who needs all those extra ingredients? Hash browns are just potatoes, right?
Right! Hash browns SHOULD just be made of potatoes and a couple of other simple ingredients. Not the laundry list you see on those ready-made ingredients lists. Yuck. And the best part is, they are super easy to make! Let me show you how.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HASH BROWNS CRISPY
Some people like their hash browns mushy, and some like them crispy. A good hash brown should be crispy on the outside and slightly soft on the inside. A good balance of the two textures. So how do you achieve this?
- Make sure you rinse your potatoes after grating them. This will wash off some of the starch. Starch in your potatoes makes them mushy, so rinse them well.
- Make sure you remove as much water from your potatoes as possible. Potatoes have a lot of water in them. Removing this will help them get crispy during cooking.
- If you really want to go the extra mile here, you can mix in an egg and some flour. But that becomes almost more like a Latke than a hash brown. It also adds a lot more calories, and since you’ll be cooking these in oil or butter, it’s probably best to avoid this unless you truly love them that way.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH HASH BROWNS
Hash browns are versatile lil’ buggers. They pair well with almost any breakfast food you care to serve them with. They go great with:
- Cheese (especially cheddar)
- Eggs
- Savory sauces
- Chili
- Apple sauce
- Sour cream
- Breakfast meats
LOW CARB HASH BROWNS
If you are trying to lower your carb intake, there is a simple switch you can make. White potatoes tend to be a bit hard on blood sugar because they convert to sugar so fast in the body. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have hash browns. If you love hash browns, but not the carbs, simply switch out the potatoes for jicama. And if you follow a low glycemic diet, you also have the option of using rutabagas.
About The Ingredients
Potatoes – Russet potatoes work best. See recipe notes below.
Salt – I use pink Himalayan salt, but use whatever you normally cook with.
Ground black pepper – If you have the option, grind it fresh from peppercorns.
Unsalted butter – as needed for cooking
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HASH BROWNS
Thoroughly rinse the potatoes and peel them.
Use a box grater to grate.
You can place the grated potatoes in a large bowl filled with water to prevent the grated potatoes from discoloring, additionally, this will serve to “rinse” the potatoes and remove excess starch. Continue to peel and grate all of the potatoes.
Once finished drain into a colander. Rinse the bowl you used and set aside.
Place a clean kitchen towel on your counter and add a couple of handfuls of the drained potatoes. Bring up all ends of the towels, over the sink, and twist the towel to squeeze out all of the excess moisture from the potatoes. After doing so place the potatoes into the mixing bowl and repeat the process until all of the potatoes have been rung out on the kitchen towel.
Next, sprinkle in the salt and the ground black pepper and mix until well combined. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to help release even more liquid from the potatoes as well as allow the seasoning to stick to the potatoes better. You’ll notice liquid releasing, as it begins to you can bunch up the potatoes into one corner to separate them.
In a large frying pan, over medium heat, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter. Use a spoon or your hand to scoop about a handful of the seasoned potatoes into the pan. Use a spatula to help the potatoes take on a round shape and be as even in thickness as possible. Repeat but don’t overcrowd the pan, you need to have enough room to gently flip over the hash browns.
Cook for 5 minutes then flip over, you’ll know they’re ready to flip because the edges turn a golden brown and the potatoes turn a lighter white. Cook for another 5 minutes then place on a serving plate and repeat until all of the grated potatoes have been used.
Serve as desired!
Recipe Notes
- Either Russet or New Potatoes may be used, the recipe has been tested with both types of potatoes. While the Russet is starchier and tends to bind together a bit easier, the New Potato variety works just as great but is a less starchy option.
- Some people also like to mix flour and egg into the grated and seasoned potatoes to help them bind together better but also it helps make them a bit crispy.
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MORE HEALTHY POTATO RECIPES:
- Country Potatoes
- Potato Wedges
HOMEMADE HASH BROWNS RECIPE:
Homemade Hash Browns Recipe
Hash browns are one of the easiest foods anyone can learn to make. You really only need 4 simple ingredients!
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 hash browns
Calories: 66kcal
Equipment
Skillet
Spatula
Tea towel or cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes (or 2 large potatoes)
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper (or to taste)
- unsalted butter as needed to cook the potatoes (oil works too)
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Thoroughly rinse the potatoes and peel them.
Use a box grater to grate.
You can place the grated potatoes in a large bowl filled with water to prevent the grated potatoes from discoloring, additionally, this will serve to “rinse” the potatoes and remove excess starch. Continue to peel and grate all of the potatoes.
Once finished strain in a colander. Rinse the bowl you used and set aside.
Place a clean kitchen towel on your counter and add a couple of handfuls of the drained potatoes. Bring up all ends of the towels, over the sink, and twist the towel to squeeze out all of the excess moisture from the potatoes. After doing so place the potatoes into the mixing bowl and repeat the process until all of the potatoes have been rung out on the kitchen towel.
Next, sprinkle in the salt and the ground black pepper and mix until well combined. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to help release even more liquid from the potatoes as well as allow the seasoning to stick to the potatoes better. You’ll notice liquid releasing, as it begins to you can bunch up the potatoes into one corner to separate them.
In a large frying pan, over medium heat, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter. Use a spoon or your hand to scoop about a handful of the seasoned potatoes into the pan. Use a spatula to help the potatoes take on a round shape and be as even in thickness as possible. Repeat but don’t overcrowd the pan, you need to have enough room to gently flip over the hash browns.
Cook for 5 minutes then flip over, you’ll know they’re ready to flip because the edges turn a golden brown and the potatoes turn a lighter white. Cook for another 5 minutes then place on a serving plate and repeat until all of the grated potatoes have been used.
Serve as desired!
NOTES & TIPS:
Either Russet or New Potatoes may be used, the recipe has been tested with both types of potatoes. While the Russet is starchier and tends to bind together a bit easier, the New Potato variety works just as great but is a less starchy option.
Some people also like to mix flour and egg into the grated and seasoned potatoes to help them bind together better but also it helps make them a bit crispy.
Notes
Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible. Note that this data does not include the butter used for cooking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1hash brown | Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
This recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted 7/26/10. Recipe has been changed for updating.
