Homemade Hash Browns

I love eating homemade hash browns for breakfast, along with bacon and eggs. It is one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast.

You can shape them to be more like those classic yummy McDonald’s hash browns or you can make them into a pancake shape. Or maybe you just want to make them like a pile of crispy shredded hash browns, you can do that do.

This homemade hash browns recipe is super easy to make, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Gather the ingredients

In order to make these yummy crispy shredded homemade hash browns you need just a handful of everyday ingredients, which you probably already have at home:

• Potatoes – I usually use Russets, but you can use other potatoes too if you like.
• Water
• Egg – This is optional, but helps with binding the shredded potatoes together.
• Flour – All purpose/plain flour.
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Oil for frying – Canola, vegetable, coconut, peanut, etc.

Tools

• Box Grater
• Potato peeler
• Bowls
• Cheesecloth or tea towel
• Fork
• Skillet (Cast iron, nonstick, etc.)
• Spatula

Step 2: How to make crispy homemade hash browns

Begin by washing the potatoes. Peel them if you wish, but it isn’t necessary. Now use a  box grater or normal cheese grater and shred those potatoes. You can also use a food processor to do this if you want. Maker sure to use some sort of a guard when grating the potatoes by hand, so you don’t accidentally grate your fingers.

Time to get some of the starch out of the potatoes. This is very important for getting crispy homemade hash browns. Place the shredded potatoes in a bowl of cold water. Allow them to sit in the water for a few minutes.

Reach in and squeeze the potatoes with your hand, helping to squeeze out more of the starch. Drain the water and then add more water and repeat the process a few times. This will get a good amount of the starch out.

After the final rinsing of the potatoes, drain the bowl of the water. Grab a few handfuls of shredded potatoes and place them on a cheese cloth or tea towel. Wrap them up and then squeeze which will drain more water out of them. You can squeeze pretty hard it won’t hurt the potatoes.

Place the dried potatoes in a large bowl and repeat with the rest until they are all squeezed and dried. Technically they are ready to be fried like this, but I like to add seasonings and shape them.

Step 3: Shaping and frying the hash browns

If you would like to make a classic oval-shaped McDonald’s style hash brown then use an egg and the flour as a binder. If you don’t want to use the egg, use a little butter or oil to hold the potatoes together. Mix the shredded potatoes with the egg or other binders.

Then add in all the seasonings, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet on medium heat. Or you can make it about an inch deep if you would like to deep fry them.

Scoop some of the potatoes up and shape them into an oval about 3 to 4 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. You can make them whatever side you want. Squeeze a bit of excess liquid if any while shaping them, back into the bowl.

Place them in the hot skillet and cook them or “brown” them for 4 to 5 minutes per side until nice and crispy. Add additional salt and pepper as desired. Once both sides are cooked, remove them from the pan and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel to dry.

The flatter you make them the more crispy towards the middle they will be. Deep frying them is also really nice. They will only take 4 to 5 minutes total if you deep fry them.

Serve them with ketchup, plain, with eggs and bacon, whatever you want to do. They will be nice and crispy on the outside and soft and perfect on the inside. Enjoy!

How long do homemade hash browns last?

While they are best if eaten right away, you can store them in the fridge for a few days. You can crisp them back up in the pan or the oven. You can also freeze them for long term storage.

Here are a few more recipes you may like:

Homemade Naan

Pumpkin Cookies

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Nutella Brownies

Apple Swan

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4.50 from 4 votes

Homemade Hash Browns

I love eating homemade hash browns for breakfast, either by themselves or with eggs and bacon or sausage. This recipe is so awesome, they remind me of the hash browns that they have at McDonald's.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time10 mins

0 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crispy, fried, potatoes

Servings: 3 people

Calories: 288kcal

Author: Matt Taylor

Equipment

• Box Grater
• Potato peeler
• Bowls
• Cheese cloth or tea towel
• Fork
• Skillet (Cast iron, nonstick, etc.)
• Spatula

Ingredients

• 3 medium potatoes Russets, Yukon Golds, etc.
• Water
• 1 large egg optional for binding and shaping
• 2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour 30g (optional, add only if you use the egg)
• 1/2 tsp. of table salt 2g
• 1/4 tsp. of ground pepper 1g
• 1/4 tsp. of garlic powder 1g
• 2 Tbsp. of oil for frying 30ml
• Salt and pepper to taste after cooking

Instructions

• Wash and then peel the potatoes. Use a box grater or normal cheese grater or food processor with a grater attachment, and grate the potatoes.
• Place the shredded potatoes into a large bowl with cold water. Let them sit in the water for a few minutes, then reach in and squeeze the potatoes in your hand. Drain the water, then replace it will a new batch of cold water, and repeat the process 3 or 4 times. This helps to get the starch out of the potatoes.
• Take a couple of big handfuls of the potatoes and put them on a cheesecloth or tea towel. Then wrap it up and squeeze the potatoes allowing the excess water to drain. Place in a bowl and repeat until all done.
• Whisk up that egg in a large bowl then add the potatoes, flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix them all together with a fork. If you don't care about the shape and or don't want to use the egg, you can leave out the egg and flour.
• Pour a few tablespoons of oil into a skillet and heat it up using medium heat. Once it is nice and hot shape your hash browns and while you are shaping squeeze them a bit to allow excess egg to fall off. Then place them into the hot skillet. You can further shape them with a spatula once in the skillet. Cook them for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until nice and golden brown. Once they are cooked transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Now serve them up with ketchup, bacon, eggs, etc. They are nice a crispy on the outside and soft and perfectly done in the middle. Enjoy!

Video

How to Make Hash Browns | Homemade Crispy Hash Browns Recipe

Notes

Do you like this recipe? Pin it! And please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.