Homemade Shredded Hash Browns (2025)

FAQs

What is the secret to making good hash browns? ›

To keep your hash browns crispy, make sure to heat the oil to sizzling before adding the patties and wait until the one side is golden brown before flipping. You can also make your hash browns thinner because they will get crispier and cook more evenly.

Most recipes require soaking your raw, shredded potato in cold water to rinse off the excess starch, then squeezing every last bit of moisture out before tossing it in a pan.

How do you get hash browns to stick together? Flour and starch are commonly used to help hash browns stick together. You can add an egg if you like, but the flour mix is sufficient.

Hash browns, also spelled hashed browns and hashbrowns, are a popular American breakfast dish consisting of finely julienned potatoes that have been fried until golden brown.

You'll want to remove as much moisture as possible because this will prevent your hash browns from getting as crisp as possible. All the water will just create steam and as any additional starch is released from the potato it's going to get gummy, just not as gummy as before. So get them dry!

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

To ensure ultimate crispness, be sure to rinse the grated potatoes with cold water until the water runs nearly clear and to use a very hot, well-seasoned pan. As with all potato dishes, remember to season well.

Using a drier, starchier potato such as Idaho, and rinsing away the excess starch is a sure-fire way to crispy, golden hash browns. Butter helps both browning and flavor, while oil lowers the smoke point, allowing your pan to do the steady, even cooking needed for perfectly crisped potatoes.

Squeeze out the moisture: Squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the grated potatoes. An easy way do this with a potato ricer (or an orange or lemon press), using it like you would a garlic press but without forcing the potatoes through it completely. You just want to press out the excess moisture.

Can you shred potatoes ahead of time for hash browns? ›

Transfer shreds to a large food container and season with salt, seasoned salt, and oil. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze with my freezing instructions. Make your own frozen hash browns and reheat them in the waffle iron for a quick breakfast!

The most common method is to wrap the shredded potatoes in a kitchen towel, then squeeze to release as much liquid as you can.

Don't use too much oil

In fact, adding too much oil to your pan will result in mushy, soggy hash browns. If there's too much oil, and it's not at the right temperature, it's likely the shredded potatoes will soak up too much of it, which will make your hash browns too moist and weigh them down.

How do you keep hash brown patties from falling apart? Once the ingredients for the hash browns are mixed, work quickly. The salt will pull moisture out of the potatoes as they sit. Portion into the pan and press firmly with a spatula to ensure a complete patty.

Potato

Hash browns / Main ingredient

Use a thin layer of shredded potatoes

Overcrowding the pan will cause the hash brown to steam, and instead of a crispy hash brown, you'll get a soggy, mushy one. Try to avoid using too little potatoes in your hash brown, since this can lead to a burnt crust.

Using a drier, starchier potato such as Idaho, and rinsing away the excess starch is a sure-fire way to crispy, golden hash browns. Butter helps both browning and flavor, while oil lowers the smoke point, allowing your pan to do the steady, even cooking needed for perfectly crisped potatoes.

Squeeze out the moisture: Squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the grated potatoes. An easy way do this with a potato ricer (or an orange or lemon press), using it like you would a garlic press but without forcing the potatoes through it completely. You just want to press out the excess moisture.

The potato pieces are blanched. This trick can be used with fries to make them extra crispy on frying, so it could be this that makes the hash browns so good. After being in boiling water for several minutes, the potatoes are cut up and seasoned, with cornflour and potato flour added.