Classic Hash Browns
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With just a handful of ingredients and a few simple tricks, golden, crispy hash browns can be on the table any time of day.
Who doesn’t love a plate of crispy hash browns? Made from grated potatoes cooked until crisp and golden on the outside and creamy and tender inside, they’re a natural at breakfast or brunch alongside fried eggs and bacon, but just as good as an easy dinner side dish with roast chicken or steak.
This recipe keeps things classic and focuses on a few small techniques that make all the difference. Russet potatoes provide the right balance of starch and structure, a bit of grated onion adds flavor, and thoroughly squeezing out the moisture ensures the potatoes crisp instead of steaming. Cooking the potatoes in a single, well-pressed layer and letting them cook undisturbed gives you that deeply golden crust, while a mix of butter and oil adds both flavor and browning.
What You’ll Need To Make Hash Browns
You’ll need russet potatoes, yellow onion, salt and pepper, butter and vegetable oil, and fresh chives (optional). Russets are key here—their higher starch content helps the hash browns crisp beautifully (Yukon Golds tend to stay softer and more creamy). You can mix it up by adding 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or rosemary to the potato and onion mixture.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Grate the potatoes and onion and remove excess liquid. Use a food processor with a grating blade or the large holes of a box grater to grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer to a large bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel. Gather the towel edges and wring out as much liquid as possible—this is key for crispy hash browns.
Step 2: Season the mixture. In a medium bowl, toss the dried potato-onion mixture with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Cook the first side. Heat 1 tablespoon each of the oil and butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add the potato mixture in an even layer and press it down firmly with a wide spatula. Lower the heat to medium and let it cook, undisturbed, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the bottom is golden and crisp. Peek underneath once or twice—if it’s not browning, bump up the heat a bit. Don’t flip it until it’s nicely golden.
Step 4. Flip hash browns over. Slide the hash browns onto a plate, browned side down. Place another plate on top. Flip hash browns to invert, so the browned side is now facing up. Using plates to flip keeps the hash browns intact.
Pro Tip: Use plates that are slightly larger than the pan—having a little overhang makes the flip feel much more controlled.
Step 5: Finish cooking and serve. Add the remaining oil and butter to the skillet. Once melted, slide the hash browns back in and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the second side is golden and crisp. If the center still feels soft, press lightly with the spatula and give it another minute or two to crisp up. Slide onto a plate or board, cut into wedges, sprinkle with chives if you like, and serve hot. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Classic Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 1¼ lbs russet potatoes (2 medium), peeled
- ½ small yellow onion
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Grate the potatoes and onion using a food processor fitted with the grating blade or the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to a large bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel.
- Gather the edges of the towel and squeeze out as much moisture as you can—this step is key to getting crispy hash browns.
- In a medium bowl, toss the fully dried grated potatoes and onion with the salt and pepper.
- In a medium nonstick or cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon each of the oil and butter over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering.
- Add the potato and onion mixture in an even layer, then press down firmly with a wide spatula to flatten. Lower the heat to medium and cook, undisturbed, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown and crisp. Peek underneath occasionally—if it’s not browning, bump up the heat a bit. (Don’t be tempted to flip it unless it’s golden brown.)
- Carefully slide the hash browns out of the skillet and onto a large plate, browned side down. Place another plate on top, then flip the plates together to invert. The browned side will now be on top, ready to go back into the skillet.
- Add the remaining oil and butter to the pan. Once melted, slide the hash browns back in. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary, or until the bottom is golden brown and crisp.
- Slide onto a plate or cutting board, cut into wedges, sprinkle with chives (if using), and serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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