The Crispiest Homemade Hash Browns Recipe (2024)

Last Updated on April 17, 2024 by Jean Choi 7 Comments

Super simple but ultra-crispy homemade hashbrowns make the ultimate crowd-favorite breakfast item! Follow these steps to make this crispy and delicious side dish!

What Makes This Recipe Great

Growing up in New Jersey with all of its wonderful diners, hash browns have always been my favorite. Nothing is quite as wonderful in the morning as shredded crispy potatoes along with some bacon and some form of eggs.

While I’ve always tried to recreate those hash browns at home that were perfectly crispy, it’s only in the past year that I’ve perfected the texture to exactly how I like. Enter my Homemade Hash Browns Recipe! Super simple ingredients and steps yielding the absolute best hash browns!

As someone who tends to find the healthier way to make things, these hash browns are in fact, Whole30, Paleo, and Vegan. However, you could never taste the difference! Plus, for a regular version, you can swap the ghee or coconut oil for regular butter. Now, let’s make breakfast!

How To Make Homemade Hash Browns

These homemade hash browns take just a few extra steps, but they are so worth it and necessary to get them extra crispy. How do you make hash browns crispy? The trick is to remove all moisture from the potatoes.

Potatoes naturally hold lots of moisture, and when you shred and pan-fry them as is, they can get soggy. This is why taking a few extra steps to get them as dry as possible is so important. Follow my simple instructions below to get them exactly right!

Ingredient Notes

• Russet Potatoes: I prefer Russet potatoes because they are high in starch and lower in moisture than Yukon Gold potatoes, making them an ideal potato for extra crispy hash browns!
• Ghee: Use coconut oil for vegan, regular butter if you’re not Whole30! A thin layer of olive oil or avocado oil will also work.
• Salt and Black Pepper
• Optional: For additional flavor, feel free to season your raw potatoes with garlic powder or onion powder.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Scrub the potatoes and peel them if you wish (I leave them on). Use a hand grater or box grater to grate the potatoes (use your cheese grater!)
2. Wrap the shredded potatoes in cheesecloth, paper towels, or a clean dish towel. Use your hands to squeeze out and drain as much excess moisture as possible. You may need a second round of squeezing if using a paper towel.
3. Heat a large non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add ghee (or butter or coconut oil).
4. Drop 1/4 cup of the potato mixture on the hot pan, flattening them into ¼-½ inch thick circles. Make sure this is done in a single layer to not overcrowd. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes until you have crispy and golden brown patties. Cook the rest of the grated potatoes the same way.
5. Serve this perfect side dish immediately. Goes perfectly with a fried egg, fresh fruit, and coffee!

Are Hash Browns Whole30?

If you make them at home, it’s easy to make Whole30-compliant hash browns. Store-bought hash browns usually have additives like soy and inflammatory oils, which are avoided during your Whole30. This homemade crispy hash browns recipe is made with clean ingredients that are totally compliant!

HOWEVER, even Whole30-compliant hash browns can be considered a SWYPO if the crispiness of it wakes up the sugar monster in you and has you craving potato chips after. So just like with anything when it comes to nutrition, it’s important to take an individualized approach to decide what’s best for you.

Expert Tips

• I highly recommend using russet potatoes to get homemade hash browns crispy. They have a higher starch content and a lower water content than other varieties, so they are perfect for yielding that crispy texture.
• Do not skip squeezing out as much moisture as you can. This will make sure you get the crispiest hash browns! You can also try to use a salad spinner to get out excess water if you have one!
• Using a nonstick skillet is important. You don’t want to ruin the hash browns by having the crispy outer layer stick to the pan.
• For best results, you’ll want to make sure you’ve added enough oil, butter, or ghee to the pan to get a crispy outer shell.
• Make sure the pan is sizzling hot before adding ghee and potatoes. You can test this out by adding a drop of water to the hot skillet to ensure it sizzles when it hits the pan.
• It’s best to eat these right away. However, if you do have leftovers, the best way to reheat them and get them crispy again is to pan-fry them again in oil for a few minutes on each side.
• To make these hash browns vegan, just use coconut oil for frying instead of ghee. They’ll still turn out crispy and delicious!

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or on a skillet to retain their crispy texture.

If you make this recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!