Easy Crispy Oven Hash Browns are lightly seasoned and baked to crunchy perfection in just 20 minutes – perfect for a crowd. Give them a try!
Just like Diced Hash Browns, this dish is the perfect breakfast side to serve for a crowd. Recipes like this are great for the holidays when you have a big group to feed and want to enjoy a relaxing, but indulgent Breakfast.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Crispy Oven Hash Browns Recipe
Making Crispy Oven Hash Browns in the oven is great for holidays or any morning when you’re trying to feed a crowd. It’s a really easy way to make a filling breakfast side using frozen hash browns. It’s great to just prep the potatoes, pop them in the oven, and wait 20 minutes for perfectly Crisp Hash Browns. It’s way easier than having to stand by the stovetop, and they usually come out more evenly cooked than ones made on a stovetop.
This wonderful Crispy Oven Hash Brown recipe is made with just a couple ingredients. All you need are shredded potatoes, butter, salt, and pepper. It’s a simple base that most people are sure to enjoy, but it also means you can add a variety of different seasonings and mix-ins to experiment with the flavor of the hash browns.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Hash Browns: The hash browns serve as the main ingredient in this recipe. They are frozen and shredded, providing the base for the dish. Frozen hash browns are convenient and cook up crispy in the oven. See the recipe below to use fresh potatoes.
- 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter: The melted butter adds richness and flavor to the hash browns, making them crispy and delicious. You can use salted butter if you prefer. Olive oil is a good alternative too.
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is used for seasoning the hash browns, enhancing their taste. You can adjust the amount to your preference.
- ¼ teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper: Black pepper adds a mild spicy kick and complements the other flavors in the dish. Adjust the amount to your liking or use freshly ground black pepper for a more intense flavor.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- Microwave: You’ll need a microwave to defrost the frozen hash browns efficiently. Ensure it is clean and in good working condition to avoid any uneven defrosting.
- Large Microwave-Safe Bowl: A large microwave-safe bowl is essential for defrosting the hash browns in the microwave. Make sure it is microwave-safe to prevent accidents.
- Oven-Safe Skillet or Baking Dish: An oven-safe skillet like a cast iron skillet or baking dish is used to bake the hash browns in the oven. Choose one that’s large enough to spread the hash browns evenly, allowing them to crisp up properly. It should also be oven-safe.
- Paper Towel: You’ll need wet paper towels to cover the hash browns while microwaving. This helps create steam, preventing the hash browns from drying out during the defrosting process.
- Oven: A functional oven is crucial for baking the hash browns to perfection. Ensure it’s preheated to the specified temperature (400°F/200°C) for even cooking and crispiness.
How to Make Hash Browns
Time needed: 25 minutes.
- Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wait until the oven heats up before putting the potato mixture into the oven.
- Defrost the Hash Browns
Place the frozen hash brown potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover them with a wet paper towel. Microwave for 3 minutes at 50% power to defrost them evenly. Check for frozen spots, and continue defrosting if needed.
- Season and Toss
Add the melted unsalted butter, salt, and black pepper to the defrosted hash browns. Toss the mixture thoroughly to make sure they are coated evenly.
- Spread in Oven-Safe Dish
Spread the seasoned hash browns evenly in a single layer in a large oven-safe skillet or baking dish, aiming for a thickness of about ¼ inch to get perfect hash browns.
- Bake Until Crisp
Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the hash browns turn crispy and golden brown.
- Serve Hot
Once the hash browns are crispy to your liking, remove them from the oven. Serve them hot as a delicious side dish or breakfast accompaniment. Enjoy your crispy hash browns!
Can These Be Made Ahead?
While hash browns are best enjoyed fresh for their crispiness, you can partially prepare them ahead of time by following steps 1 to 4, then refrigerate overnight in an airtight container to avoid oxidization. Finish baking just before serving to ensure they remain crispy and flavorful.
Nutritional Facts
What to Pair with Hash Browns
If you’re making this dish for a holiday morning, you can relax and enjoy the morning while the hash browns bake. Some delicious holiday breakfast recipes you can make as a main dish to go with the Hash Browns are Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Sausage and Cheese Croissant Breakfast Casserole, or Easy French Toast Bake.
How to Store
Storing
Don’t leave Oven-Baked Hash Browns out at room temperature for more than 2 hours to keep them fresh. If you have leftover Hash Browns, let them cool to room temperature then store them in a ziplock bag, a bowl with plastic wrap, or another airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay good for 3-5 days.
Reheating Tips
- Oven: Preheat to 350 degrees, use a prepared baking sheet with parchment paper, and reheat for 5-10 minutes.
- Air Fryer (Not Ideal): Use a low temperature and watch closely.
- Toaster Oven: Preheat to 350 degrees, use a tray, and reheat for 4-5 minutes, flipping if needed.
- Microwave: Not recommended as they will not be crispy. Only use this to defrost frozen hash browns as nobody likes soggy hash browns.
Freezing
This is also a great recipe to freeze. You can keep frozen hashbrowns in the freezer for up to 8 months in a freezer-safe container. For best results put them in a freezer-bag in layers and separate each layer with parchment paper so they don’t stick together. Put them in the fridge to thaw then pop it in the oven for another few minutes.
Alternative Methods
Using Fresh Potatoes for Hash Browns
Using real potatoes makes this truly homemade! The raw potatoes will need to be pat dried of their excess water. Feel free to use Russet potatoes, gold potatoes, or any kind of potato you have.
- Step 1: Prepare and Shred Fresh Potatoes: Start by peeling the desired number of fresh potatoes. Typically, 2-3 medium-sized potatoes will be equivalent to a 16-ounce bag of frozen hash browns. Use a box grater, food processor with a shredding attachment, or a knife to shred the peeled potatoes. Shred potatoes into a larger size bowl.
- Step 2: Soak and Rinse: Place the grated potatoes in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Allow them to soak for about 5 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse them thoroughly with cold water.
- Step 3: Parboil the Potatoes: In a pot of boiling water on medium-high heat, blanch the shredded potatoes for about 3-4 minutes, or until they become slightly tender but not fully cooked. This process is called parboiling.
- Step 4: Drain and Dry: Drain the parboiled potatoes and transfer them to a clean kitchen towel. Pat them dry to remove any excess moisture.
- Step 5: Continue with the Recipe: Proceed with the recipe as instructed from Step 3 onwards, where you add the melted butter, salt, and pepper to the shredded and parboiled fresh potatoes. Then enjoy your homemade hash browns!
Ideas to Serve Hash Browns
- Classic Breakfast: Everyone loves breakfast potatoes when done right. Serve the crispy oven hashbrown potatoes as a side dish with sunny-side-up eggs, crispy bacon, and a sprinkle of fresh chives. The combination of crispy edges, creamy yolks, and savory bacon makes it a perfect dish for breakfast.
- Hash Brown and Cheese Bake: Turn it into a cheesy casserole by layering the hash browns with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake until the starchy potatoes are crispy, then add cheese for the last 2 minutes and heat until it is bubbly and golden brown. Garnish with chopped parsley for a yummy dinner side dish!
- Breakfast Burrito Filling: Use the crispy hash browns as a filling for breakfast burritos. Add scrambled eggs, sauteed vegetables, and your choice of protein. Roll it up in a tortilla, and serve with salsa and guacamole for a hearty breakfast on the go.
- Potato Hash Brown Waffles: Transform the hash browns into waffles by pressing them into a waffle iron until they are crispy and golden. Serve as a base for eggs benedict, with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, for an impressive brunch option.
- Loaded Hash Brown Bowls: Create individual serving bowls with crispy hash browns as the base. Top with ingredients like diced tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream. Customize with your favorite toppings for an amazing breakfast or brunch bowl.
Frequent Questions
Yes, you can. However, using fresh potatoes will require you to shred and parboil them before following the recipe. See the Using Fresh Potatoes section above for more info.
Microwaving the hash browns helps defrost them evenly and ensures they cook through while baking. Skipping this step may result in unevenly cooked hash browns and our goal is crispy potatoes. Don’t have a microwave, or don’t want to use it? Simply thaw in the fridge overnight, pat dry with a paper towel, and then continue baking. Note: this method might oxidize the frozen potatoes if they don’t have preservatives in them.
Yes, you can use salted butter, but be mindful of the overall saltiness of the dish. Adjust the added kosher salt accordingly to avoid making it too salty.
To make them crispier, you can extend the baking time slightly or use the broil function for the last couple of minutes, but keep a close eye to prevent burning.
Certainly! You can add ingredients like ¼ cup diced onions, bell peppers, or shredded cheese to customize the flavor of your hash browns. Just be sure not to overcrowd the pan to maintain crispiness.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 16 ounces hash browns , 1 bag, frozen, shredded
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add the hash browns to a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Cover with wet paper towel and microwave for 3 minutes on 50% power until potatoes are defrosted.
- If there are frozen spots continue to defrost or butter will solidify on those spots.
- Add in melted butter, salt, and pepper and toss.
- Spread into large oven-safe skillet or baking dish so the potatoes are about 1/4" thick.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until crisp.
Notes
- Click on the yield amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- Click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the Metric option next to Ingredients in the recipe card.
Nutrition
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Variations on Hash Browns
- Potatoes: Instead of using frozen hash browns you can shred your own shredded potatoes to use in this oven hash brown recipe. Although it will take extra time to shred the potatoes, you won’t have to worry about microwaving the potatoes. You can hand grate the potatoes or make it much easier by using a food processor.
- Seasoning: There are plenty of different seasonings you can add to the hash browns such as ¼ teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, thyme, or Italian seasoning.
- More add-ins: For other delicious add-ins try mixing in some shredded cheese, bacon bits, or onion with the hash browns. Try using Cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, Jack cheese, or Swiss for the cheese.
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Great recipe so many variations and the best thing you can make your hash browns as crispy as you want