Diced Hash Browns are a family favorite and the french fry answer to your breakfast dreams. They’re creamy, fluffy and crispy bites of potato goodness.
Love making breakfast for a crowd during the holidays? Serve these hash browns with Eggs Benedict or Chicken Fried Steak for the perfect indulgent breakfast.
Diced Hash Browns
We love diced hash browns over the classic shredded variety (which is also coming soon) because it’s much much easier to make this version for a crowd. When you make the shredded version it is done in much smaller batches and with more care to prevent the pan from burning the potatoes.
In this case all the hard work is in just boiling the potatoes. Also the drying. Drying the potatoes well will make frying them infinitely easier. And from experience I’d highly recommend using a clean cloth kitchen towel instead of paper towels.
If you use paper towels you’ll end up using half a roll and you won’t want to reuse those towels because of all the starch on them from the potatoes.
Plus the best part of these potatoes? Yes they’re fluffy and crispy. BUT if you look closely at the picture above you’ll see the smallest ridges on the potatoes that comes from boiling them first. Those crispy little edges are like heaven, pretty similar to that delicious crust you get on a great seared ribeye steak.
So as the holidays are rapidly approaching and family will be in town visiting you can make these hash browns for them and they’ll think you’re a wizard in the kitchen.
If you want to cut down on the amount of time it takes to cook them in the morning you can boil the potatoes the night before. You will have to pat them dry again in the morning as the refrigerator naturally has condensation that forms on the potatoes but it will mean you can just pat them dry and go straight to the frying process.
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Which type of potatoes are best for Hash Browns:
I use russet potatoes for diced has browns. This is because Russet potatoes have a high starch content and low water content. This allows them to get dry (think crispy) and fluffy inside when fried. Don’t use a waxy potato like a red potato or a Yukon potato as the waxy texture makes them more wet, less crispy and more likely to stick together.
Should you rinse or soak potatoes for hash browns.
Yes and yes or you can boil them. For shredded hash browns I highly suggest soaking the potatoes for at least a half an hour before drying and frying them. This is done to remove the starch (which creates a soggy fried potato) and makes the process of cooking them only take 5-6 minutes per side.
For cubed hash browns I recommend boiling because the potato is thicker and it will naturally take longer to cook. The boiling also helps to remove the starch from the potatoes which leads to the super crispy texture you see here.
How do you bake diced hash browns?
If you’ve already boiled the hash brown chunks you can toss them generously with canola oil. Be gentle to keep the potatoes from breaking. Then roast them in the oven at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes on a nonstick baking sheet. You may want to use foil and spray it with cooking spray to avoid the potatoes sticking.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes scrubbed clean
- canola oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil (about a tablespoon of kosher salt in 10 cups of water).
- Dice the potatoes into ½ inch chunks (don't peel the potatoes) and boil them for 4-5 minutes on a medium heat (a vigorous rolling boil may break them apart, so keep the heat lower).
- Drain the potatoes and dry them well (but gently) with a clean dish towel.
- Heat 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees in a heavy bottomed nonstick pot and add the potatoes in small batches frying them for 5 minutes before removing them with a strainer and seasoning them with additional salt and pepper.
Nutrition
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spot on-so great
tx !
Can you freeze these? If you do would you do everything but fry them and then freeze them? Love the recipe!
Don’t need a family history lesson just need the recipe
Ingredients are simple, but it’s all in the technique and this recipe lays it out perfectly. The results were fantastic – I will always properly dry my diced potatoes from now on!
Added some garlic and onion powder. My wife and kids loved them! Definitely a new go to breakfast recipe.
Thanks for the 5 stars, Sean. I’m glad you all enjoyed it.
Diced hash browns are yummy! This recipe is great for fresh potatoes. Boiling them a bit is a key step. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Great recipe, they are delicious and this article offers good advice. However I must agree with some people on here and say this is not a hash brown the Merriam-Webster Dictionary clarifies that a hash brown has to be formed into a mass or cake of all the potato pieces in order to be a hash brown. Loose chunky fried potatoes like this are called breakfast potatoes, home fries (which also could refer to a potato of the same thick cut but longer and more french fry like shape), or even hashed potatoes. I have been researching the subject and came across this picture as the only un-caked potato picture when the phrase “hash brown” is googled. Either way delicious recipe, glad I found it even if it is misnamed in my opinion.
Thanks for the clarification I didnt know that, I googled hash brown but wanted home fries ? making them right know i hope they’re good.
We call these hash browns in Canada. The other ones are hash brown patties, which are really only from fast food places. The only place I’ve ever seen the shredded ones served was at American breakfast restaurants!
Yes to this! In Canada these are hash browns, I’m glad to see other Canucks here in agreement. Can’t wait to try these!
Canadian also – where I am from these diced potatoes are definitely called hash browns. Home fries is not a term used often but If it is, they would usually be referring to home made french fries usually in big wedges . The shredded kind of hash browns are also called hash browns or maybe specified as “shredded hash browns”.
Just made these for a lazy Sunday morning breakfast. Absolutely delicious results. Added a touch of garlic and onion powder for additional flavor. This will be my go to recipe for hash browns from now on.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Rosa. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Making them baked right now – they’re turning out delicious. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Kelly. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Those are home fries not hash browns.
No. Home fries are planks or wedges, not cubes.
Another Canadian here, we call these hashbrowns. I haven’t seen the shredded kind anywhere except the US. And why does it even matter so much anyways? Enjoy the recipe
This looks incredibly delicious! I love this! looks so good!
Thanks, Erin!
Hash browns are my favorite part of breakfast! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Charity!
These look crispy and PERFECT! My family would eat them up!
They’re so good!! Enjoy!
These are the type of hash browns I like! The shredded ones are cool but these are where it’s at!
Definitely!
I love this version!! It looks and sounds fantastic!! A must make!!