Delicious homemade crispy hash browns! Serve these potatoes as a side on their own or as a full breakfast or brunch with smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and a dollop of Greek yogurt. So good!
It seemed like an eternity for my kids to like potatoes. Aren’t loving potatoes just built into our genetic code? Lol. Anyway, mashed potatoes, a baked potato, and these hash browns finally turned them around – must be the crispy outside!
Hash browns (also referred to as hashed browns) have been around since the 1890’s, when they started appearing on New York City breakfast menus. Gotta love New York! They’re super popular now, of course, all over the United States in diners everywhere.
They’re basically just shredded potatoes fried in a pan, but what might sound boring, is anything but. With a crispy outside, tender inside, and seasoned, they are so delicious!
Hash Brown Recipe
You only need potatoes, oil, and salt to make hash browns. For this particular recipe, you’ll also need smoke salmon, red onion, capers, and plain Greek yogurt.
With the toppings, it’s a delicious full breakfast or brunch offering, instead of just a side dish.
How to Make Hash Browns
They’re so incredibly easy to make. At the most basic level, you simply grate potatoes, rinse them, squeeze them dry, and cook in a hot pan with oil, flipping once until they’re crispy on both sides.
All potatoes need and love salt, and hash browns are no exception. You could further bump up the flavor by adding in some garlic powder, fresh herbs, or my everything seasoning blend (<– my favorite way!)
How to Make Crispy Hash Browns
No soggy potatoes for me, thanks! Let’s make sure they’re crispy. Here’s how:
- Rinse and dry those potatoes – rinsing removes some of the starch and drying them removes excess moisture, which creates steam and prevents us from getting that outer crispy shell.
- Cook over medium heat – biggest misconception about achieving a crispy exterior is to have the pan and oil warm up over high heat. You actually want the heat source set to medium. Lower temperature, for a longer period of time.
- Use oil, not butter – while butter does taste amazing, the fast solids tend to burn. Vegetable oil or olive oil is the way to go.
- Press down – once the grated potatoes hit the hot pan, press down so they’re in a flat, even layer.
- Drain on a paper towel – as soon as the potatoes are done cooking, carefully transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate for a minute. This will remove any excess oil and prevent them from being soggy.
Are Hash Browns Healthy?
It depends. Are you getting them from a fast food joint or are you making them at home? Hash browns from diners and drive-throughs are often deep-fried and loaded with trans fats – unhealthy. But you can make these homemade hash browns without any guilt.
Potatoes are definitely not a health food, but they’re not bad for you, either since they’re a whole food and minimally processed.
Are hash browns gluten free? With just potatoes, oil, and salt, yes they are gluten free.
How many carbs in hash browns? This particular recipe has 37 carbs per serving (not including the toppings), and only 1 additional carb with the toppings.
Other Crispy Potato Recipes
I hope you love this quick and simple recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
{Brunch} Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil , divided
- 4 cups peeled, shredded potatoes , thawed if frozen
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon/lox
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons capers , rinsed
Instructions
- Rinse the grated potatoes until the water runs clear, drain, then wrap in several paper towels and twist to remove as much excess moisture as possible (repeating with dry towels, if necessary.)
- Toss the potatoes with the salt.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Swirl to coat.
- Add the shredded potatoes to the skillet. Spread in an even layer; pressing down with a spatula.
- Cook for about 6 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. With the spatula, gently turn potatoes over. Cook for an additional 6 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
- Gently transfer to a paper towel-lined plate for a minute to drain off any excess oil.
- Divide among 4 plates, sprinkle with just a dash of salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with smoked salmon, red onion, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and sprinkle with capers.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
All of my favorites, in one breakfast bowl! Yum!
This is kind of an awesome breakfast for anytime. My kids picked off the capers, but they ate everything else!
This breakfast was crazy delicious! I love smoked salmon, and never met a hash brown I didn’t like, but never thought to put them together.
This looks crazy delicious! You have all my favorite food piled onto one giant plate. I wish I had a plate right now :)
What a great combination, we loved it. Thank you.
Oh man I love everything bagels with everything!!!
Everything bagels are our favorite, but we’re trying to cut back on bread, so this was perfect. Wonderful and delicious idea.
Ok, so now I feel bad because all I did was plop the cereal on the table with the milk. Well I did toast an English muffin once or twice. This looks amazing!
Oh my goodness gracious just YES.
This looks so good, I can’t wait to try myself. I just need to get those Simply Potatoes® Shredded Hash Browns you keep mentioning.
Love, love, LOVE this idea Amy! Smoked salmon makes anything better in my opinion. Especially breakfast. :)
omg my husband LOVED this.
You’re killing me over here. Five minutes til my next meeting and I’m famished. Then THIS pops up in my email? I’m putting it on my To Do List.
Amy, I totally love this. Smoked salmon is one of my favorite foods ever. I wonder if I can do this with rutabaga in place of the potato for the hash browns? Might need to try!