Homemade Hash Brown Potatoes
by Sommer Collier — on Apr 15, 2026 My homemade hash brown potatoes are my go-to when I’m craving crispy, diner-style hash browns at home. I shred fresh potatoes and fry them in a hot skillet until they’re golden and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This easy recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and makes the perfect breakfast side with sausage, eggs, or any classic dish.
Is there anything more old-school Americana than a roadside diner that serves breakfast 24/7? When I recall my fondest memories of classic diners like Waffle House and Denny’s, I always remember the smell of strong coffee and those iconic crunchy golden hashbrowns. Today I’m going to show you how to make the most crispy, tender, and flavorful homemade hash browns, so you can enjoy them with your favorite breakfast-type dishes and a great (or at least better) cup of coffee whenever you like. They’re a similar but slightly thicker and more simplified version of my baked hash brown recipe, and come out of the skillet hot and crisp in under 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Perfecting a Classic – I would bet that if you’re reading this, you’re already familiar with, and a fan of, shredded and fried potatoes. My recipe for homemade hash browns makes it easy to duplicate those traditional diner-style fried hashbrowns from the comfort of your kitchen, no road trip required.
Versatile Side Dish – Just like you can eat breakfast any time of day at your favorite diner spot, this recipe is terrific to make first thing in the morning, for brunch, or breakfast for dinner, AKA brinner. Whenever you fry them up in a skillet, they’re perfect to serve hot with your favorite breakfast main dishes!
Top Recipe Tips – I keep things simple and straightforward in this recipe. There really is nothing complicated here… I’m just shredding potatoes, tossing them in seasoning, and pan-frying. My step-by-step instructions guide you through making the best skillet potatoes that are super crispy without burning, every time.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Potatoes – Russet potatoes are the best for making hash browns, because they are large and hearty, and hold up the best to shredding. But in a pinch, you could use frozen, shredded hash browns that you have previously thawed.
- Onion – I like white onions that have a nice, sharp taste, which goes well with the milder flavor of the potato. But sweet onions are a great option as well. I also use the same box grater to finely shred the onion.
- Olive oil – This is my preferred oil for high-heat cooking. But you can use whatever other oil you want, like avocado oil or canola oil.
- Spices – I use only garlic powder, salt, and pepper to season the potatoes.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Peel and Shred – I start by scrubbing and peeling the potatoes. Then I use my box grater, and slide the whole potato down and then up again to shred the potatoes into small bits. I usually do this into a large bowl, or on a cutting board, so I can easily scoop the shredded potatoes into a bowl.
Remove Moisture – Next, it’s time to get out all of that starchy moisture for super-crispy hash browns. Don’t skip this step!
After grating, I transfer the potato shreds to a large bowl. Use clean paper towels and your hands to gently but firmly grab fistfuls of shredded potatoes and soak up the moisture with the towels.
Season Well – Once the shreds are as dry as can be, I season them with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I toss everything together with a large spoon so the potatoes are evenly coated with the spices.
Heat Oil in the Skillet – Now I set a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop, and pour in the cooking oil. I want it to get nice and hot, then I give the oil a careful swirl around the pan to be sure it’s well covered. The oil should be hot, but not smoking… If the oil burns, you’ll need to wipe the skillet out and start again.
Spread and Flip Until Golden – When the oil is hot, I pour in the potatoes, and use a wooden spatula to stir them around the skillet for a few minutes. They’ll sizzle a good bit, which is a great sign the potato shreds are getting nicely browned! Then I spread them out evenly across the pan and leave them alone for a solid 2-3 minutes.
I know they are ready to flip when the potato shreds have kind of solidified into one beautifully golden brown and crispy hash brown. I use the spatula to carefully flip them over in as few large pieces as possible… Sometimes I get it just right where the whole thing flips, other times they cook in large chunks that are easier to flip. Whatever the case and however you get them flipped, you want to cook the homemade hash brown potatoes for another 3-4 minutes.
Expert Tips
The key to making the most amazing crispy hash browns is to remove as much moisture from the potatoes and shredded onions as possible before cooking. When you heat the potatoes and onions in the skillet, they will naturally release their juices. I want to eliminate this so that the dried, shredded vegetables start turning golden and crispy immediately.
Second, you must use a very hot pan and ample fat. I’m using a quarter cup of olive oil, but you can use any oil you prefer. Although I love the flavor of butter, it’s not the best idea to use butter here because it will cause the potatoes to turn brown long before they are fully cooked and crispy. However, clarified butter, AKA ghee, can be used because it has a higher smoking point.
Third, be patient. A common mistake is flipping them before the shredded potatoes have had a chance to brown.
Serving Suggestions
I often serve homemade hashbrowns with my favorite simple diner-inspired foods like scrambled eggs or over easy eggs, breakfast sausage patties or links, or crispy bacon. Or I’ll throw down an entire second skillet of steak and eggs or of corned beef hash if the family is just that hungry.
They are also fantastic as a side dish with heartier breakfast and brunch casseroles. Here are a few of my favorites for you to try –
- Easiest Breakfast Casserole
- Amish Casserole
- Spinach Artichoke Casserole
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Breakfast Pizza (not exactly a casserole, but close enough…)
Storing and Reheating
Crispy potatoes are definitely best to enjoy fresh, hot, and crispy from the pan. If you do have leftovers, let them cool before transferring to an airtight container. Then store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat them, I lightly fry them again on the stovetop with a bit of oil, so they get hot and crispy again without burning.
I don’t recommend trying to freeze hash browns. The texture is likely to get mushy after thawing, and it’ll be nearly impossible to get them crispy again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope, there is no need to boil potatoes before or after shredding, and to make homemade hash browns potatoes. You might be thinking about my smashed potatoes recipe, which is still very delicious, but made with (nearly) mashed potatoes.
No, not really. But you can grate the potatoes up to a day in advance, submerge them in a bowl of cold water, and store them in the fridge so they don’t turn brown.
Unless you’re prepping them in advance, as I mentioned above, no, you don’t soak the shredded potatoes first. Just move quickly from shredding to seasoning and frying, and you’ll have no problem with them browning.
You know, I haven’t tried that. But I’m not sure how well that would work, considering how dense sweet potatoes can be. Instead, try my recipe for sweet potato hash with heartier, cubed potatoes.
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More Breakfast Recipes
Homemade Hash Brown Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes peeled and shredded
- ¼ large onion grated (about ½ cup)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes, then use a box grater to shred the potatoes and the onion. Place the shredded potatoes and onion in a mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and toss well to coat the potatoes. The salt helps the vegetables release their moisture.
- Use paper towels to squeeze the shredded potatoes and onion firmly until you have removed as much moisture as possible. Remember, the dryer the veggies the crispy or the hashbrowns.
- Now season the dried shredded potatoes with another ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil to the skillet. Once hot, swirl the oil around the pan to make sure every inch of the bottom is coated.
- Add the potato mixture to the skillet and spread it into an even layer across the bottom. Cook and stir the potatoes for 3-4 minutes making sure all the shreds have a chance to touch the bottom of the pan.
- Then spread the hashbrowns out in an even layer and allow them to cook undisturbed for about 2-3 minutes, until golden-brown.
- Lift the corner of the hashbrowns up, when the desired color is reached, flip the hashbrowns over in sections making sure all the hashbrowns have been turned. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the flipside is golden. Removed from heat and serve warm.
