How to Cook Frozen Hash Browns Perfectly Crispy (2024)

Learning how to cook frozen hash browns is a breeze. Using frozen hash browns are a great shortcut for home cooks who want a quick and easy side dish. Crispy hash browns are delicious breakfast potatoes or great side dish like your favorite steakhouse.

But if you’ve never cooked them before, it can be intimidating. Don’t worry, I’ll show you how it’s done.

Have you ever gotten a craving for hash browns, but didn’t want to go through the hassle of peeling and chopping potatoes?

Well, with this easy recipe, you can cook up frozen hash browns in no time. Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a delicious breakfast ready in no time. All you need is a little bit of oil and some seasoning, and in no time at all you’ll have a delicious and satisfying.

I love this as the perfect side dish when I eat steak or prime rib.

What are Hash Browns?

Hash browns are made from potatoes that have been shredded or cut up into tiny cubes and frozen. Frozen patties also cook up using the same methods. They cook up fast. Just get them hot and crispy.

Depending on what cooking process you choose, here are a few ways to help you have the most successful outcome. They cook up quickly as a delicious breakfast potato or a weeknight side dish.

There are cooking instructions on the back of the freezer bags. But here are out tried and true methods for making restaurant quality potatoes.

Find Your Favorite Ways to Make The Crispiest Hash Browns

There are a number of different ways to cook hash browns. We will explore the frying pan, air frying, oven, black stone grill, and microwave oven.

These methods work from all kinds of potatoes you can get from the grocery store. Fresh, frozen, or patties.

How to Cook Frozen Hash Browns in a Skillet

If you are looking for the best way to get the perfect hash browns quickly. Then frying them in a frying pan is probably the easiest way to cook them with great results. I like to use a 12-inch pan or my large cast iron skillet.

Using a large skillet on medium heat to medium-high heat, add a few tablespoons of oil, add the shredded potatoes to the hot oil. They can be frozen or thawed hash browns, the frozen will just take a bit longer.

Then layer in the shredded potatoes in a thin even layer about ½-inch thick. Pro Tip. If you pile in the potatoes too thick, they will take longer to cook through. In my large pan, I add 3 cups spreading it out covering the entire bottom of the pan.

Add any seasonings you desire such as salt and pepper, or seasoned salt.

Place the cover on the pan and continue cooking it for 5-7 minutes. Until the bottom is a golden brown color.

Then flip the hash browns and continue cooking the other side for 5-7 minutes with the lid off until the bottom is crispy and golden brown.

Cooking Frozen Hash Browns in the Oven

This is a great method to use if you are cooking for a crowd. When we have company over and I want to make restaurant style food, I will make my hash brown side dish in the oven. Here is how I do it.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Get my frozen hashbrowns out of the freezer.

Spread a few tablespoons of oil on a half sheet baking sheet. Add a bag of the shredded potatoes spreading it over the entire pan. Do not be tempted to pile on more potatoes. The layer of potatoes should be about ½-inch thick or less.

Bake in the oven 10 minutes. Flip the shredded potatoes over and bake another 10 minutes.

They should be a golden color on the outside with a crispy texture and soft on the inside.

Cook Hash Browns in the Microwave Oven

For me, this does not have the same crispy texture that baking them in a sheet pan would or cooking them on a stovetop would. However, in a pinch, it is an option.

Layer them in a single layer approximately ½-inch thick on a microwave safe dish. Cook on full power for 1 to 2 minutes. Flip them over and microwave for another 1 to 2 minutes. Depending on the power setting of your microwave, the cooking time will vary. You may need to repeat this process until the potatoes are cooked through.

Cooking Frozen Hash Brown Patties in the Air Fryer

This method will work whether you are using the shredded potatoes, potato cubes, or hash brown patties.

Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees.

Place hash brown patties, shredded hash browns, or potato cubes in one layer inside your air fryer basket. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Remove the hash browns from the air fryer and wait 2 minutes before eating.

Cook Perfectly Crisp Hashbrowns on a Blackstone Grill

When I was 12, I was cooking in a restaurant. Yes, the labor laws were different then. I was the only weekend breakfast cook for two waitresses at a truck stop diner that had over 40 tables. It took a few months, but I got pretty good at using the nice big flat top.

There was a warm side, hot in the middle, and medium-low temperature on the other side. Put down about 2 table spoons of vegetable cooking oil, not olive oil. It has too strong of a flavor. Add a good handful of hashbrowns right on top of the hot oil.

Here is how I got the buttery goodness. We always had a tin on the grill on the warm side filled with melted butter. I would put a small ladle of melted putter on the hashbrowns as they were cooking.

This butter soaked to the bottom and helped fry the potato and add that buttery flavor.

Now, you want them crisp. So, just let them fry together to get one big pile. Don’t be tempted to stir or flip. Watch the edges. Once you see the pieces stick out of the edge turn a crispy, golden brown, they are almost ready to flip. Give them another minute or two so the potatoes continue cooking through.

Having a lot of experience at this, helps you get a better feel for knowing just the right time to flip.

Now flip. The bottom is not on the top and it should be a beautiful golden brown. There is no need to add any more butter or oil. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom edges are golden and crispy.

This grilling method works for shredded whole potatoes right onto the grill to make hashbrowns. Frozen hashbrowns are no different. Even hashbrowns that have been sitting in water. Just drain the water and add them to the grill. It will just take a little longer to cook and get crispy. Plan on 15-20 minutes cooking time.

Do Frozen Hash Brown Potatoes Need to Be Thawed Before Cooking?

While you can make them from the frozen state, you will get a better crisp on the outside. The inside will cook through faster too. Thawing the potatoes before cooking them will allow the excess moisture to melt away. The drier the potato, the easier it is to get that crunchy crisp texture on the outside.

How to Make Crispy Frozen Hash Browns?

The key to a great crispy outside is to fry a thin layer ½-inch or less in a skillet over medium-high heat. For best results, make sure that all the liquid is drained off the potatoes. Using a paper towel to blot the excess water is a great way to remove the liquid. Add a bit of oil or butter. Then the thin layer of hashbrowns. Cook until golden brown and crispy on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side.

Can I Use Fresh Shredded Potatoes Instead of Frozen?

Yes, you can. In fact, they will cook up in about the same time. The key to cooking both is to either start with a dry shredded potato or let them cook long enough to let the water cook out. Pro Tip. After shredding, place the potatoes in a bowl of cold water to rinse off the starches. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Then spray the top with a light coating of oil for a faster crisp.

Hash Brown Variations

Once the hash browns are cooked. Top them with caramelized onions and shredded cheese. The cheese will melt and the fried onion with the fried potatoes is the perfect combination.

In place of the oil or butter in the pan, use a little bacon grease for additional potato flavoring. If you happen to have the bacon, go ahead and crumble that over the top of the cooked potatoes. Did you know you can store bacon grease?

Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, or seasoned salt, or garlic powder.

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Here are a few other delicious recipes for you to try.

• Baked Cheesy Hash Browns Casserole
• Slow Cooker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
• How Long to Air Fry Frozen Mozzarella Sticks
• Quick Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• How Long to Cook Frozen Burgers on Grill

• How to Reheat Sweet Potato
• How Long to Cook Frozen Burgers on Grill
• How to Cook Frozen Hamburgers in the Oven

The Food Network has a nice recipe for a single serving of hashbrowns.