Hash Browns from Frozen

Crispy potato crust on the outside, creamy and soft on the inside, and lightly seasoned. Whipping up hash browns from frozen is perfect for breakfast or brunch!

Craving hash browns but don’t want to make homemade ones from scratch? Learn the best way to cook frozen hash browns! Only takes 15 minutes to cook, from start to finish, because the potatoes are so thin.

What Kind Of Hash Browns Do I Buy?

Look for uncooked “country style” hash brown potatoes or shredded potatoes in the freezer section with the other potatoes and french fries. If it’s not there, it might be with the frozen breakfast items. 

The frozen hash browns typically come in a 30-ounce bag. The six cups called for in this recipe is roughly half of a bag this size and makes four servings. The leftover frozen potatoes can be resealed and stored in the freezer for up to six months.

How To Cook Hash Browns From Frozen

The potatoes are first steamed, using the frozen water trapped inside and around the shredded potatoes to help thaw them, then aromatics are added. Here I’ve used salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, but you can add sauteed bell peppers and onions, breakfast meats, and any herbs you’d like in your mixture.

To make the hash browns from frozen shredded potatoes, preheat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes to the pan and cover them with a tight-fitting lid. Let this cook for about three minutes, and then stir to redistribute the potatoes. Cover the pan and let this cook for another minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients–the butter, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder, and stir until everything is well mixed. Cover this and let it cook for about three minutes. Give everything a good stir again and then bring the potatoes together to form a large potato “cake” without any gaps around the edges or middle of the potatoes. Gently press into the pan so that the potatoes take on the round shape of the pan.

A nonstick skillet will prevent the potatoes from sticking so they can keep their shape. The large “cake” shape is faster and easier to make than individual hash brown patties.

Let this cook uncovered for about 4 or 5 minutes more, or until crispy on the bottom. If you’re brave, or have a spatula as big as your pan, you can flip this and crisps the other side, but it’s not necessary. I prefer to turn the pan onto a wooden cutting board so that the crispy side of the hash browns are facing up, and then garnish and serve right from the board.

Serving Hash Browns

The hash brown potatoes can be served with sour cream, ketchup, or even Caesar dressing. Try them topped with fresh herbs like chives, parsley, thyme, or rosemary. Sometimes a sprinkle of shredded Cheddar cheese is nice too.

Complete your brunch with bacon or sausage and some scrambled eggs. Yum! If you are dreaming of hashbrowns and want to go in a different direction, you can also use frozen hashbrowns to make this Classic Hashbrown Casserole, or, you can use fresh potatoes to make this Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole From Scratch!

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