Hash Brown Patties (Better than McDonald's)

You shouldn't have to put on outside pants to get crispy and delicious Hash Brown Patties, and now you don't have to! Crispy on the outside, with creamy potato centers, they are just what you need for breakfast, or even in place of a baked potato with dinner.

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If there is one breakfast food that has my heart, it is a crispy, golden hash brown patty. Forget the drive-thru line - these homemade Hash Brown Patties give you that same iconic McDonald's crunch, but with a fresher, more flavorful homemade spin.

Crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and easy to make-ahead for wacky weekday mornings, these patties will make you wonder why you ever put on hard pants to drive to McD's.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Crispy - Golden brown and crunchy on the outside, just like the ones you get at the drive-thru.
• Creamy - Tender potato centers that make every bite delicious.
• Simple - Only a handful of ingredients and no fancy equipment required.
• Make-ahead - Form patties ahead of time, freeze, then cook when you're ready.
• Versatile - Perfect on their own, as the base of a gluten free avocado toast, tucked into a breakfast crunchwrap, or alongside scrambled eggs and crispy bacon.

Ingredients

With just a few pantry staples, you can make hash browns that rival your favorite fast-food breakfast joint. Please pretend that there are 2 tablespoons of flour in another tiny glass bowl in this picture. I forgot to include it and now I'm really full of potatoes and just can't make them again. I'll make more another day and take a picture, okay?

• Potatoes - For the crispiest hash brown patties, you want to use a good firm potato, and the best ones are plain old russet potatoes. If you can't find them, Eastern potatoes or yukon golds are your next best bets, in that order.
• Butter and oil - My Dad always used a combination of bacon fat and vegetable oil to make his hash browns. I clean it up a bit by swapping the bacon fat for butter... sometimes. You get the flavor of butter, but it doesn't burn as fast when added to oil. If you only want to use one fat, I would recommend using a neutral flavored vegetable oil such as canola or avocado oil. But bacon fat is always a choice, just saying.
• Salt and pepper - Season inside the potato patty for full flavor.
• Egg - I didn't want to make a potato omelette, that's a different recipe, so using one egg as a binder helped hold the hash brown strands together, without being eggy.
• Flour - Helps absorb liquid and hold patties together. Swap for cornstarch or potato starch if gluten-free.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Variations

Potatoes are a blank canvas that take on flavors so well. here are a few ways to zhuzh up this hash brown recipe:

• O'Brien potatoes - Mix in finely diced onions and bell peppers before cooking. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
• Waffle House style - Scatter them like a thin layer in the pan, then add cheese on top (covered) or ham chunks (chunked) for a Southern twist.

• Diner-style hash browns - Instead of patties you can make one big family sized hash brown or smaller individual hash brown patties. Scoop the seasoned potato mixture directly into a hot skillet and crisp on both sides for free-form diner-style browns. See below the main instructions for more info on how to make these.

Quick Recipe Video

Instructions

Shredding and rinsing and draining and squeezing the potatoes takes a little bit of work, and I won't be mad if you use refrigerated or frozen shredded potatoes, but I think it's worth it to try anything at least once. Anyway, as always, read all the instructions, look at the pretty process shots, and get started:

• Start by washing 1 ½ pounds of russet potatoes. Peeling is optional, but I prefer peeled potatoes for my hashbrowns.

Step 1: Use the grating disc of your food processor, or the large holes on a box grater, to grate your potatoes.

Step 2: Soak the shredded potatoes in ice cold water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch.

Step 3: Squeeze out handfuls of potatoes with your hands and place in the middle of a clean kitchen towel. Twist to remove as much liquid as possible.

Step 4: Place into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add one egg and 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix thoroughly.

Tools for Shaping Hash Browns

You can shape patties by hand, but if you want that neat, uniform McDonald's-style look, molds make all the difference. I tested a few options so you can see what works best:

• 3-inch ring cutter - Gives you perfectly round patties that cook evenly and look polished.
• Large mason jar lid - A budget-friendly hack that works just as well as a store-bought ring mold.
• Spam musubi mold - My personal favorite for that classic fast-food shape.

Scoop the potato mixture into any of these molds placed on a large sheet pan lined with parchment. Freezing for a short time before cooking helps the patties hold their shape when cooking.

Step 5: Line a baking sheet with parchment. Use your chosen mold or your hands to shape ¼-inch thick patties. Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes to firm them up.

Step 6: Heat a cast iron pan, or other heavy skillet, over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil. When the butter foams, add patties, cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook, uncovered until the bottom is golden and crisp, about another 4 minutes.

Place on a wire rack set in a large sheet pan lined with paper towel. Allow any excess oil to drain while you make the next batch.

Sprinkle with more salt and pepper and serve piping hot. Especially good with toast made from my one hour sandwich bread, some fried eggs, and crispy bacon. It's a classic breakfast for a reason

Making diner-style hash browns

If you want to make more traditional diner style hash browns add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of oil to a cast iron pan set over medium heat. When the butter melts and begins to foam, add your potatoes (all or individual scoops of potatoes) into the pan and flatten into a thin layer, about ¼ inch thick.

Cover and let cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Using a thin spatula, take a peek underneath. If they are browned to your liking, flip over, add about 1 more tablespoon of oil around the edges (it will seep under), cover and cook another 3 to 4 minutes, or to your desired brownness.

Cynthia's Helpful Tips

• Dry potatoes - The drier the shredded potatoes, the better the crisp. Take time to squeeze thoroughly. Seek out the biggest muscles in your house and put them to work.
• Shape firmly - Press the mixture tightly when forming patties so they hold together.
• Freeze briefly - A short freeze helps the patties keep their shape in the pan.
• Cook in batches - Do not overcrowd the skillet or they will steam instead of crisp.
• Serve immediately - These are best fresh from the pan when still hot and crunchy.

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