Find out how to make homemade hash browns entirely from scratch in just three simple steps. Enjoy the ease of pulling these hash browns out of the freezer for a super easy and healthy breakfast.
Making hash browns from scratch are a great way to avoid unnecessary starches and rancid oils. There's one ingredient in these frozen hash browns: potatoes, which makes it naturally Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
The best part about these hash browns is that it's almost effortless. Most recipes for crispy hash browns require soaking the shredded potatoes in cold water first, then rinsing, then squeezing them to remove as much moisture as possible.
We can avoid all of those steps simply by parboiling or partially cooking the potatoes first which will naturally remove a lot of moisture from these spuds. This post is full of very helpful information so try not to skip over and just get to the recipe.
Homemade Hash Browns
We go through potatoes pretty quickly around here. There's a myriad of ways to prepare them, from pan-frying them, to adding them to soups and breakfast casseroles. I even have a Pinterest board devoted strictly to potatoes because this is a food staple that is versatile and cost efficient.
Whether you're harvesting your own, or you snagged a few bags at a discount, freezing hash browns is a great way to preserve these spuds before they start sprouting and spoil.
Best Potatoes for Hash Browns
Yukon Golds are the best potatoes for hash brown patties because they hold their shape the best after being cooked. But starchier baking potatoes like Russets will give you a better crisp.
In my experience, I have found that when using the method below (cooking then freezing), the type of potatoes is less important than how you preserve them. The reason is because the potatoes are already parboil before being flash frozen, thereby reducing the moisture content significantly.
In short, all potatoes would work great for hash browns provided that you parboil them first.
How to Parboil Potatoes
Method 1: Parboil potatoes on stovetop or Instant Pot.
Parboiling is the process of partially boiling the potatoes just until they are fully cooked. This works for smaller batches and is super easy to do.
Place potatoes in a pot and cover with clean, cold water. Cover the pot with a lid and turn the stove to high heat. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat slightly to avoid the water boiling over and continue to boil for 7-10 minutes just until the fork or tip of a sharp knife goes in with slight resistance. Once cooked to desired doneness, remove boiled potatoes from heat and let them cool completely before handling them.
To cook in Instant Pot, place potatoes on a trivet with 1 cup of cold water. Close the lid and set the valve to sealing position. Press "Manual" and cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Yukon Golds usually need 5 minutes to parboil while Russets need the full 8 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow 5 minutes for natural pressure release, then move the seal valve to release remaining pressure. Remove potatoes from Instant Pot to and allow to cool completely before handling them.
Method 2: Baking potatoes in the oven.
This method is ideal for large batches because you can do 20 pounds at the same time, provided you have the baking pan to handle that quantity.
Clean and scrub the potatoes and poke them a few times with a fork. Place all potatoes on a baking sheet (I used similar to this one) in single layer. Bake at 350F degrees for 45 minutes or until just fork tender. You don't want to overcook them.
Remove potatoes from oven and allow to completely cool. You may then transfer them to the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. This will make the grating much easier.
How to Freeze Potatoes
The most practical way for our family to preserve potatoes is to partially cook them first and then freeze. Raw potatoes should never be frozen. It completely changes the texture and the potatoes become completely unpalatable. You must cook the potatoes first before freezing.
For detailed instructions, be sure to read this post in it's entirety for helpful hints and tips. But to freeze potatoes (i.e. preserve) or to make hash browns for easy breakfasts, the simple steps are as follows:
Step 1: Parboil the potatoes. There's two ways to do this easily as mentioned above and it will mostly depend on the quantity of potatoes that you are wanting to freeze.
Step 2: Chill the potatoes. This is an important step - do not skip!
Step 3: Shred or dice potatoes. Using a box grater or food processor, shred the potatoes. Alternatively, you can also dice into cubes.
Step 4: Freeze potatoes. Continue reading to learn about easy and efficient ways to freeze your prepared potatoes.
How to Make Homemade Hash Browns
Once the potatoes have been parboiled or parcooked in the oven, cool them just enough to peel the skin off with a paring knife. Sometimes, this step is easiest when the potatoes are still slightly warm but you need them to be cool enough to handle.
Allow the peeled potatoes to cool completely before proceeding with the next step. For better results, transfer your cooled potatoes to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Shred the chilled potatoes with a box grater, food processor, or Kitchen Aid attachment. Alternatively, you can also dice the potatoes into small cubes to be added to breakfast casseroles and/or hashes. Use this magic chopper to get the job done quicker.
Spread the shredded or diced potatoes in a large baking pan/sheet about ¾" thickness. For a large batch, cover the potatoes with a parchment paper and spread another layer of shredded/diced potatoes. You may do several layers depending on how deep your pan or sheet is. For a standard cookie sheet, two layers of shredded potatoes would be maximum. For a deeper pan like this one, you could probably do 4-5 layers.
Pop the pans/sheets in the freezer until the potatoes are completely frozen, at least 4 hours or overnight for best results. Break apart the potatoes and transfer to baggies or containers. These large 2-gallon reusable silicone bags are great for this purpose.
Homemade Hash Brown Patties
Want to take these hash browns one step further and make homemade hash brown patties instead? It's super easy to do and ideal if you're limited on freezer space (because frozen hash brown patties take less room than hash browns).
Using a wide-mouth mason jar lid (just the ring part), oil the inside of the ring with coconut oil or avocado oil and spoon few tablespoons of grated potatoes inside the ring. Press firmly (having oiled hands avoids potatoes sticking). Invert, remove the ring, and shape into ovals using hands. It's also fun to use cookie cutters instead and make fun shapes. Flash freeze in single layers using the same method as for hash browns, separating layers with parchment paper.
Transfer frozen hash brown patties into freezer bags or containers until ready to use.
Helpful Products Used in these Homemade Hash Browns
- Large stockpot with cover or Instant Pot - to parboil the potatoes if using Method 1 above.
- Pans or sheets to bake potatoes if using Method 2. You may also use a standard baking sheet or the glass casserole pans. Use whatever you have at home but I personally always prefer to cook food in either glass or stainless steel.
- Box grater or food processor similar to this one - this will make the grating of the potatoes much easier. Use the food processor for big jobs.
- Vegetable chopper for easy dicing of the potatoes.
- Parchment paper - to separate the layers of potatoes in the pan/sheet. Alternatively, you may use foil or even paper towels to get this step done.
- Large reusable freezer bags - these are great 2-gallon size but a standard 1 gallon ziploc bags will work just as well.
How to Make Crispy Homemade Hash Browns
Hash browns are typically used in recipes in three different ways: casseroles, skillets, or as oven.
Casseroles: If using them in a casserole, it's best to thaw hash browns first and drain excess liquid. Keep in mind, this thawed moisture will be minimal because the potatoes are partially cooked anyways and this will be a natural result of freezing/thawing process.
Skillet or Hash: If cooking them straight on a skillet or for a breakfast hash, frozen works fine. Be sure the skillet is warm/hot and very well seasoned with butter or another cooking fat. Add enough hash browns to cover the surface of the skillet. Let the potatoes fry, without disturbing until golden brown on the bottom (3-5 minutes). Season lightly with salt and other seasonings, then using a wide spatula, flip potatoes in sections. Add more butter or cooking oil as needed.
Oven: Thaw shredded or diced hash browns and drain excess liquid first. Spread the hash browns evenly on a baking sheet and bake in a 450F degree oven for 10-12 minutes, but watch them closely. The frozen patties do not need to be thawed. They can be baked in the oven at 350 F degrees for 40 minutes or until golden, flipping them halfway.
Recipes with Hash Browns
Sheet Pan Breakfast with Kale, Bacon and Hash Brown (Whole30)
Pulled Pork Breakfast Skillet (Whole30, Paleo)
Garnish with fresh or dried parsley for a finishing touch.
Homemade Hash Browns - How to Make and Freeze Hash Browns From Scratch
How to Make Homemade Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 18 Yukon Gold potatoes or Russet baking potatoes
Instructions
Partially Cook Potatoes
- Scrub potatoes clean. Prick a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape.
- Stovetop Method: cover potatoes with clean, cold water in a large stockpot. Cover the pot with lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly, remove lid and continue to boil for 7-10 minutes or until tip of sharp knife goes in with slight resistance.
- Instant Pot Method: place potatoes on a trivet and add one cup of cold water. Close the lid and set the valve to sealing position. Press "manual" and cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on size of potatoes. Gold potatoes need 5 minutes while russets need the full 8. Once cooking cycle is complete, release pressure naturally for 5 minutes, followed by quick pressure release.
- Oven Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place cleaned potatoes on a baking sheet in single layer. Bake for 30-45 minutes just until fork tender.
- Once potatoes have been cooked, remove them from pot or pan to stop the cooking process.
- When cooled just enough to handle, peel skin with a paring knife.
- Allow potatoes to completely cool and then transfer to the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight for best results.
Making and Freezing Hash Browns
- Shred the previously cooked and chilled potatoes with a box grater, food processor, or dice into small cubes with a sharp knife or vegetable chopper.
- Spread the shredded potatoes on a large baking sheet about ¾" thickness. Cover with a piece of parchment paper and spread another layer of shredded potatoes.
- Continue with the remaining potatoes, making sure to keep the layers at ¾" thickness with parchment paper in between.
- Transfer the shredded/diced potatoes to the freezer until completely frozen.
- Once fully frozen, break apart and store in a large freezer bag or freezer safe container.
Making Frozen Hash Brown Patties
- Using well oiled wide-mouth mason jar lids (just the ring part) or cookie cutters, spoon a few tablespoons of shredded potatoes and press firmly.
- Invert, remove the ring or cutter and using hands shape into desired shape.
- Carefully transfer patties to sheets in single layer, using parchment paper between layers if needed.
- Transfer to freezer and freeze well.
Notes
- You may use this method with any amount of potatoes. Use stovetop or Instant Pot for smaller quantities and oven for larger batches.
- Chill potatoes in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to make shredding/dicing easier.
- When using hash browns in oven (i.e. casseroles), it's best to thaw first and drain excess liquid. No need to thaw when cooking on skillet.
If you liked this recipe, please consider rating the recipe and leaving a comment below. Also, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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Note: This post was originally published March 2016 but has since been updated to include helpful information.
Other Helpful Posts You Might Like:
Why Every Kitchen Needs a Hydration Station and How to Make One
DIY Soaking & Sprouting Lid for Mason Jars
Andrea Wyckoff says
This is such a great idea! I love how it makes cooking breakfast that much easier as all the hash brown prep is already out of the way. Thanks for sharing your techniques!
Anya says
Thanks Andrea. It definitely makes breakfast easy peasy. 🙂
chris nault says
I put my potatoes in the microwave for 2 minutes, let them cool and use the processor, then put them in muffin pans to freeze.
Kim says
Do the pre-made frozen patties fall apart when cooking in a skillet as they thaw since there isn’t anything binding them together? When I make them fresh, I squeeze liquid out and then add flour and spices. I’m curious if I need to do this as well and THEN freeze or will they maintain their “patty” shape?
Anya says
Hi Kim,
Because the potatoes are already cooked when making patties, they retain their shape during cooking fairly well. There's no liquid in the cooked potatoes so the risk of them falling apart is low. Enjoy!
Bettyjean Yoachum says
Can you do zucchini this way to
Anya says
I haven't tried but would not recommend because they have higher water content.
Kim says
For zucchini I just cub or shredded and put into a freezer bag. I do not cool before and I do not ring out any extra water. All that I have froze are doing just fine. When I defrosted, I will drain the liquid that comes from the defrost.
Renee Kohley says
Wow! This is flippin' genius! Ha! Great idea! I always boil potatoes for hash the night before but sheesh! This extra step of shred and freeze would totally free up those evenings for me! Nice! Thank you!
Anya says
Yes - I know - I always see you post on IG about your easy peasy breakfasts that were prepped the night before. Same concept, this is just in bulk.
Megan Stevens says
This is amazing! You rock. Wow! Cool and inspiring!
Anya says
Thank you Mega. 🙂
Elizabeth Bentley-Sanford says
How do I cook these in the oven??
Anya says
Hi Elizabeth, I have instructions in the post. 🙂
Marjorie says
This is such a great idea and I love that it's pretty easy to do. A stocked freezer makes me happy!
Anya says
Me too. 🙂
linda spiker says
Fabulous tutorial! Pinned!
Elaina says
Wow, 50 lbs of potatoes is pretty epic, LOL! I didn't know that you couldn't freeze raw potatoes. Thanks for the tip. Pinning this for later, since this will come in handy next time potatoes are on sale (they DO sprout so quickly). 🙂
Anya says
Or like when you happen to have 50 pounds in your back pocket. 😉
anna@greentalk says
I love freezer ideas. I never realized I could bake them and then store them!
Carol Little says
Potatoes! Definitely a favourite 'food group'.
Confess to be right up there with you ~ re your passion for taters!!
Thanks for sharing this idea.. May just need to try it out!
Sylvie says
Such a smart idea for using up extra potatoes before they go bad!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
This is such an amazing idea!!! I love that they're just waiting in the freezer. So helpful getting all of that prep done.
Matt Cardoza says
Yeah, thanks for taking the time to share…
Raia says
This is really making me wish I could eat potatoes! I LOVE hash browns.... Thanks for sharing this at Savoring Saturdays, Anya. 🙂
Anya says
Sorry Raia - I know you're on GAPS right now....Stay focused, don't let my stash of taters derail you. 🙂
Gena LoGalbo-Ostby says
Do you think this would work the same for sweet potato hash browns?
Anya says
Yes! In fact, I've made this with sweet potatoes as well with great success!
Mandy says
Good to know. My husband and I have probably eaten more sweet potatoes in the last year than in the last two decades. Who knew how good they are once you ditch the marshmallows and candied nuts that traditionally afflict them at Thanksgiving?
Summer says
I love sweet potatoes! I cant stand them with the marshmallows. I did try a recipe with butter, apple juice, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little maple syrup to fancy them up for Christmas. They were great! Usually I just have them with butter.
Kyla Matton Osborne (#RubyWriter) says
We used to have a source for 50-lb bags of potatoes, so I can identify with wanting to find ways to use them up before they spoil. This is such a simple way to process hashbrowns. Now I know what to do the next time I snag a large amount of potatoes!
Anya says
Oh I know. It's great to have a way to preserve produce before it goes bad.
Lauren says
GREAT idea! I'm def going to do this!
daytodayMOMents says
Very cool idea. Our potatoes never spoil here. lol But this is great for making meals faster on busy days. 🙂
Anya says
It is - they're easy to toss on a skillet for quick meal.
Ashleigh says
Yum, this recipe looks wonderful! I love hashbrowns. Thank you for sharing this delish recipe.
Rachel says
Effortless breakfast unlocked!
Aileen says
I have never thought to freeze hash browns! I'm getting ready to stock my extra freezer in preparation for baby number three and I'm adding this to my list.
Kirstian says
This is brilliant! Where do you buy the wholesale groceries? I have a 14 year old that is over 6ft already. ?
Anya says
Oh my! That sounds like my almost 14-year old. 🙂 We have a local warehouse where we can establish "house accounts" and purchase organic produce at wholesale prices. You may look into "wholesale distributors" in your area and see if you can find one.
joanna says
Hi Ms Anya,
Would it be fine if i boil my potatoes instead of baking them? This idea is a 100% life saver. Thanks and more power to you.
Anya says
Yes, I think that would be fine, Joanna. But be sure not to overcook them though. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Jeannie says
This looks like a great technique! I appreciate the thorough description! I am using supersized Costco russets and I’m afraid of undercooking them, even at 8 minutes. Do you have any suggestions on whether the cooking time would need to be increased? These potatoes are massive - 1 lb 6 oz. Thanks!
Anya says
Hi Jeannie,
Those large russets do need a little more time - I would put them in for 10 minutes. That should be enough. Enjoy!
Shana Trahan says
How do you think it would work for *homefries* style hashbrowns? I usually cube my raw potatoes and pan fry them.
Anya says
Yes, I've done that too with great success. Just cube them after they've been cooked and flash freeze them like the hash browns.
Sharon West says
Love the idea! But you "bake at 350 for 1". 1 what? 1 hour?
Anya says
Yep! 1 hour. Sorry about that. Just fixed it.
lisa says
It is December and the 1 is not fixed!
Anya says
Lisa,
It was fixed in the recipe card. 🙂 But you're right - the text still had just 1. All good now. xo
leland mah says
hello and Thank you for your tips. i think there should be a way to use the potato skins. it seems too be such a waste of food. what about freezing the skins in the half shape to load up as a boat for lunch or a snack using left over taco filling or even ham n cheese? egg salad? cut into fingers and use for a baked potato chips? has anybody tried anything ? thank you leland
Anya says
Yes, you are correct - it does seem like such a waste. I bet toasted potato skins would be delicious. Toss them in some high-heat fat (bacon grease would be ahhhhhmazing), add minced garlic, parsley and bake until nice and toasted. I'll have to try this next time I make these hash browns. Thanks for the idea!!
Giselle B says
Potato skins are a delicacy in Glasgow, Scotland. I airfry mine with chilli flakes, sea salt, smoky Paprika tossed in a little bit of olive oil.. great for dips.
Sue says
Do you season the potatoes before freezing? If so, with what? Thank you!!
Anya says
I don't. I season them in recipes but not for freezing.
Teresa says
How many would I need for just about a weeks worth of hash browns? I don't need 50 lbs of potatoes right now. What about other shapes? Would this work on something like fries? Thanks.
Anya says
Hi Teresa,
That depends on how much hash browns you consume in a week. You can do as much or as little as needed. I have not tried freezing fries but I imagine they would work the same since you're pre-cooking the potatoes anyways. As long as they are still small in size and fried/browned, they should work but I haven't tried it myself. I'll test it out and will report back. 😉
Melanie says
I did this several years ago when I had half of a 100# sack left and they were starting to sprout. I peeled & shredded them in my food processor and rinsed the starch off. Then I put them into boiling water to parboil using several large spoonfuls at a time. By the time I had them in the water it was time to take them out so put them in a colander for draining & cool. Put a clean dishtowel in the bottom of a large flat pan & dump drained spuds in. When you have your amount finished, put into zip lock bags , flatten, and find different areas of freezer (don't stack & freeze) to freeze faster. Stack or put them in a container later. I did french fries, sliced, diced, everything I could think of. As long as pieces aren't too thick, parboiling works too. A funny aside: hubby thought it was too much trouble to parboil so skipped this when he wanted to do this, but, as I'd thought, they turned black....lesson learned. 🙁 You can tell'em but sometimes you can't tell'em much. lol
Anya says
Yes!!! That parboiling step is super important. Good for you for saving that sack of potatoes - what a great way to use them up in variety of ways. . Thanks for your comment, Melanie. 🙂
Becky says
Should they be as cooked as a. Asked potato you were going to eat as a baked potato, or less cooked than that?
Becky says
As a "baked" potato
Anya says
Slightly less cooked than that. Baked potato has to have very soft flesh but these potatoes need to have a slight bite to them as you will be cooking them afterwards in recipes. 🙂
M-LA says
I have a sort of dumb question...I just don't work with potatoes all that often. After this process, could you theoretically thaw them, reheat them, and then make mashed potatoes out of them? Or does the whole freezing process change the constitution of the potato too much? Were you to try this, would you save the liquid from thawing or still dump it and go from that point?
Anya says
Actually that's a good question - I hadn't thought of that myself but honestly, I wouldn't bother making mashed potatoes after freezing them. The texture would not be pleasant because the starch in the potatoes are destroyed. 🙂
Kim says
You can always scrub and peel cube and can them !!! Awesome !!!! I either found recipe with ball book or internet.I canned 150 as they produced from garden. Can always buy from grocery store
Marshall Reagan says
how would you make tater tots?
Anya says
You can shape them into tater tots and freeze drying them (laying out flat in single layer - without touching each other). Alternatively, you can make patties as shown in picture. Works wonderful!
Kaleigh says
Hey there! I love your idea about making hashbrowns that can be frozen! However, I recently took some food safety classes and I saw a red flag with your recipe. When cooling baked potatoes, it is essential that cooling is done quickly and thoroughly. A baked potato that sits between 40 and 140 degrees F is a major breeding ground for botulism- - incredibly deadly and tasteless. It might be appropriate to add and ice-bath or blast chilling your recipe.
Anya says
Thanks Kaleigh for your note. As with most recipes and techniques online, I'm assuming that the reader will take appropriate precautions as far as food safety goes. I am comfortable leaving the potatoes overnight to cool at room temperature as I have done that many times with no ill effects but our house is on the cooler side anyways.But I will consider adding chilling instructions to the recipe. Thanks for the suggestion Kaleigh. 🙂
Laura says
Botulism grows in an oxygen free environment. I don't think it's an issue here. Still a good idea to take proper precautions for food safety, of course, but I don't think botulism is a potential issue with potatoes on a counter.
Chris says
What type of potato do you recommend? Red or white aka baking type?
Anya says
Hi Chris,
I used Yukon potatoes and russets with great success. Can't vouch for red.
Anna says
Hi! How long will these potato’s stay fresh in the freezer?
Anya says
Since they are frozen, they generally can last for weeks and even months but it will depend on how you package them and your freezer. Try to release as much air from the freezer bags as possible to avoid freezer burn. Enjoy!
Jeri says
Now that there are only 2 of us in the home, even a 5 lb. bag of potatoes goes bad. Phew! When I saw this I ran our & got a 10 lb. bag & followed your instructions. Super easy. I made portioned bags of hash browns, scallop potatoes, & french fries. Easy Peasy! Even saved a few for mashed potatoes. No more wasted potatoes.
Anya says
So great to hear, Jeri! Enjoy those taters! 🙂
Lisa bradley says
Do you have to peel potatoes first . Or just scrub them which I think scrubbing them means to clean them ?
Anya says
Hi Lisa,
Scrubbing is cleaning them. Just scrub them very well and they're good to go. No need to peel them.
Kris says
Thank you for this! I live in the boonies and they are predicting lots of snow. I just did 25# and I am so glad to have them in my freezer in case we get snowed in.
Christine C says
Just made these the other night and had a blast putting them through the kitchenaid processor bc it just shredded the heck out of them. thanks for this. I can't wait to make some HB this weekend.
Anya says
That's awesome Christine! Enjoy!
Marceil says
I've been making freezer hash browns for years. When I place the shredded potatoes on the cookie sheet, I score them using a spatula, then freeze. It makes them easier to break apart. I also add grated/diced onion to my hash browns prior to freezing.
Anya says
Those are great suggestions! Thank you Marceil!
Lisa Christensen says
Marceil,
This is great. I would lime to do onions and peppers in mine. Can you put in hash browns raw?
Anya says
Hi Lisa,
I would not freeze hash browns raw because the texture won't be right when thawed. You have to par-boil the potatoes first.
Susan says
Hashbrown recipe is great !!! Thanks.
Anya says
That's awesome, Susan!
Joan says
Whenever I bake potatoes.i doa few extras then put them in the frig. When I want to make hash browns, I chop up, skin and all, and cook in the skillet.
Melany Heaslip-Thomas says
Thank you for this. My husband and I buy hashbrowns and the last half freezer burn. I bought a food saver and this is pure genius. I can portion them and not toss any away. I have a Kitchen Aid with every attachment known to man and God and that includes a shredder. I’ll be shredding this afternoon. Once again thank you. This is cheaper than the bags and I’ll know what is on my food.
Melany Heaslip-Thomas says
Sorry didn’t leave a rating. Website? What do I need to put here?
Dolores says
When par boiling the potatoes, is the hot water drained off, and then let the potatoes cool to handle? It was not mentioned in the instructions, and cannot be assumed. Thank you.
Anya says
Hi Dolores,
As mentioned in the post: "Once cooked to desired doneness, remove boiled potatoes from heat and let them cool completely before handling them." and likewise Steps 5, 6, and 7 in the recipe card.
Doris Bales says
I wash and shred my potatoes into the bowl of my lettuce spinner (that has been filled with water). Then rinse to wash the starch off. Spin then put in the microwave and cook till almost done. This is when I fry them but would be time to freeze. Never frozen potatoes before thanks for the idea. (I don't peel just scrub and then shred).
Jacie says
Thank you! Got a bunch of potatoes from the farmers this week and am excited about putting them to good use!
Giselle B says
I like this idea.. thank you!
RODMAN C THOMPSON says
I FOUND IT A MITE DIFFICULT TO SHRED THE SPUDS WITHOUT MASHING THEM. MAYBE MY FOOD PROCESSOR WAS AT FAULT; BUT, BY COOKING THEN REFRIGERATING THEM, THEY MASHED MORE THAN SHREDDED. I THINK SHREDDING THEM FIRST MAINTAINS THE HASH BROWN TEXTURE. I LIKE THE IDEA OF PARBOILING THEM AFTER SHREDDING SO TO FREEZE THEM WITHOUT TURNING BLACK. WAS GIVEN 50 LBS FROM LOCAL FOOD BANK WHAT COULDNT GIVE THEM AWAY! THEY ARE IN FREEZER AS I WRITE!! AM ON THE LOOKOUT FOR AN OLD FRENCH FRY BASKET TO PARBOIL THEM EN MASSE I LIKE THE MANY OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO UTILIZE THE SPUDS! GREAT IDEA!!
ron kasper says
My baby quisinart shredded great. It was the first time using the shredder. I think the cool down is the key to nice shredding. The softness that results after the light bake makes them shred easy. The Machine does not work hard shredding the softer spud. I am not going to shred first because it is extra hard on the machine. I like the idea of shredding first to avoid the black issue.
Leware says
Thanks for such a good idea!
ron kasper says
I will try all the different techniques. So far I did the oven method and the overnight cool down option. The potatoes turned black overnight. I had to peel off all the black and brown with a peeler before I did the shredding. I ended up with a nice looking product going into the freezer. Not sure why I had so much black and brown blemishing overnight. Next time I will do the stock pot boil method and pat dry them as the cool down. I think the 4 hour fridge cool down instead of overnight may help me. The shredding worked great after the cool down using my small cuisinart processor. Thanks for your help.
David J Reilley says
Two questions: Can you vacuum seal the hash brown.?
Can you add onions and green pepper to the hash brown before freezing?
Anya says
Hi David,
Yes, you can vacuum seal the hash browns. I have not tried adding the onions and green peppers but given that they are raw and the hash browns are par-cooked, I would not. The cooking time would be different for those items.
Kim says
This was an epic fail for me. Not sure where I went wrong-so many places to make mistakes... but I could tell when I shredded them that they would turn to mush when cooked.
The shreds seemed so thin even after freezing. I used my box grater.
They seemed to retain a lot of moisture so that when they were thawed and then cooked-basically became mashed potatoes. A bummer for sure.
Adrian says
I used russets and the boiling method. I started the timer for ten minutes as soon as the water started to boil. I removed the potatoes from the pot to towels on the counter with a slotted spoon. I let them cool for about an hour before peeling. I then cooled in the fridge for the minimum of four hours. This was only a five pound bag, so you may need to do longer if you have huge amounts like above. They shredded great in the food processor. My original plan was to shed and throw in the freezer. I am so glad I googled it first! Thank you!
Ash says
The first description says to bake at 350, but the instructions say 425. Which is correct?
Anya says
Hi Ash,
Sorry for the confusion. You want to bake the potatoes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Thanks for that - fixing now!
Canadian mama says
Hi Anya,
Do you think I could add some salt and pepper, and spices before I freeze my hash browns?
Anya says
I would not advise as salt will pull out more moisture from the potatoes. They may not turn out as crispy as you'd like them too.
Jul says
Thank you for all the deets! You answered questions I didn't even have yet 🙂
Nancy E All says
I boiled mine for just about 10 minutes. I did 10 potatoes. I put them in the fridge until they were cold. I peeled 2 at a time shredded them in my kitchen aid food processor. Made it go really fast. I flash froze them on a cookie sheet . I have a food saver so I now have 5 bags in the freezer. I freeze a lot of stuff so my food saver comes in handy.
Cindy says
This method of making hash browns out of my homegrown potatoes that are starting to sprout is the best. This is the second January I have done this and they are the best hash browns. Thank you for posting this and with such detailed instructions. I would have lost most of my potatoes or had to eat them morning noon and night to use them up. Before I found this post I was giving them to my chickens. I'm not sure but I think they were running the other way when they saw me coming with yet more potatoes.
Anya says
I'm so glad Cindy!! Thank you for your review!
Sky says
My potatoes have a lot of brown from the (oxidizing?) in the fridge overnight. Are they still safe to freeze and eat?
Anya says
Hi Sky,
Yes, they are totally safe to eat even though they may not look pretty. You are correct to think that this is from oxidizing and it happens to cooked potatoes as well as raw. Just shred/dice and freeze as quickly as you can and store in an airtight bag or container.
Bonnie Stromberg says
Such a good way to use potatoes before they go bad and we love hash browns! Will use this recipe again. Thanks.
Teri says
This is a great idea and process! I will certainly try it out!
Verna & Daryl Baker says
Thank you for your recipe of making hash browns from scratch!.
Brenda says
I live in a country that does not frozen has browns. We have small refrigerators and freezers . I don't have a large freezer to flash freeze. Can I just put them in a seal-a-bag and freeze them?
Thank you
Anya says
Hi Brenda! You want to flash freeze them first flat in thing layer. Then once frozen, break them apart and transfer to freezer-safe bags. Otherwise, they will become one big lump of potatoes and will be hard to work with.
NoSunHere says
I always shred, then blanch. I tried it this way today...FAIL. Par cooked potatoes do not shred well at all compared to raw!
Anya says
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you - the key is to not overcook the potatoes.
Linda says
Have used both methods parboil and baked. Both work real well and I love having the potatoes on hand.
Pam says
Please share how you keep the potatoes from turning brown in the freezer. Mine always turn brown. Thanks!!
Anya says
Hi Pam, I don't run into that. Are you par cooking the potatoes first or freezing them raw? That is typically a problem with raw potatoes.
Kristy Anderson says
Can I use sweet potatoes with this recipe?
Anya says
Hi Kristy,
Yes - give it a try. I don't see why it wouldn't work (though I haven't tried it myself). As long as you parboil the potatoes first, it should freeze and thaw no problem.
De Rose says
What about carrots how do you prepare them to put in the freezer
Anya says
I have not tried carrots but I think if you parboil them first, they should freeze well.
Linda Rougeau says
I made them today ( Feb 19 / 24 )
Made them a few years back .. loved them then , but thought I would let people know … easy pesy …thank you !!
Anya says
So great to hear Linda!
Gabby says
I have made these twice now and they are great and easy. I put them on silpat baking mats so they are easier to remove and break up.
Anya says
That's an excellent idea, Gabby!