The BEST Crispy Hash Browns are worth a little extra work to spice up your breakfast in the morning! These are extra crispy and finished in bacon grease for a salty savory side!

Make your breakfast a million times better by adding these to a sandwich like The Italian Breakfast SandwichorPeppers and Eggs Sandwich.

Looking for more breakfast sides to try? Make our EASY Ricotta Bruschetta orMascarpone Toast with Lox.

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Why this Recipe

Are you looking for crispy?

Hash browns are such an easy recipe to make and for some reason, I spent most of my life not eating them. All hash browns are not created equally though. Some are soft and stringy, while others are crunchy and crispy. No shade at softer hash browns but they're just not for me.

This recipe yields very crispy diner-style hash browns seasoned perfectly with garlic and paprika and finished with bacon grease. It's the perfect addition to a spectacular brunch with eggs and Lemon Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Potatoes. I use Yukon gold potatoes because they aren't as starchy as russet potatoes. Even though russet potatoes are the quintessential hash brown potato, I don't like the way that they stay kind of stringy in hash browns. Yukon golds tend to be creamier and will sort of melt into each other even when they are crispy.

*Please see more notes about ingredients below in the recipe card.

How to make Crispy Hash Browns

Step 1: Rinse and peel the potatoes.

Step 2: Grate potatoes on the largest hole of your grater.

Step 3: Place the potatoes in a colander and rinse thoroughly for 2-3 minutes. The water should run clear.

Step 4: Place your potatoes in a cheesecloth and squeeze all the water out of them. The drier the better. You can use paper towels if necessary.

Frying potatoes in a flat layer in the frying pan.

Step 5: Bring a large saucepan to medium heat. Add olive oil. Lay the potatoes out in a single thin layer. You'll need to do 2 batches.

Layer of hash browns, seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, and salt.

Step 6: Season the hash browns with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Let them fry for 5-8 minutes until you see the edges start to crisp up. Do not touch them.

Hash browns flipped over in pan and crispy.

Step 7: Flip the hashbrowns over, add 2 tablespoon of butter or bacon grease, and fry for another 5 minutes. Season again with salt. Then remove from the heat.

Pro-Tips

It is essential to dry potatoes with a cheesecloth or paper towels after you grate them to get a crispy finish. The more moisture in the potatoes, the soggier they will be.
Once you lay the layer of potatoes on the pan, do not touch them under any circumstance. Let them crisp up. Look for the edges to turn golden brown before you flip them.
Adding the bacon drippings after you flip the hash browns will help get the bottom side nice and crispy too.

Recipe FAQs

Do you have to use bacon grease in hash browns?

No, you can use butter or olive oil to fry the hashbrowns. Animal fat tends to give you the crispiest hashbrowns though.

How do you reheat hashbrowns so they stay crispy?

In a pan on medium-high heat, lightly cover the pan in olive oil. Place your hash browns in there without moving it. Let it fry for a few minutes then flip it.

How do you make crispy hash browns not soggy?

Drying out the potatoes is the most important step in getting crispy hash browns. Then fry at a higher heat and don't add the potatoes to the pan until the oil is hot. Once the potatoes are on the pan, don't touch them until the edges crisp up.