These air fryer hash browns are the ideal brunch side dish. They require much less oil than hash browns made on the stove-top, and they're so much fresher and tastier than frozen hash browns.
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If you don't have an air fryer, you'll never regret getting one. Food made in an air fryer is lighter than food fried in oil, but it's still delightfully crispy and crunchy. Fewer calories plus same great taste equals winning!
The best hash browns are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle; that's why your air fryer is the perfect appliance for making restaurant style hash brown patties. Air fryers circulate hot air around food, ensuring a crispy, crunchy exterior, and that's what great hash browns are all about. Plus, they're so easy to make. All you need to do is grate the potatoes, soak them and pop them in your air fryer.
Serve them with my fluffy vegan pancakes or my favorite Just Egg French Toast for a fantastic weekend breakfast or brunch.
Related Post: Vegan Full English Breakfast
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- Hash brown patties made in the air fryer have much less oil than pan fried hash browns.
- You can serve them alongside an omelet and vegan bacon for the perfect diner style breakfast.
- By making homemade hash browns, you skip all the additives and preservatives you get in frozen hash brown patties.
- This recipe is vegan and free of refined sugar. You can also make it gluten free by substituting gluten free breadcrumbs for the panko breadcrumbs.
🛒Ingredients
You only need six simple ingredients to make the crispiest air fryer hash browns imaginable.
- Potatoes: Yukon Golds work very well here as they have the right starch content to keep your air fryer hash browns from falling apart. You could also use Russet or Idaho potatoes.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil (just a small amount) will ensure that your hash browns come out nice and crispy. For more information on the sustainability issues surrounding olive oil, see this post: Is Olive Oil Vegan? The Answer Might Surprise You
- Red Onion: Adds a bit of color and crunch. If you don't like the taste of onions, obviously omit this.
- Garlic Powder: Garlicky hash browns are the best! This is one of those rare instances where I don't recommend using fresh garlic. It burns in the air fryer quite quickly, so garlic powder is the best choice.
- Onion Powder: Onion powder adds a tangy note.
- Salt: Brings all the flavors together and intensifies them.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs soak up any excess liquid, meaning that you end up with crispier hash browns.
👨🍳How To Make Air Fryer Hashbrown
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and set it aside.
- Peel your potatoes, and grate them. You can use a box grater, or you can use the shredder attachment on your food processor.
- Now, transfer your shredded potatoes to the bowl of water and let them rest for twenty minutes. Soaking your potatoes in water removes the excess starch, which means you'll achieve maximum crispness.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 F (200 C).
- Drain and rinse the potatoes, wipe out the bowl with a paper towel and put the potatoes back into the bowl. Pop them in the microwave for three minutes. This will cook them just enough to ensure that your hash brown patties come out tender in the middle.
- Once you've microwaved the potatoes, tip them out onto a paper towel or clean tea towel. Cover them with another paper towel and squeeze out any excess water. If you're using a tea towel, squeeze as much water out as you can.
- Wipe out the bowl again and put your potatoes in the bowl. Now, add the chopped red onion, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and panko bread crumbs. Stir until everything is well combined and your shredded potatoes are evenly coated in the spices and oil.
- Spray your air fryer basket with a bit of oil to prevent sticking, and shape your potatoes into small disk shapes. If you want perfectly shaped hash browns, you can use a round cookie cutter to shape them.
- Lay the hash browns patties in a single layer in the air fryer. You may need to cook them in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook your air fryer hash brown patties for 15 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point.
Variations
You can use this air fryer hash browns recipe as a template. Get creative and make your hash browns your own. Here's a few ideas:
- Spicy Southwest Hash Browns:
- Mix in ½ cup of diced bell peppers and jalapeños for a kick.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning into the potato mixture for a Southwestern flair.
- Mushroom and Herb Hash Browns:
- Sauté 1 cup of finely chopped mushrooms until they release their moisture, then add them to the shredded potatoes.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon of dried herbs like thyme or rosemary for a savory touch.
- Mexican-Inspired Hash Browns:
- Mix in ½ cup of corn kernels and 1 teaspoon of cumin for a Mexican flavor profile.
- Serve with a side of guacamole or salsa for a fresh kick.
🍽️Serving Suggestions
- These hash browns would be a fabulous addition to a brunch. Serve with my vegan quiche and a fresh spinach salad.
- There's nothing quite as good as hash browns and vegan bacon!
- Make a vegan breakfast sandwich with Just Egg and hash browns. Sandwich it between two English muffins or crumpets and slather with ketchup.
- Drizzle your hash browns with my easy vegan cheese sauce.
- I like to eat air fryer hash browns with a great cup of coffee.
- Serve these air fryer hash browns with a tofu scramble for a classic weekend breakfast.
⏰Making Air Fryer Hash Browns Ahead of Time
Hash browns are one of those breakfast dishes that you make for special breakfasts and brunches. You can make these air fryer hash browns ahead of time, and then just pop them in your air fryer to cook right before your meal. Here's how:
- Follow the recipe through step 6.
- In Step 7, swap the olive oil for vegan butter. Vegan butter will coat the grated potatoes and help prevent discoloration. Add the spices as directed in the recipe.
- Shape the potatoes into disks as directed in the recipe, and spread them out on a plate. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the potatoes and store in the fridge overnight.
- When ready to cook, let the hash browns come to room temperature for a few minutes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Air fry the hash browns in a single layer, flipping halfway through, for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
❄️Storage Instructions
Refrigerator:
- Store leftover hash browns in an airtight container.
- Place them in the refrigerator, and they'll stay fresh for 3-5 days.
Freezer:
- For freezing, line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the hash browns out evenly.
- Freeze for 2 hours or until solid.
- Transfer the frozen hash browns to an airtight container or freezer bag.
- Label and date the container.
- They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When reheating, whether from the fridge or freezer, you can use the air fryer again for a crisp texture. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use frozen shredded hash browns to make air fryer hash browns! Simply thaw the frozen hash browns, and then follow the recipe by skipping the steps related to shredding and soaking the potatoes. Adjust the cooking t
Several factors could affect the crispiness of your hash browns. First, make sure you've squeezed out as much moisture as possible from the shredded potatoes after soaking. Excess water can hinder crispiness. Additionally, ensure your air fryer is preheated, and the hash browns are spread in a single layer with enough space for proper airflow. Lastly, consider spraying the hash browns with a bit more cooking spray before air frying for an extra crisp finish.
Soaking the potatoes helps remove excess starch, which can prevent the hash browns from becoming gummy and aids in achieving crispiness. While you technically can skip soaking, it may impact the texture of your hash browns. If you're short on time, try to soak them for at least 10-15 minutes to achieve better results.
Craving More Easy Vegan Recipes?
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Breakfast Potatoes In The Air Fryer
Full English Breakfast - Vegetarian
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Hash browns From Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes *about 4 potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and set aside.
- Peel the potatoes and shred them with a box grater or the shredder attachment of a food processor.
- Put the shredded potatoes in the bowl of water and let them rest for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200° C).
- Drain and rinse the potatoes. Wipe the bowl out with a paper towel, and put the potatoes back in the bowl. Microwave them for 3 minutes.
- Transfer the potatoes to a paper towel or a clean tea towel.. Cover them with another paper towel and squeeze out any excess water. If using a tea towel, squeeze as much water out as you can.
- Transfer the shredded potatoes back to the bowl and add the olive oil, chopped red onion, garlic powder, onion powder and breadcrumbs.
- Spray your air fryer with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Shape the mixture into individual disks shapes and put them in the air fryer in a single layer. You might need to work in batches, depending on how big your air fryer is.
- Air fry for 15 minutes, flipping once half way through.
Notes
- Store leftover hash browns in the fridge in an airtight container. They'll stay fresh for 3-5 days.
- To freeze hash brown patties, line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the hash browns out evenly on the tray. Freeze for 2 hours. Transfer the hash browns to an airtight container (or freezer bag), and freeze for up to 3 months.
Lucas
It turned out perfectly crispy and delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Keri Bevan
Hi Lucas, Glad you enjoyed the shiitake mushrooms:)
Geetanjali
These light air-fryer hashbrowns were delicious. Soaking potatoes was a great idea to remove excess starch. Thanks
Julie
This air fryer hash browns recipe is just perfect thank you. 😀
Linda
Yay for air fryers! These are delicious and crispy...and love your tip for using a mold to get perfectly round/sized hash browns. I'm going to try these as appetizers next time...with little toppings!
Keri Bevan
Hi Linda! I love that idea!!
Angela
Was my first time trying to make hash browns, and I must say the result was fantastic. They come out perfect in the air fryer! Thank you for this recipe!
Blair
We just got an air fryer and these were so perfect, thanks!
Heather Perine
I always make hash browns for holiday brunches but they never come out great..but these ones look crazy crispy delicious. Pinning for later!
Maria
I love hashbrown but they can be oily but I never thought about using an air fryer for this! A must try.
Kristen Wood
These came out perfectly! Thanks for the great recipe!
Keri Bevan
Thank you for taking the time to leave me your feedback!
Anjali
I love hash browns but have never loved how greasy they can be! This recipe is absolutely perfect! It's so much healthier than traditional hash browns but tastes just as good!!