Have you ever wondered what to do with leftover baked potatoes? Twice-baked potatoes might be a good idea, but a great idea is learning How to Make Frozen Hashbrowns.
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Mastering homemade frozen hash browns means never going back to store-bought ones. It's a simple, cost-effective process that makes you rethink convenience costs.
Embrace savings and learn How to Cut Your Grocery Bill and Still Eat Healthy while enjoying homemade hash browns whenever you please.
Around here, leftover baked potatoes don't go uneaten. I make extra when baking them, just in case someone wants more. But, I love to meal plan with leftovers into new recipes, so I'm always secretly hoping for extra potatoes to make hash browns for the weekend.
Pair homemade frozen hash browns with breakfast favorites like Freezer French Toast, English Muffin French Toast, or my (Copycat) Denny's Pancake Recipe.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It helps prevent food waste. Baked potatoes are only good reheated so many times, and they're often dry when you do so anyway. By learning how to make frozen hashbrowns, you're giving those unwanted spuds a chance at a new life.
- It helps to save money. No more buying frozen or dehydrated hashbrowns! You can turn your leftover "trash" into treasure and save money in the process.
- You can use them however you want. Later, when you want crispy breakfast hashbrowns or you want shredded potatoes for your Cheesy Potato Soup or Easy Hashbrown Casserole, you can just grab what you need from the freezer bag and use it as desired. So many possibilities!
🛒 Ingredients
Baked Potatoes- In reality, they could have been baked, microwaved, or even boiled. What's important is that they were cooked all of the way through and then cooled overnight in the fridge so that they can be firm and easy to handle.
Butter- You will need butter when it is time to cook the hashbrowns, but not before.
Seasonings- When you go to cook the hashbrowns, you can add any seasonings of your choice.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Buy in Bulk: Bagged potatoes are cheaper per pound and stretch across multiple meals.
Use Leftovers: Turn leftover baked potatoes into hashbrowns instead of buying frozen bags.
Freeze in Batches: Freeze portions in separate containers so you only cook what you need and reduce waste.
Low-Cost Flavor Boosts: Season with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, or dried herbs for a cheap flavor upgrade.
🥄 Instructions for How to Make Frozen Hashbrowns
Bake Potatoes (if needed)
- Wash and scrub your russet potatoes well. Pierce them with a fork several times.
- Rub the potatoes in olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and pepper.
- Bake at 425 degrees F on a baking sheet for 45 minutes or until fork-tender.
- Let cool and then place in the fridge overnight to chill.
Make Hashbrowns
Step 1: In the morning, grab your cold potatoes and run them over a cheese grater, skin and all.
Step 2: Spread the grated potatoes over a parchment paper lined baking sheet into a nice and even layer.
Step 3: Place the baking sheet into the freezer overnight or for several hours until frozen solid.
Step 4: Break up the potatoes so that there are no large clumps and then place them into an airtight container in the freezer. Label it if needed.
Cook Homemade Frozen Hashbrowns
Step 5: Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and then add in the butter. It's important to preheat your skillet before adding the potatoes.
Step 6: Once the butter has melted, add your hashbrowns to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, until golden brown, and then flip and cook the other side for about 5 more minutes.
Step 7: Season your hashbrowns as desired.
Step 8: Remove from skillet and serve.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Adjustable Recipe: This recipe is versatile and can be scaled based on your preferences or available ingredients. Ensure the hashbrowns have ample space to freeze evenly on a baking sheet before storing.
- Space Management: For a big batch, use multiple baking sheets. This stops the potatoes from sticking together in the freezer, so you can take out as many as you need later.
❄️ Fridge, Freezer & Reheat
Fridge: Store cooked hashbrowns in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Keep frozen prepped hashbrowns in airtight containers or freezer bags for 2-3 months. Break apart any clumps before freezing so they cook evenly later.
Reheat: Pan-fry from frozen or thawed. Use a preheated skillet for crispier edges.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Homemade hashbrowns pair well with fried or scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage or bacon, toast or biscuits, and even simple additions like fresh fruit or yogurt. They also work great as a breakfast-for-dinner option alongside leftover proteins or whatever you already have on hand.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Once frozen and placed into an airtight container your hashbrowns are good for up to 6 months. Just grab what you need and use it whenever the mood strikes. Once cooked, leftover hashbrowns can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Getting your skillet nice and hot helps, so make sure to preheat it before adding anything to the pan. You want the temp to be about medium high. Melt butter or olive oil in the skillet until it begins to sizzle. Add your frozen hashbrowns to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until the bottom of the hashbrowns is golden in color and then flip. Cook the other side for another 5 minutes and remove from heat.
I don't recommend it. This recipe works best with russet potatoes because they're extra starchy and fluffy. Other potato varieties will not turn out the same.
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🐝 If you tried this How to Make Frozen Hashbrowns, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
How to Make Frozen Hashbrowns
Ingredients
- 6 medium Russet potatoes - ($1.58)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil - ($0.28)
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - ($0.37)
Instructions
- Bake potatoes. Wash and scrub the Russet potatoes thoroughly. Pierce each potato several times with a fork. Rub with olive oil and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 45 minutes, or until fork tender. Let cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
- Grate and freeze. Remove the chilled potatoes from the fridge and grate them using a box grater, skin included. Spread the grated potatoes into an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for several hours or overnight, until completely solid. Break apart any large clumps and transfer to an airtight freezer container.
- Cook hashbrowns. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the unsalted butter and allow it to fully melt. Add the frozen hashbrowns in an even layer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and cook the second side for another 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and serve immediately.
Notes
- Scaling. Hashbrowns must freeze in a single layer. Use multiple baking sheets if making a large batch.
- Storage. Frozen hashbrowns keep for up to 6 months in an airtight container.
- After cooking. Cooked hashbrowns can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheated in a skillet.
- Crispness tip. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure proper browning.
Nutritional Information
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Sarah says
Ok, I am going to try this fantastic idea and I will be back to leave a review. (I also told my sister, so maybe she will do the same.)