How to Reheat Hash Browns (The Right Way)

Making hash browns is one of the most popular ways to cook potatoes. Deliciously crispy, they’re companions to your breakfast, lunch, and dinner – and they’re so easy to prepare ahead of time and freeze. If you want them to taste just as good as they did on day one, you’ve come to the right place.

How to reheat hash browns in the best possible way? There’s more to it than just throwing them in the microwave. In fact, if you love your hash browns crispy, the microwave is the last thing you want to use. Generally, the best way to heat up hashbrowns is using the oven at a high temperature. You can also use a skillet on a stovetop. 

We love hash browns just as much as you do, and as we’ve eaten them by the hundreds during the course of our lives, we’ve tested just about every way of reheating.

Through our own trial and error, you can reheat hash browns to give them an amazing taste. Read on if you want to step up your cooking game with these few simple methods.

Crispy and Delicious – Reheating the Best Hash Browns

What kind of hash browns are your favorite? Do you prefer them patty style, or crispy and shredded? You may have tried and loved both. No matter which answer is the correct one, the truth is that they are universally adored.

People have them for breakfast, and they truly are a way to start your day on the right foot. A delicious breakfast ensures that you’ll walk out the door with a smile on your face. It’s so much better to eat a full breakfast than to leave the house on an empty stomach. However…

We know how it is. We know that you will not always have the time to make breakfast, and sometimes, an extra ten minutes of sleep will be higher on your priority list than preparing even the best hash browns. But what if you could have both?

Hash browns can be frozen and preserved for a few weeks after you’ve first made them, and there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying the full extent of their deliciousness even on busy mornings when you’re almost running late for work.

What about lunch and dinner? Hash browns go so well with so many different kinds of dishes, such as sauces, meats, greens, and many more.

It’s not just breakfast you could be saving time on – we know that not everyone likes to eat breakfast in the first place. What if you could also have a mouth-watering, easily prepared lunch or dinner?

Hash browns have countless uses, but the question remains. How do you properly reheat them? Making them in the first place and then freezing them or even preserving them in the refrigerator is easy enough. But how do you bring back that fresh taste?

It’s entirely possible, and this is why we’ve made this article – to share our secrets and ensure that you too will be able to enjoy your meal to the absolute fullest.

There are two main ways in which we recommend reheating your hash browns:

1. Frying them up in the cast-iron skillet.
2. Heating them up in the oven.

Microwaves are fine too, and we will cover them in this article – but they come with a downside.

If you’ve ever microwaved hash browns before, you likely experienced some sogginess. You may have heated them through and through – which is the main point, after all – but if you prefer your hashbrowns crispy, you may have been slightly disappointed.

This is why we prefer using the two methods that truly preserve the original taste of the hashbrown: the oven or the frying pan.

Here is a quick rundown on how to reheat hash browns:

(For full instructions, skip down to the step-by-step guide)

1. In the oven: keeping the hash browns covered with aluminum foil, place them in the oven which was preheated at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for around 10 minutes.
2. On the stove: place your hash browns in a frying pan, add some oil, salt, and pepper, and fry them for a few minutes.
3. In the microwave: place your hash browns evenly on a microwave-safe plate. Heat up in 60-second intervals, flipping them over and then heating again on a high setting.

Sounds simple enough, right? However, there’s more to it than that, which is why we want to invite you to read our step-by-step guide. We will cover our recommended methods in-depth, and we will discuss some ways to make your hash browns better than ever.

Step-by-Step Guide to Reheating Hash Browns

You’ve either got some leftover hash browns from the day before, or you’ve done what we mentioned – cooked ahead. Whichever it is, we want to ensure that your dish tastes just as good as it did on the very first day. 

Whichever method you’re choosing to reheat your hash browns, know that you’re in good hands. Take a look at our step-by-step summary of the best ways to reheat hashbrowns.

How to Reheat Hash Browns in an Oven

This method ensures that your hashbrowns will be crispy, but prevents them from getting too oily – which re-frying them might cause. However, you need to be very careful to not let them dry out.

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place your hash browns in an oven-proof dish. You want something flat as opposed to a bowl.
3. Set them down one by one, gently so that they don’t fall apart, and leave small gaps between each hash brown.
4. Cover them with aluminum foil.
5. Bake for 8 minutes. 
6. Take them out briefly, remove the foil, and put them back in for 1-2 more minutes.
7. Be very gentle when you transfer the hashbrowns to your plate, as they will be prone to falling apart.
8. Enjoy your meal!

How to Reheat Hash Browns on the Stovetop

This method is quick and makes for very crispy hash browns that taste just as they did on day one. However, there are risks of making them soggy here due to the extra oil, so be careful.

1. Pour a little oil onto a frying pan. Use a non-stick skillet.
2. Carefully transfer your hash browns onto the pan, making sure that they don’t overlap.
3. Don’t use low heat. Go with medium heat and fry them for a few minutes.
4. After about 3 minutes, turn them once and keep frying.
5. Once they achieve the right color and temperature for your needs, turn off the heat.
6. Again, gently transfer them onto the plates. These hash browns will be even more likely to fall apart than those made in the oven – but that’s part of their charm.
7. You’re all done!

How to Reheat Hash Browns in a Microwave

While this is not our preferred method, we freely admit to it being the quickest one. If you’re in a hurry, there are ways to ensure that your microwaved hashbrowns still taste great.

1. Place the hash browns side by side, in a single layer, on a microwaveable plate.
2. Don’t cover them with anything.
3. Ensure that none are sticking out too far from the plate.
4. Set your microwave to high, and start with a 60-second program.
5. Once that’s done, flip them over and run another 60-second program.
6. If your microwave is especially strong, you may want to adjust this to a 30-second run at first.
7. Watch your hash browns carefully to ensure they’re not getting soggy. Stop microwaving when they’re warm on both sides.
8. Enjoy your tasty hash browns!

Handy Tips and Tricks for the Best Hash Browns

If you’re just making hashbrowns now with the idea of preserving them for later, you might want to read our helpful tips. 

Here are a few tips for the best-tasting hash browns:

1. Shred and rinse the potatoes. You want them to be properly shredded, on a good grater or in a food processor, but also truly rinsed. Don’t just splash them with water – soak them for a moment. This will ensure that your hashbrowns will be crispy through and through.
2. Before shredding, dry the potatoes and squeeze them. Again, this helps your hashbrowns stay crispy. Don’t ask us how – it just does, and it’s amazing.
3. Season generously. Potatoes, especially with the addition of oil or butter, may have a slightly bland taste if you don’t add enough seasoning. Experiment and use more than just salt and pepper if you like – hashbrowns done in a spicy way taste great!
4. Don’t touch the hash browns for at least a full minute after you’re done cooking them. This will allow everything to settle and prevent it from falling apart during transfer.

Related Questions

How to Properly Defrost Hash Browns?

Defrosting your hash browns properly is extremely important and adds a lot to the taste. Place them on a microwave-proof plate, one by one, in a single layer.

Microwave for 30 seconds on a high setting. You can repeat this step as many times as needed, but make sure you’re still defrosting and not reheating – we truly do recommend the oven or the frying pan.

What Are Some of the Best Additions to Hash Browns?

Hash browns are loved all over the world for their versatility. They go well with almost anything. Try them with caramelized onions, beef, sauce, sausage, tomato products, eggs, spicy sauces, cheese, and much more.