Air Fryer Hash Browns

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/24/23
Air fryer hash browns served with ketchup and sour cream

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Chill: 20 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 5 servings
Yield: 15 hashbrowns
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
263 Calories
2g Fat
54g Carbs
7g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5
Amount per serving
Calories 263
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 900mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 20%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 20mg 100%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 1339mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Hash browns are the ideal breakfast side and air fryer hash browns are incredibly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The air fryer allows you to create all the crispiness of deep-frying without using as much oil because the air circulates all the way around the food. Forming them into patties makes them much easier to serve.

The potatoes are shredded ahead of time and then soaked, which helps remove some of the starches. Removing some of the excess starch helps them fry up nice and crispy—and avoid becoming soggy. Additionally, we parcook the potatoes to make sure they didn’t end up too stiff from the air fryer, but you can skip this step if you don’t mind them being a bit firmer.

These hash browns are the perfect addition to your breakfast spread. Serve them alongside bacon, eggs, and toast. You can also just dip them in ketchup, sour cream, or any of your favorite sauces.

Ingredients

  • 4 large russet potatoes

  • 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Air fryer hash brown ingredients displayed on a marble board

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Peel and shred the potatoes.

    Peeled and shredded potatoes

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Place the shredded potatoes in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 20 minutes to draw out the excess starch.

    Shredded potatoes soaking in a bowl of water

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  4. Drain and rinse the potatoes. Wipe out the bowl and return the potatoes to the bowl.

    Drained shredded potatoes

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  5. Microwave on high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring after each minute to parcook the potatoes.

  6. Lay them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat them completely dry with more paper towels.

    Shredded potatoes drying on paper towels

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  7. Return the potatoes to the bowl and add the breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon of the salt, along with the pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Combine until the seasonings are evenly distributed among the potatoes.

    Hash brown mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  8. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop up balls of the potato mixture and place them into an egg mold or round cookie cutter on the baking sheet. Press down to form patties within the ring. Remove the ring and repeat with the remaining potatoes.

    Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the air fryer to 360 F.

    Hash browns formed with an egg ring mold on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  9. Brush the basket of your air fryer with the oil and place the hash browns into the basket in one layer. You may have to fry them in batches.

    Hash browns in the air fryer basket

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  10. Air fry for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown on both sides.

    Air fryer hash browns cooked in the air fryer

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  11. Sprinkle them with the remaining salt and serve immediately with your favorite breakfast foods.

    Air fryer hash browns cooked in the air fryer

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

Tips

In order to cut down on the number of dishes, we parcooked the potatoes in the microwave in the same bowl they were soaked in.


You can boil the potatoes instead of microwaving them. Just place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in the pot and boil for 5 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly, pull the peels off, and then shred. You can also skip this step if you don’t mind the hash browns a bit firmer and less soft on the inside.

How to Store Air Fryer Hash Browns

These hash browns will keep in the fridge, wrapped in foil, for 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for several minutes.


You can easily freeze these hash browns if you don't want to air fry them all in one go. Just place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them. Transfer frozen hash browns to a zip-close freezer bag. They'll be good in the freezer for up to three months.