How To Cook Crispy Air Fryer Hash Browns

Learning how to cook air fryer hash browns is the easiest way to bring that golden, crispy texture to your Southern breakfast. Whether you’re pairing them with eggs, bacon, or a bowl of grits, hash browns add the perfect crunch to any meal. Using the air fryer makes this classic dish even simpler, delivering perfectly crisp results with minimal oil. In this post, I’ll show you how to cook air fryer hash browns that are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and sure to be a hit at your breakfast table!

Cooking hash browns in the air fryer is so simple and quick. I am not sure why everyone isn’t doing it yet. If you love an easy breakfast recipe, this is the one for you.

Not only does it cook foods more healthily, but it cooks them faster as well. Although you can cook many different types of foods in them, the question remains, can you put hash browns in the air fryer? Follow this easy recipe for crispy air fryer hash browns.

Hash browns in the air fryer turn out so golden and crispy, but the inside is still moist and tender. All it takes is a few simple ingredients and you have a quick and easy breakfast.

If you’re a fan of air fryer cooking, you have to try this recipe for air fryer hamburgers. Trust me, it’s a must-try!

Why You’ll Love this Shredded Hash Browns in the Air Fryer Recipe

Healthier Alternative: By using minimal oil, the air fryer creates crispy hash browns with fewer calories and less fat than traditional frying methods. You can enjoy that delicious crunch without the guilt.

Quick and Convenient: The air fryer cooks hash browns faster and more evenly than a skillet. This means less time cooking and more time enjoying your meal, perfect for busy mornings.

Consistently Crispy Results: The air fryer’s circulating hot air ensures your hash browns come out perfectly golden and crispy on the outside while remaining tender on the inside—every single time.

What Is an Air Fryer

The Air Fryer is a small appliance that does a great job of cooking foods healthier than the alternative, deep frying. This small appliance has been all the rage for the last few years, and for good reason.

The air fryer has been around now for several years. According to the New York Times, Fred Van Der Weij invented the air fryer back in 2005 when he was looking for a way to crisp up French Fries without deep-frying them.

An air fryer is a small appliance, similar to a small deep fryer such as a fry daddy. The air fryer has a basket that slides into the front of it, this is where the food is placed. It is a small convection oven that circulates hot air allowing food to crisp up quickly.

We have many other air fryer recipes that you will enjoy!

Why Use an Air Fryer to Cook Hash Browns?

You may have wondered, can you make shredded hash browns in the air fryer? Well, the answer to that is simple, yes!

The main reason someone would choose to use an air fryer versus a deep fryer is for health reasons. The air fryer doesn’t use hot oil to submerge the food in to cook it. The reason we love deep-fried food is for the way it cooks food with a crispy exterior, but moist and tender inside. The Air fryer creates this same texture, only a healthier version of it.

People choose the air fryer over using the conventional oven out of convenience. The air fryer heats up very quickly versus the stove and the cooking time is much quicker. It has to be the best way to cook most dishes that you would normally deep fry such as frozen hash browns.

How To Cook Air-Fryer Hash Browns

The first thing we have to look at before deciding how to cook hash browns in the air fryer is deciding what type of hash browns we are going to cook. There are two types of hash browns.

The first type is hash brown patties, similar to what you would get from McDonald’s. The next type is shredded hash browns, similar to what you would get from Waffle House.

Frozen Hash Brown Patties in the Air Fryer

Air fryer Hash brown patties will be the simplest hash browns to cook in the air fryer. If you follow these simple steps, you will have great success. All you have to do is to spray a light coating of vegetable oil such as canola oil or avocado oil on the hash browns and on the inside of the basket.

Place the frozen patties in a single layer on the bottom of the air fryer basket. Depending on how golden brown or crispy you want them will determine how long you will cook them.

Preheat your air fryer first then, Air fry them at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Stop about halfway through and flip them over. That way the tops of the hash browns crip up and you have a golden brown patty. If you want the Hash brown patties less crispy, choose the lesser time. If you want crispy hash browns, choose the longer time. It is really a personal preference.

Air Fry Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes

This might be one of my favorite recipes to use in the air fryer honestly. Not only do I love shredded hash browns, but they also go great with this Crispy Sourdough French Toast Recipe!

Note: This recipe is using fresh, unfrozen shredded hash browns.

To start with, if you want less mess, you can put parchment paper to line the basket of the air fryer.

This will make for easy cleanup. The parchment paper also will keep the shredded potatoes from falling through the holes if you have an open weave basket. After you have that in place, put down an even layer of shredded potatoes.

The next thing to do is season the shredded potatoes. Make sure to add salt and black pepper at the minimum. If you want to kick it up a notch, you can add some onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. You could even add some chopped onions and peppers.

Next, coat the potatoes with a cooking spray or oil spray such as vegetable oil. A healthier alternative would be to use Avocado oil. Once this is done you are ready to begin the cooking process.

Make sure to preheat your air fryer first.

After you preheat the air fryer, set the air fryer to 370 degrees F and cook the shredded potatoes for 10-15 minutes.

About halfway through, you should flip the hash browns over and spray them again with the oil spray.

Once the time is up, it is time to enjoy them!

What Can I Eat Hash Browns With

• Crispy Sourdough French Toast
• Old Fashioned Pancakes
• Grits
• Eggs
• Air fryer Bacon
• Fresh Fruit
• Oatmeal
• Sausage
• Bacon

FAQ’s

How Can I Store Left Over Hash Browns?

You can store either type of hash browns in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

How Should I reheat leftover Hash Browns?

For best results, use a microwave-safe container and lid, crack the lid, and heat up for 30 seconds in the microwave. The steam should help keep the hash browns moist.

Can I Use Olive Oil Spray?

Yes, you can use Olive Oil Spray. I would suggest using Light Extra Virgine Olive Oil so as to not impart much flavor from the oil on the cooked hash browns.

Can I Cook Tater Tots In My Air Fryer?

Tater tots will cook pretty similar to both the frozen hash brown patties and the shredded hash browns. Coat the Tater Tots with an oil spray. Cook the Tater Tots at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. At the halfway point stop the air fryer and turn the Tater Tots.

Can I Cook Sweet Potato Tater Tots in my Air Fryer?

You can cook sweet potatoes in the air fryer. They will Cook the same as regular Tater Tots.

My Hash Brown Burned, What Gives?

Different air fryers cook at various temps, just like stoves. There are variances in thermostats that are built into these devices. If your hash browns burned, next time try reducing the temperature or the cooking time.

Thanks for stopping by Southern Food Junkie. I hope you enjoyed reading about how to cook hash browns in the air fryer. If you liked this post, please leave us a comment below and remember, Let’s Get Food Junked!

-Ronnie | Let’s Get Food Junked

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