If You're Not Making Hash Browns In Your Air Fryer, You're Missing Out

Hash browns are the perfect crispy breakfast side dish and frozen varieties offer a quick and easy cooking process that does not involve peeling potatoes. While there are many cooking methods you can use when making these delectable spuds, air fryers and hash browns are an excellent match. Air fryers can achieve a super crispy texture using little oil. In most cases, your spuds will be ready for the breakfast table in 20 minutes or less when cooked at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you've ever heard of a convection oven, you already have a good idea of how air fryers work. These appliances use heating elements and fans to disperse hot air around food, which is often situated in a perforated basket (although there are many types of air fryer designs and configurations). This cooking process is crucial for making crispy, crunchy hash browns, which is a large part of their appeal. And to ensure you're fully satisfied with the finished product, here's Daily Meal's ranking of hash brown brands according to quality.

Air fryers are extremely user-friendly, which is why they're such a beloved kitchen appliance. However, employing best practices when using these devices is crucial for getting the most out of your hash browns. The hot air produced by the air fryer must be able to circulate freely around the food inside the basket, in this case tasty spuds. Accordingly, be mindful of not overcrowding the basket when adding your potatoes. Overcrowding impedes air flow, which may result in soggy textures. If there isn't enough room, cook the frozen hash browns in batches.

It's also a good idea to preheat the device to achieve the perfect texture. Most devices will take from two to five minutes to reach the appropriate temperature depending on the size. Flipping or moving the food within the basket is equally important, as it facilitates even doneness, ensuring all sides of the hash brown get exposed to the hot air. Not flipping your hash browns is a common, yet overlooked air fryer mistake. It can lead to unenjoyable textures, so you probably want to flip (or toss, if you're making shredded hash browns) the potatoes every five minutes or so until they're sufficiently crispy.

Hash browns may often be a side dish, but that's not the only place for these tasty spuds. There are likely many delicious hash brown uses you've never considered, such as using them in place of bread when making a breakfast sandwich. For another fun spin on breakfast, combine hash browns with sausage, cheese, eggs, and seasoning to make an unforgettable pizza that uses flaky crescent rolls as a base. Swap out the English muffins for crispy hash browns in your next eggs benny.

If you're looking for a way to incorporate hash browns into dinner, consider combining air-fried hash browns with cheese, onion, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream to make a tasty casserole. Air-fried shredded hash browns can even take the place of breadcrumbs when you're looking to add both texture and flavor to recipes. When they're prepared in the air fryer, you can rest assured of supreme crispiness, no matter how you end up using your simple and tasty spuds.