Baked vegan hash browns

Baked vegan hash browns

baked vegan hash browns plate

I’ll be brief today as I am really not feeling my best and all I want to do is curl up in bed and sleep, if I am honest. I’ve been trying to resist getting a cold all through Xmas and I really thought I got away with it until now. Today I feel as though my head is full of spaghetti hoops (for the uninitiated, it’s tinned pasta and tomato sauce), which I have never actually eaten. Call me a snob, but I would only consider eating that kind of thing in near apocalyptic circumstances…

Before I tuck myself in with a book and some paracetamol, I have a simple recipe for you that I’ve been working on before the symptoms got the better of me. I decided to come up with a fool proof way to make crispy hash browns stroke latkes (latkesh if you like 🙂 ) in the oven, using only a small amount of oil. While fried latkes are definitely to die for, frying things is a bit of a faff, plus as they are mightily addictive, they are certainly prone to wreck all your attempts at healthy January eating.

Over the past 2 days, I have made a ridiculous number of these potato cakes, two or three at a time, and consumed them for pretty much all of my meals – such is the joy of food blogging. While the ingredients could not be simpler, it took me many many attempts to arrive at the optimal oven temperature, decide if the mixture benefits from the addition of flour, aquafaba, ground flax or parboiling potatoes! Finally, I’ve settled on two versions below.

I roped Duncan into the final stages of taste testing and while he thinks (he hoovered them up too quickly to be sure 😉 ) he prefers the version with the raw potato mixture, I prefer the one with the parboiled potatoes, so I’ve decided to include both. They are both very crispy – surprisingly so given how little oil I’ve used and my preferred version is a touch softer / mashier inside. They go well with vegan sour cream, ketchup or guacamole. They will also make a fine vegan breakfast, served alongside some garlicky spinach and jammy, oven-roasted tomatoes, for example. Enjoy while I am off to have a nap…

baked vegan hash browns process

baked vegan hash browns tray

baked vegan hash browns side

baked vegan hash browns stack

baked vegan hash browns close up

makes
6 x 8 cm / 3"
PREP
10 min
COOKING
30 min
makes
6 x 8 cm / 3"
PREPARATION
10 min
COOKING
30 min
INGREDIENTS
  • 450 g / 1 lb starchy variety potatoes (I used Maris Piper), peeled
  • heaped ½ tsp salt
  • 1 large shallot or ½ large onion, finely grated or chopped
  • a good grind of black pepper, adjust to taste
  • oil or oil spray
METHOD
  1. If you want crispy hash browns with a softer interior, parboil medium* potatoes for 5 minutes, drain and allow them to cool completely. It’s not necessary though, you can also just use raw potatoes but they produce crispier hash browns with less softness inside. I’ve included both options below.
  2. Grate raw or cooled parboiled potatoes coarsely in a food processor or using a manual grater.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180° C / 355° F (no fan) for raw potato hash browns and 200° C / 390° F for par-boiled potato ones. Get a non-stick baking sheet and a round cookie cutter or an egg ring (mine was 8 cm / 3″ diameter) ready.
  4. Place grated potatoes and remaining ingredients in a bowl. If using raw potatoes, set the mixture aside for 10 minutes. If using parboiled potatoes, there is no need to do that and skip the next step too!
  5. After 10 minutes, place the raw potato mixture in the middle of a clean muslin cloth or kitchen towel and squeeze all the excess moisture out. Drain the water away and you will end up with potato starch stuck to the bottom of the bowl – it is the starch that makes for crispy hash browns so scoop it up and add it back to the mixture. Break compacted mixture up with a fork or your hands after squeezing the liquid out.
  6. Using a brush or an oil spray, spread a bit of oil underneath each hash brown, place a cookie cutter on the oiled area and loosely pile the mixture inside the cookie cutter (to just under 1 cm / 0.35 ” height), but DON’T COMPACT the mixture. Use a fork to ensure the mixture is spread fairly evenly and it goes all the way to the edges – make sure the mixture is piled up loosely – this way it will cook all the way through and the hash browns won’t be tough. If you would rather freestyle, that’s fine too – use a spoon, don’t flatten the mixture too much and tidy the edges up with a knife to avoid them getting burnt.
  7. Bake the raw potato hash browns for 20 minutes and parboil ones for about 10 then carefully detach from the tray using a flat spatula. Brush the surface of the baking tray with oil again and flip each hash brown making sure that it sits directly on the oiled patch. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes (raw potato hash browns) and 10-15 minutes (parboiled potato hash browns).
  8. Serve straight away with vegan sour cream/creme fraiche or ketchup – whichever takes your fancy.

NOTES
*Large potatoes will take a minute or two more and small a minute or two less, of course.

For more indulgent hash browns (but not as healthy so I guess you might as well fry them), stir 1-2 tbsp of oil through the mixture before forming hash browns.

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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
82
4%
sugars
1 g
1%
fats
2 g
3%
saturates
0 g
2%
proteins
2 g
3%
carbs
14 g
5%
*per hash brown
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5.0
17 reviews, 53 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
paula:
I tried these twice, once par-boiled and once raw, and both times they fall apart when I try to gently flip them. They still seem too wet when flipping (even after squeezing out the liquid for the raw version and adding back in). Would it work for the raw version if I didn't add the liquid back in?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Paula,
    I think the issue is that you are adding the liquid back in. The whole point of squeezing the potatoes out is to be able to get rid of extra moisture so that liquid needs to be drained away. The only thing that you may want to add back is the starch that settles at the bottom of the bowl. You can also skip that and add a bit of shop bought potato starch instead. Hope this helps. Ania
Sheryl:
Girl I am a spud loving ❤ kinda gal. You just made my hash brown dream come true 🥰. That's worth a lot in commercials so you get your earnings. I love how you put the starch back in. Bless you to post this while being under the weather. 😋🤗
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw thanks Sheryl, I am so pleased to hear that you loved these so much. Yeah, I hear you, sorry about the ads but that's the only way I can carry on doing THIS and pay my bills. Thank you for taking the time to review – I so appreciate it 🥰. Ania
durdanaskhan@gmail.com:
WONDWEFUL
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you :)
Zoe:
These were delicious, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - my kids loved them. Thank you for another great recipe!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Zoe, I am delighted to hear that they went down so well with you and your kids. And thank you for the review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Stefano:
Your recipe is great, but the amount of adverts in your site ensured that I will not visit again.
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm sorry to hear that, but I also need to make a living and these annoying adverts means that you get quality recipes absolutely free. Best wishes! Ania
Jesus Aguilera:
It seems great, can you tell us about storage? I was planning on meal prepping on Sunday and having them in the refrigerator for the week. Does that work?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Jesus,
    I would love to be able to help, but I have only had them fresh after baking. I am sure they will last, but I am not sure how nice they will be once reheated, they may end up dry for example. Ania
Seona:
Looks great! Would these work with leaving the skin on?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Sure, I don't see why not. Hope you'll enjoy them! Ania
Kaylin:
These turned out so great, and they are so simple. I did the parboiling option. This is my first time making hash browns and I’m so happy with how they turned out. Thanks Ania, you rock (:
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Kaylin, I am so happy to hear that they worked out so well for you! And thank you for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Louise:
Delicious and great, thorough instructions. My kids absolutely loved them!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Louise, I'm really happy to hear that! And thanks so much for coming back to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Tiffany:
These were absolutely delicious! I made these when my brother was craving hash browns, and the whole family loved it :). Nobody could tell it was vegan either!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm delighted to hear that these went down so well with your whole family, Tiffany! I really appreciate you taking the time to review, thank you. x Ania
Sithuli:
Are there so many different ways to make hash browns?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Yup, clearly! ;) x Ania
Georgie P:
Turned out deliciously, next time I'd add garlic to sub some of the salt. I did these with a heart shaped cookie stamp and they kept their shape perfectly for a cute breakfast! Recipe made 6 full Hashbrowns
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Georgie, I'm really happy to hear that the recipe worked well. x Ania
Nisha:
You have said bake the assembled potatoes for 10-15 mins right at the end of the recipe but failed to mention the oven temperature. Can you clarify? Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Nisha,
    The oven temperature is specified in point 3 of the method, please do take another look. Ania
Julia:
where do the onion or shallots come in in this recipe?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Julia,
    Please see point 4 of the method: Place grated potatoes and remaining ingredients in a bowl.. Ania
Cori:
Hi! Are these able to be made ahead of time and frozen?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Cori,
    Yes, in theory, but I have never tried so not sure what the flavour / texture will be like after thawing. Ania
Pollyanna:
Amazing! I made these with the par-boil method and the mixture was so starchy and sticky that I was convinced I’d messed up. But I persevered and they’re amazing - best hash browns I’ve ever made
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, Pollyanna! I’m so delighted to hear that this recipe was such a hit with you. x Ania
Jaivir Bahl:
the recipe worked soooooooooooo well I'll try it every single time
    Ania
    Ania:
    Delighted to hear that, Jaivir! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! Anna
Sara:
I’m confused why you strain the liquid out and then add it back in... Did I read it wrong?
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm afraid so. You drain the liquid away but put back the starch that settles at the bottom. Ania
Salome Watton:
Hi Ania, I would like to add vegan cheese to these. Do you have a suggestion as to how much grated cheese to add? Thanks so much. - Salome
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Salome,
    I'm not sure that will work very well, unless you managed to find vegan cheese that behaves exactly like dairy cheese when melted - in my experience it tends to turns into an oily mess when melted. I'm not sure about the quantity either - depends on your preference, I guess. I would go by feel. Ania
Siri:
These look so cute Ania , you specified onion but haven't used in the recipe ? could you suggest on that
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Siri,
    Thanks, I hope you'll enjoy them if you decide to make them. Onion is mentioned in point 4 of the Method, I refer to it as 'remaining ingredients' as there is no complexity there at all - you just mix everything together in a bowl. Hope that makes sense. Ania
Emily Kalbfleisch:
Delicious! My family loved them! I added garlic powder, smoked paprika, and oregano in the mixture to spice it up a bit. Man are these good! Worth the effort to shred the potatoes. Thanks for a great simple and somewhat healthy recipe!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you so much for your kind words, Emily! I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed them! Ania
Taylor:
So I followed exactly and did the parboil potatoes but after the recommended time it looked nothing like a properly baked hash brown. It was still pale and I promise I didn't pack it into my egg rings. Where could I have gone wrong?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Taylor,
    It could be the type of potatoes you are using. The best potatoes for this kind of dish are the starchy (not the waxy) kind. The waxy potatoes are slow to brown and are less crispy. Otherwise, maybe they simply need a bit more time in your oven, every oven is different. Hope that helps! Ania
Nicola Baker:
Hi Ania, trying this recipe later on looks amazing... wondering if you knew how many calories were in these at all?
Thank you x
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, Nicola. I hope you'll enjoy them! I don't really know as I don't count calories myself, but there are lots of calorie counting out there if you want to track your calories. Ania
Alicia Nelson:
I liked this recipe but my hashbrowns came out too crispy! I guess I made mine too thin. But the flavour is on point!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Alicia,
    I'm glad you enjoyed them. Yes, they could have been too thin or maybe your oven runs a bit hotter than mine - worth trying at a slightly lower temperature next time. Hope that helps! Ania
Elizabeth:
Scary that you wrote that first piece early January.And mentioned the apocalypse!,, anyway, recipe looks excellent.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hahaha, I know, right? I had nothing to do with it, I swear ;) Thanks x Ania
Lara:
Tried them today. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe :D
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed these, Lara! My pleasure and stay well! x Ania
Alexandra:
Would this recipe work as well with sweet potatoes?
Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Alexandra,
    Yes, I did try with the no boiling method and they worked well. Two differences I found is that they did not require any squeezing as there was hardly any moisture in them and I baked them at 200° C / 390° F for about 20 minutes. Hope that helps! Ania
Rachel:
These look amazing! Would it be possible to make extra and freeze them?
    Ania
    Ania:
    I am guessing so, but I haven't tried doing it myself. Ania
Greg:
Are these able to be stored? Either freezer or fridge ?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Greg,
    I am not sure how that will work as I have not tried either - I made them fresh each time. Ania
Jodie:
This works so well. I just made these to have as “burger buns” and they were wonderful. I went the raw potato route and really enjoyed the texture.
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's fantastic to hear, Jodie! Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed them and I love your idea of making them into 'buns' :) ! x Ania
Lanette:
What would happen, do you think, if I didn’t peal the potatoes? Kids would LOVE these for breakfast, but, in the morning, I really can’t be bothered to peal! 🤪
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Lanette,
    I think that would be fine, just make sure you scrub them well first. Hope they will enjoy them! Ania
Sally:
🙃 get well soon. Spring IS coming 😉
    Ania
    Ania:
    thanks, Sally, I cannot wait!! x
Nicole:
hope you are better! I will try the recipe :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you and I hope you'll like it! x Ania
Marie:
Sounds delicious. Is the oil necessary? Would just using a non-stick pan work instead?
    Ania
    Ania:
    I have not tried without, but in my experience a little oil is beneficial for overall texture, but you are welcome to experiment for yourself. Ania
Lucy:
I’ll definitely be trying these, I’ve never managed to make a successful hash brown myself but always tried with raw potatoes so I think parboiled is the way to go!
Ania I am also a food snob but tinned spaghetti hoops are my default food for when I’m ill, you can’t beat them. With plenty of pepper and some cheese melted on top (being vegetarian rather than vegan myself) 🙂
    Ania
    Ania:
    I hope you'll enjoy these, Lucy! I hear you, but it's really not something I could see myself eating in my day to day life. x Ania
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