Hash browns have been dubbed a breakfast food, but their potato-ey goodness can be enjoyed as a quick snack or a filling lunch. Hash browns frozen or left in your fridge overnight tend to lose that crispy and fluffy texture that makes hash browns so moreish.
So, is there a way you can recreate that delicious texture? And is it worth saving your spare hash browns to reheat at a later date?
To reheat hash browns, pop them into the oven on a baking tray for around 10 minutes, flipping them midway through. You can also reheat hash browns in a toaster.
How to Reheat Hash Browns
Everyone knows that the best hash browns are those that give the most satisfying crunch.
Most people tend to run to the microwave to try and reheat their hash browns. However, you will end up with a soggy and unsatisfying snack.
Here are a couple of simple but effective ways to reheat hash browns to get them crispy and delicious once more:
How to Reheat Hash Browns in the Oven
For those times when you just want to heat up a quick snack or meal while you get on with another task, reheating hash browns in the oven is the perfect option and is very simple too:
- Heat Your Oven
Pre-heat your oven to 180C or 350F. Any cooler, and you will end up with a soggy potato pancake. But any hotter, your hash browns will burn before they have fully defrosted or warmed up. - Organize On A Baking Tray
The more space you have between the hash brown on your baking tray, the more evenly they will cook. Also, avoid layering your hash browns on top of each other if you want them to heat up quicker. - Heat
Placing the hash browns in the middle of your oven, cook them for up to 5 minutes or until their upside looks nice and golden. - Flip And Heat Again
After 5 minutes, turn over the hash browns and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. This will allow for an equal bake on both sides of the hash brown.
How to Reheat Hash Browns in the Toaster
The last thing you want to do on a busy or hot day is turn your oven on. Hash browns can be a lazy, go-to lunch or snack when reheated in the toaster and require no effort:
Keep in mind that this method will work best if you are reheating frozen hash browns as they will not fall apart as quickly:
- Set Up Your Toaster
When reheating hash browns, set your toaster to a medium heat. - Put In The Toaster
Place the hash brown in the toaster. For an easier time between toasting rounds, angel your hash browns in the toaster so that they are easier to get a hold of and take out. - 1st Reheat
Push down the toaster and leave to reheat. Be sure to stand close by in case the setting is too high, and the hash browns begin to burn. - Flip
Carefully take the hash brown out of the toaster using some plastic tongs. Then turn them around so that the top of the hash brown is now at the bottom of the toaster. This is how the hash browns will most evenly toast. - Toast Again And Serve
Leave the hash browns to finish toasting and serve immediately. - Toast a 3rd Time If Needed
If you are not satisfied with the colour of the hash browns on the second toast, flip them over again and toast them for another round. Remember that the more you toast the hash browns, the dryer they will become.
Yes, you can reheat hash browns in an air fryer. Preheat to 370F or 190C, then air fry the hash browns for around 4 minutes until hot.
Although it is possible to reheat hash browns in the microwave, it’s not the best approach. You’ll find that the hash browns become exceptionally soggy when reheating in the microwave.
How to Reheat Hash Browns Successfully
It is pretty hard to mess up reheating hash browns as all you are doing is heating them until they are crispy again.
Still, here are some tips on how you can reheat your hash browns so they taste as fresh as if you had made them from scratch:
- Lightly Cover In Oil Or Cooking Spray – For those who love their hash browns to be super crispy or have a weaker heating appliance, very lightly coating your hash browns in oil or with a cooking spray will make them crisp up better in the heat. Much like if you were making hash browns from fresh.
- Don’t Put Your Heat Too High – It is too easy to think that a hotter heat will mean quicker results when reheating food. In other cases, that thinking may pay off, but with hash browns, reheating them using a heat higher will result in dry and burnt hash browns (the exact opposite of what they should be).
Is It Safe to Reheat Hash Browns?
Yes, hash browns are safe to reheat. They do not include any meat or delicate foods, so as long as you only reheat hash browns that have been refrigerated or frozen, you can reheat them up to 4 days later.
Reheating Hash Browns FAQs
Do you still have a question or two about reheating hash browns? Perhaps these will help you out:
You can thaw frozen hash browns in the fridge overnight or place them onto a plate at room temperature where they should defrost within the hour.
Once cooked, hash browns will keep in the fridge for around 4 days. They should be kept in an airtight container or on a plate wrapped in cling film.
Acacia may be a freelance writer by day, but they are a food fanatic by night. They are always trying out new recipes or finding different ways to elevate classical dishes. But their biggest culinary aim is to educate others on the basics of the kitchen so that they too can enjoy delicious food.
