Whether it’s reheating a plate of leftovers or heating them up directly out of the freezer, this is a question you’ve probably at least thought about asking before. The answer, in both cases, is YES!
Reheating leftover hash browns is as simple as popping them in your microwave for a minute or two on a microwave-safe plate. If you’re looking to microwave cook frozen hash browns, though, we’ll help you out there too.
Microwaving Frozen Hash Browns
The first thing to do is pick out your favorite brand of frozen hash browns. The setup for this recipe is fairly simple and easy, so no need for a bunch of cooking supplies.
All you’ll need to cook them is a microwave-safe plate or bowl, a lid, some extra cooking liquid (oil or water), and whatever seasoning you prefer.
The first thing to do is arrange the hash browns in a single layer on your microwave-safe plate or container.
Try not to let them stack or overlap, as this will make cooking them evenly much more difficult.
Depending on the brand, size, and type of hash brown, arranging them properly may be difficult, so some trial and error may be needed.
The key is to make sure that they don’t dry out as they cook; some brands have a lot of moisture already but if not, add a little water or oil to the plate to keep the hash browns moist.
Covering with a lid will help with the moisture process as well. Once arranged, moistened, and covered, cook on high for 1 ½ - 2 minutes or until they feel “done” depending on your microwave. You may want to flip them and cook them on both sides if preparing a lot of hash browns at once.
Microwave ovens vary, so you may need to adjust cooking times.
Add some butter and some freshly cracked black pepper, and you have a tasty treat. Add microwave cooked bacon and eggs (even hardboiled eggs), and you have a quick and hearty breakfast.
Can You Microwave Shredded Hash Browns?
You certainly can, and because they are shredded into smaller pieces and not a full patty, the cooking time will be quicker.
If you are looking to warm leftover shredded hash browns, start with 30-45 seconds and check if they are warmed to your liking.
If you want to make shredded hash browns from scratch and cook them in the microwave, follow the steps below.
- Shred potatoes with a box grater
- Squeeze as much liquid out of the potato shreds as you can. Cheesecloth works well for this.
- Place the potatoes on a paper towel-lined microwave-safe plate, and cover.
- Cook for two minutes on high, and check for doneness.
Unfortunately, to get a truly crispy diner-style crunch to the hash browns, you would need to fry them in a pan for a few extra minutes.
Hash Browns - Wrapping Up
There you are, the quick and easy way to microwave hash browns and have them ready to eat in mere minutes.
