Smashed Hash Browns

Crispy smashed hash browns brushed with a rich garlic herb butter. Learn the food science secret to getting the ultimate crunch every single time.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Parboiling gelatinizes the starches, creating a shaggy, high-surface-area exterior that crisps beautifully.
• Smashing increases the surface area exponentially, allowing the garlic herb butter to pool in the nooks and crannies.
• Searing in a cast-iron skillet provides high thermal mass, ensuring a rapid, even crunch without drying out the interior.

On a freezing Tuesday morning in my first third-floor walkup, I tried to make diner-style hash browns using a cheap plastic box grater that sliced my thumb. The potatoes turned into a gray, weeping puddle in my skillet, leaving me cold, bleeding, and deeply humiliated.

I spent years trying to squeeze the moisture out of raw spuds with dish towels until my forearms ached. I even tested this with four different brands of store-bought frozen hash browns, and they failed every single test because they turned into a mushy paste. It got annoying fast.

Bear with me here, because the physics of this is fascinating. Raw potatoes are packed with water and tightly bound starches that refuse to crisp up when cooked directly. When you throw them straight into hot oil, that water turns to steam, which essentially boils the potato from the inside out instead of frying it. I learned this the hard way after burning through pounds of Russets.

The simple fix is parboiling whole baby potatoes first, then smashing them to expose the interior starch matrix. This technique, which we also use for our smashed potatoes with garlic herb butter, creates maximum surface area for the oil to crisp up.

Just grab a heavy glass.

We brush them with a garlic herb butter that clings to every single ridge. It is hands down the most satisfying breakfast side you will ever make.

Smashed Hash Browns

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine American
• Category Breakfast, Side Dish
• Prep Time 15 mins
• Cook Time 20 mins
• Servings 4
• Calories 210 calories
• Rating 4.8 5675
• Tags smashed hash browns, crispy potatoes, garlic herb butter, breakfast potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Place the baby potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by an inch. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until easily pierced with a paring knife.
2. Drain the potatoes thoroughly and let them steam-dry in a colander for 5 minutes. This step is crucial to remove excess surface moisture.
3. Place the potatoes on a clean cutting board or baking sheet. Use the flat bottom of a heavy drinking glass to gently press down on each potato until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Press until your wrists click slightly, but keep the potato in one piece.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter, grated garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and black pepper.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the smashed potatoes in a single layer, ensuring they do not crowd the pan.
6. Sear the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side until deeply golden and crispy. Flip them over using a wide spatula.
7. Brush the seared tops generously with the garlic herb butter. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side, then flip once more for 30 seconds to let the butter foam and caramelize against the hot skillet. Remove from heat and garnish with extra fresh herbs.

Notes

• Always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you are using standard table salt or fine sea salt, cut the volume in half (use 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1 teaspoon) to avoid over-salting.
• Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal because their medium-starch, high-moisture content allows the interior to remain creamy and velvety while the exterior starches gelatinize during parboiling to form an ultra-crispy crust.
• Do not add the garlic butter to the skillet at the very beginning. Garlic contains natural sugars that burn easily; brushing it onto the potatoes after the first flip ensures the garlic cooks through without turning bitter and black.
• After a day in the fridge, the starches will undergo retrogradation, making the potatoes firm up. They will lose their initial shatter-crisp texture, but they can be easily revived in a hot skillet or air fryer.

Serving Suggestions

These crispy spuds are incredibly versatile. Serve them hot straight from the skillet to keep that crunch alive and pair them with your favorite breakfast staples.

• Pair them with a runny fried egg so the rich yolk can mingle with the garlic herb butter.
• Serve alongside our savory Toasted Breakfast Sandwich for an ultimate weekend brunch spread.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream and a spoonful of chives for a loaded baked potato vibe.
• Layer them underneath avocado slices, inspired by our Hash Brown Avocado Toast.
• Serve as a side to a hearty steak, similar to our Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes.

Storage and Reheating

If you happen to have leftovers, let them cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Packing them up while they are still warm will trap steam, turning your hard-earned crispy crust into a sad, mushy mess.

They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Just don't expect them to stay crispy on their own.

To reheat, skip the microwave entirely because it will ruin the texture. Instead, heat a splash of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and fry the potatoes for 3 minutes per side until they sizzle and crisp back up. Alternatively, pop them into an air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.

It works like magic.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you do not have the exact ingredients on hand, these simple swaps will keep your breakfast on track:

1. Yukon Gold Potatoes: Russet potatoes can be used, though they will be slightly fluffier and more fragile when smashed.
2. Unsalted Butter: Use a high-quality vegan butter block for a dairy-free option.
3. Fresh Herbs: If you only have dried herbs, use 1/3 of the amount since dried herbs are much more concentrated.
4. Olive Oil: Avocado oil or any high-smoke-point neutral oil will work beautifully for searing.

Go ahead and get those potatoes boiling. Your kitchen is about to smell like a high-end steakhouse, and your breakfast routine will never be the same again. Let me know how your smash turns out!