The Only Way You Should Ever Reheat Hash Browns

Hash browns are best when they're warm with a fluffy crunch and luxuriously soft insides. Since making this spud classic from scratch is more work than most people want to put into breakfast, chances are you simply buy them frozen and heat them when serving them up at home. If you have leftovers, you may be tempted to microwave them the next day. While you can reheat hash browns using several methods, they are not created equal. In fact, if you take the convenience and results into account, one appliance stands well above the rest when it comes to heating hash browns: the air fryer. Just as you can make the crispiest potato wedges in an air fryer, you can make and reheat hash browns this way.

To understand why refrigerated or frozen hash browns are so different from their fresh counterparts, it's important to look at starch and moisture. Potatoes have a lot of starch and different varieties of potatoes contain varying levels, which is why one of the potato myths we've debunked is that different potato types can be used interchangeably. Starch affects the texture of potatoes and is responsible for the soft and fluffy insides and crispy exterior of a hash brown. It's also important to reheat them in dry conditions as moisture and crunchy don't get along. The air fryer's dry heat is, thus, perfect for reviving hash browns.

Cooking and subsequent cooling changes the molecular structure of potato, which is why there is such a drastic difference between fresh and frozen hash browns. When cooked, starch molecules in the potato gelatinize, giving spuds that silky soft mouthfeel. However, these molecules crystalize as the potato cools, making the texture brittle. It's not easy to revert these starch molecules to their freshly cooked texture, which is why the insides of a reheated potato wedge or hash brown will rarely be as cloudy and fluffy as when it's freshly cooked.

While there's not much that you can do to fix the internal texture of the hash browns you're reheating, there's a lot you can do to get back that crispy web on the outside. The same gelatinized starch that gives potatoes their soft interior also collects on the outside and when dehydrated by hot cooking oil, becomes delicious, crispy, and brown. Similarly, when reheating, the most important aspect to remember is to avoid moisture, so the microwave should be your last option for reheating hash browns. Even if you cover them with a paper towel first to absorb excess moisture, expect soggy spuds.

While hash browns are one breakfast food you really should be cooking in an air fryer, like the Instant Pot Vortex Mini Air Fryer, you can use other dry heat options like the oven or toaster. The oven delivers good results but can take over twice as long as the air fryer. While the toaster is a quicker option, it gives you little control over the temperature.