They’re waffles! No, they’re potatoes! They’re potato waffles!? These Waffle Iron Hash Browns and are super fun way to eat potatoes, and cook up very easily in your waffle maker or panini press. Most of us never think of using our waffle irons for anything other than waffles. But it turns out, they’re a great place to cook up some super crispy yummy Hash Browns. Gluten free, Oil free, and of course vegan, and are ridiculously easy. I think you’re going to love this recipe for your next Saturday or Sunday breakfast!
Why you’ll love these Waffle Iron Hash Browns…
-They’re super crispy!
-Fun for kids
-Oil free and Gluten Free
-Easy to make
-Only 5 ingredients!
Why am I putting potatoes in my waffle maker again?
Surprisingly, it’s a perfect place to cook hash browns. It does a great job of making them super crispy on the outside, but remaining soft on the inside. It is hard to replicate this texture with other oil free methods of cooking hash browns, and it’s very convenient as well. Once they are in the waffle maker, you don’t really have to do anything. Just sit back and wait for the crunchy goodness!
What if I don’t have a waffle maker?
These would work well on a Panini press also. It’s the same concept and would cook similarly to how they would cook in a waffle maker.
Depending on the size of your panini press, you may even be able to cook them all in one batch as well, which would save on time!
Will they stick to my waffle maker?
If your waffle maker or panini press is a non-stick surface, then they should be totally fine. If you do not have a non-stick coating or it has worn down, you may want to use a light spray of vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
My waffle iron is a ceramic coating, which is not the most non-stick surface, but they still did fine without any added oil.
Where do I find oil free hash browns?
A lot of bags of frozen hash browns sold in stores have added ingredients. There are often added spices, salt, and some sort of vegetable oil. Shredded potatoes by themselves are an extremely healthy food. However once you begin to add in oil and additional ingredients, they can become more calorie dense.
I have found these previously at Walmart, Trader Joes, and Target in my area. Just flip that bag over in the store and look at the ingredient list. Try to look for the ones that only have one ingredient: Potatoes!
Do I need to defrost the hash browns?
It is not absolutely necessary, but I find that defrosting them partially helps for the seasonings to stick better and also for the potatoes to spread more evenly in the waffle maker.
If you are short on time, you can use the defrost function on your microwave and put them in for a couple minutes. No need to defrost them all the way.
If you do put them in completely frozen, just be aware that it will probably add a few minutes to the cooking time.
What should I eat with these Waffle Iron Hash Browns?
Honestly, these are great for any meal. They would be wonderful with a side of veggies for a lunch, or just for a satisfying snack. A good place start though is with our Easy Veggie Tofu Scramble for your next weekend breakfast!
Happy Cooking!
Waffle Iron Hash Browns
Equipment
- Waffle Iron or Panini Press
Ingredients
- 1 lb bag of frozen hash browns partially thawed try to get the kind with no oil added
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp no salt seasoning blend I used the one from Costco
- 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
Instructions
- Combine partially thawed hash browns in a large bowl
- Add remainder or ingredients and mix well to coat the potatoes with the seasonings
- Spoon mixture onto the waffle iron or panini press. It should be about an inch and a half thick and evenly distrubuted over your surface. (If your waffle iron or press is not a non-stick surface, you may want to give it a light spray of vegetable oil to prevent sticking.)
- Close waffle maker and cook on high for about 20-35 minutes until golden brown and crispy. The cooking time will vary greatly between different waffle makers and panini presses. A good rule of thumb, is once you stop seeing steam coming out of the sides, you can start checking it every couple minutes to see if it's done. (If using a panini press, you may be able to fit the entire bag of potatoes on at one time.
- Cook in batches. If using a larger waffle iron or a panini press, you may be able to fit the entire bag of potatoes on at one time. If using a smaller waffle iron, you will probably need to do 2 batches. (You can keep the done hasbrowns in the oven on the lowest tempurature to keep warm)
- Serve hot with ketchup or hot sauce!
