When it comes to breakfast potatoes, I have many thoughts and feelings. When it comes to hash browns, there are only two acceptable forms. I mean, I don’t believe there’s such a thing as a “bad” potato, but if you are going to claim you have “hash browns” on your menu, they had better come out shredded and golden brown, or in a fast food-like patty. These are the rules of hash browns, and they are rigid.
At home, I like to keep hash brown patties in the freezer, as I have found they make my mornings 100% more lovely. Beyond accompanying breakfast sandwiches, they make excellent delivery systems for a wide variety of breakfast foods. If you would put it on toast, you should put it on a hash brown patty and it will, in my esteemed opinion, be the better for it.
Do I have suggestions? Of course I do. Almost anything is better on a plank of chopped and fried potato, but these are some of my favourite hash brown toppings:
Labneh + Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
This one is my personal favourite—thick, tangy yogurt with salty, savoury goodness.
Pimento cheese + chives
A good lunch option. You can substitute chives with any onion-y green thing.
Any configuration of Benedict toppings
Hollandaise and a poached egg are a must, but have fun with the third component. Canadian bacon is the classic option, but spinach, smoked salmon, or a pile of thinly sliced prosciutto are also very delicious.
Cream cheese + smoked salmon
Add capers and finely diced red onion for extra credit.
Bacon + egg + cheese
Top it with another hash brown to make a sandwich.
Pastrami + fried egg + sautéed leeks
It’s a hash you can pick up. Corn beef would also be a good idea (obviously).
Avocado
I mean, if you’re going to treat something like toast, you might as well go all the way.
As far as the hash brown itself, just follow the preparation instructions on the packaging — I cook mine in the toaster oven — and let them cool for a couple minutes before adding toppings, particularly dairy-based toppings like labneh, cream cheese, and pimento cheese. Though melted pimento cheese is actually kind of nice, so maybe you don’t need to wait on that one.
Comments
3 responses to “Hash Browns Are The New Toast”
I hate this trend.
I want my eggs benedict on toast that can absorb all the flavours and does not oevrpower what I’m eating. Hashbrowns are the perfect side dish.
In short Hashbrowns make an awful toast substitute.
I was going to hastily disagree but then read eggs benedict on toast and flavours and was like, yeah good point. Do love my hash browns with everything on top but can’t beat eggs benedict done right with toast and right flavours.
Hash browns have their place but I do find them underwhelming.
A nicely fried patty of mashed potato (nice crust on both sides, fluffy mash in the middle) pwns hash browns but it’s probably less convenient to eat with your hands.
No wonder Americans are so fat.