Everything here depends on one step: wringing the water out of the grated potato. A raw potato is about 80 percent water, and any of it left behind will steam the patty into a pale sponge. Squeeze until your hands ache, then squeeze again.
Everything you need
- 700 g floury potatoes, peeled
- 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Single layer, always. Crowding the basket steams food instead of crisping it. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
0 of 6 done-
Coarsely grate the potatoes. Soak the shreds in cold water for 5 minutes to wash off surface starch, then drain.
For this step
- 700 g floury potatoes
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Tip the potato into a clean tea towel, gather it up and wring it out hard over the sink. Keep going until barely a drop comes out. This step decides whether the patties crisp.
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Toss the dry shreds with the cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper until evenly coated.
For this step
- 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
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Press firmly into 6 rectangular patties about 1.5 cm thick. Compact them properly between your palms or they'll crumble in the basket.
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Preheat the air fryer to 200°C / 400°F for 3 minutes. Brush both sides of each patty with oil and lay them in a single layer with space between.
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Air fry for 8 minutes, flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook another 6 to 8 minutes until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Salt again while hot.
For this step
- 1 tsp fine salt
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Air fryer notes
- Cook at 200°C / 400°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
Cook's tips
- Floury potatoes like Maris Piper or Russet crisp far better than waxy ones, which stay dense and gluey.
- Don't flip before 8 minutes. The crust needs time to set or the patty will fall apart on the spatula.
Make it your own
- Grate half an onion in with the potato, but squeeze it dry too.
- Add ½ cup grated cheddar to the mix for cheesy hash browns.
Storing & reheating
Refrigerate cooked patties for 3 days and re-crisp at 200°C for 4 minutes. Freeze uncooked shaped patties on a tray, then bag; cook from frozen, adding 4 minutes.
Frequently asked
Why are my air fryer hash browns soggy?
Water left in the potato. Wring the grated potato in a tea towel until it feels almost dry, and do not crowd the basket.
Do I need to parboil the potatoes first?
No. Raw grated potato cooks through in the 16 minutes here, and parboiling makes the shreds too soft to hold a patty shape.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.