Hash Brown Waffles
Savory hash brown waffles are crispy golden on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, and loaded with diced ham and cheddar. Made with pre-shredded potatoes and delicious seasonings, this easy recipe will become a fast favorite any day of the week!
If you’re a lover of quick and easy savory breakfast ideas, this hash brown waffle recipe is for you. Grab a mixing bowl, and break out your waffle iron, because this easy-to-follow recipe will help you elevate your breakfast menu to expert waffle maker status.
About this recipe
Hash brown waffles are kind of like an all-in-one breakfast hack that makes getting a complete breakfast on the table a breeze. (If you love a good breakfast hack, don’t miss our cinnamon roll waffles!) They have the signature grooves of an average waffle but they’re made without flour. Instead they are made with pre-shredded potatoes that give them a crispy golden exterior with a soft potato inside.
You can see the flecks of whatever you choose to add to them. In the case of this recipe, it’s diced ham and cheddar cheese! Ooh, and when the cheese crisps up, imparting those crispy edges – the best! The rough edges give it a rustic look. And don’t worry, those rustic edges pretty much look like what you’d get when you order them at a restaurant. Take it up a notch with chive butter!
These waffles are way less greasy than what you would find at a diner; however, they still have a bit of oil that makes them so yum! This family-friendly breakfast hack is so easy, with minimal prep; you’ll want to make them all over again for dinner.
Using a waffle iron for these beauties means it’s pretty much hands-off once it starts cooking. There is no flipping and no burning. They do take a little longer than your average waffle, so that gives you time to get your orange juice squeezed, your bacon sizzling (try candied bacon!), your syrup warmed up, and an iced vanilla latte made.
You can enjoy them as is, add a filling between two to make a waffle sandwich (hello chicken and waffles), take them on the go, or freeze for later on down the road!
What you need
- Eggs – You’ll need 2 for this recipe to help bind the potatoes since there is no flour.
- Seasoning – Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika all work together to create the perfect savory seasoning blend for these waffles. Think skillet potatoes!
- Cheddar Cheese – Shredded cheese goes so well with ham and of course, adds lots of cheesy flavor.
- Diced Cooked Ham – A great way to use leftovers, but if you don’t have any, an 8 oz. ham steak is what you’ll need. Chopped deli ham also works great here.
- Hash Browns – Pre-shredded refrigerator hash browns. This easy shortcut beats shredding a ton of potatoes and squeezing all the moisture out.
- Butter – Melted butter is added into the hash brown waffle mixture to help give it that buttery crispiness you’ll love. It also aids in preventing the waffle from sticking to your waffle iron.
How to make hash brown waffles
Preheat the waffle iron and spray with cooking spray (even if it’s a non-stick waffle iron).
Mix the hash browns, eggs, and melted butter together in a large bowl, followed by the seasonings.
Add in the shredded cheese and cooked ham.
Mix well until combined.
Using a measuring cup, scoop the mixture into a preheated waffle maker and cook for 13-14 minutes until golden.
Serve warm with desired toppings such as maple syrup, scrambled eggs, sour cream and chives, or a bit of butter.
TIP!
All waffle makers are different. For reference, a normal waffle usually takes about 5 minutes in my waffle iron. Keep an eye on them and adjust cooking time accordingly.
How to make these waffles your own
- If you have frozen hash browns, be sure to thaw them and squeeze out excess moisture with a paper towel or a lint free towel; otherwise, you’ll end up with soggy waffles.
- If you do not have ham, try bacon bits or crumbled bacon, and decrease the amount to ¾ cup.
- Melt ½ tablespoon of butter and mix with ½ tablespoon of oil as a cooking spray replacement. With a baking brush apply to the waffle maker in between every waffle.
- Easily double the recipe for serving a crowd or group of hungry teenagers.
- Additional ingredients you might want to think about adding into the batter are chives, green onions, cherry tomatoes, or diced onions.
- Enjoy a side of bacon and eggs or make a bacon and egg waffle sandwich.
Make Ahead & Storage Ideas
These hash brown waffles are best eaten right away especially if you like that warm crispy texture. However, if you’re ahead of the game and have made these before everyone else has woken up, you can keep them warm in the oven for a few extra minutes.
Keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Technically this means you can make them a few days ahead of time, keeping in mind you’ll need to crisp them back up before serving. You can also freeze them for up to 6 months, which is great for convenience later on! Same deal though, toast them back up.
Reheating Tips
To get these hash brown waffles back up to crispy delicious status, you’ll want to reheat them in the toaster, the toaster oven, or the oven. Avoid the microwave if you can, unless you don’t mind a softer waffle. An air fryer also works great!
Other savory breakfast recipes
- Savory pancakes with Parmesan and herbs
- Bacon sheet pan pancakes with jalapeno and cheddar
- Zucchini fritters with cheddar and chives
- Everything bagel breakfast sliders
- Sheet pan breakfast hash
Get the Recipe: Hash Brown Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup diced cooked ham (8 oz. ham steak or deli ham if you don’t have leftovers)
- 1 bag (20 oz.) refrigerated hash brown potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat waffle maker and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the hash browns, eggs and melted butter.
- Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Mix well.
- Add the shredded cheese and cooked ham and mix well.
- With a ½ cup measuring cup, scoop the mixture onto the preheated waffle maker.
- Cook for 13 to 14 minutes or until golden. Note, all waffle makers are different. A normal waffle usually takes me 5 minutes for reference.
- Serve warm with desired toppings.
Notes
- To use frozen hash browns, thaw and squeeze out excess moister with a paper towel.
- If you do not have ham, try bacon bits or crumbled bacon, and decrease amount to ¾ cup.
- Instead of cooking spray you can combine ½ tablespoon melted butter with ½ tablespoon of oil. Use a baking brush to apply this mixture to the waffle maker.