Turn Frozen Hash Browns Into The Main Course With A Few Breakfast Staples

When it comes to breakfast sides, eggs, bacon, and toast usually take the cake. Pair any or all of them with a sweet, syrup-coated waffle or pancake, and you've got the breakfast of champions. The only thing that's missing is a hash brown. This humble side dish is often forgotten about — it's a crispy patty, similar to a potato latke, with a warm, tender inside of starchy goodness. The hash brown never gets the credit it deserves, and we're here to change that. Give this underrated side a place on your table by treating your frozen hash browns like slices of toast, topping them with your favorite breakfast staple foods for an innovative way to start your day.

This creative use of hash browns is perfect for feeding a crowd, since it's easy to prepare in large quantities. Start by baking your frozen hashbrowns in bulk in the oven, following the instructions on the package. This way, you can use the time that they're cooking to prep your other ingredients. Once you've followed our tips for making perfectly cooked crispy hash browns, remove them from the oven. Depending on the occasion, you could leave them as-is and let your guests top them with their toppings of choice. Otherwise, get ready to unleash your inner food stylist.

Just like you might top a slice of toast with an avocado or an egg, channel that same creativity into topping your frozen hash browns. They make a lovely main dish, or, if you're going all out with your brunch menu, a good old American-style hors d'oeuvre. There's a lot you can do here in terms of toppings, depending on how much preparation you want to put into it. If you're looking to make this a protein-packed meal, cook up some scrambled eggs and bacon on the stove. Begin with a layer of scrambled eggs, followed by some sliced up avocado for color, and sprinkle your chopped up bacon over the top. 

Then, drizzle your sauce of choice; we especially like sriracha, but you can also add your favorite hot sauce to mayonnaise to bring more spice and texture to your loaded hash browns. If you have some extra time and energy, instead of scrambled eggs, add a poached egg like we did on our sourdough avocado toast recipe. You can even mash up some avocado to make an unconventional avocado toast. To that, add some goat cheese and chives for a sophisticated flavor, or go for a bagel and lox vibe by adding smoked salmon, red onion, and dill. Because hash browns are so rich, they pair well with ingredients that are vibrant and fresh, so add your favorite foods to create the breakfast combination of your dreams.