The Best Way To Cook Trader Joe's Iconic Hash Browns

Trader Joe's is notorious for having products you can't get elsewhere, but some groceries it carries are amazingly similar to like products you know and love. Its hash browns, made from Idaho potatoes with no artificial preservatives because Trader Joe's never puts those ingredients in its products, are a classic example. The crispy fried potatoes are reminiscent of one of the best parts of a McDonald's breakfast, but since McDonald's sadly stopped serving breakfast all day, TJ's hash browns are a handy item to keep around for those nighttime breakfast cravings. The question is, how do you cook them to crispy perfection without a traditional fryer?

Instead of an deep oil fryer, think air fryer. The term "fryer" is somewhat deceiving because the convenient kitchen appliance is basically a compact convection oven. Cooking the golden-brown patties in it gets you all the crispy deliciousness you want in a hash brown with none of the added oil that comes from a bonafide fryer. Though, this does beg the question: Why not heat them in the oven in the first place?

While cooking Trader Joe's hash browns in the oven is an option, it's not as efficient as heating them in an air fryer because it will take longer. The patties will take about 20 minutes or more in the oven, not including the time it takes to preheat. Because of the device's condensed design, cooking them in the air fryer takes roughly half the time.

The only disadvantage to using it is you are limited to making a few at a time, but how many potato patties do you really need in one sitting? The air fryer makes quick, crispy hash browns with no more effort than putting them in the basket and turning it on. Add salt and pepper if desired, and breakfast is served.

One of the keys to using the air fryer to heat your hash browns is proper spacing. Stacking them on top of each other won't grant them the ability to crisp up on all sides, and without that, you've just got sad, soggy potatoes. Jamming them in too close together also won't allow you to flip them midway through cooking, which ensures all sides become golden-brown before they hit your plate.

While the Trader Joe's best frozen appetizer in 2024 can't be air-fried, the neighborhood grocer has other products from the freezer aisle that are great for it. Latkes stand out as the perfect example. There is a symbolic reason for eating latkes at Hanukkah, but they are a superb addition to a complete breakfast all year-round. You can make them in a skillet or in the oven, just like TJ's hash browns, but the supermarket chain recommends using an air fryer to reheat the fully cooked product for time efficiency.

If you are trying to save some time cooking dinner after a long day of work, Trader Joe's has a host of frozen meals and apps that are also excellent for the air fryer. Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas will crisp to perfection in the convenient kitchen apparatus, and TJ's Gluten Free Breaded Shrimp can be quickly heated and put into a taco any night of the week. Whatever meal you are making, Trader Joe's has something for you that can be cooked in a jiffy using the air fryer.