I put hash browns to the test – one reminded me of childhood

Originating across the Atlanic, this popular breakfast side dish is made from finely shredded, grated or diced potatoes, fried in a pan or on a griddle until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside.

The term ‘hashed brown potatoes’ first appeared in American cookbooks in the 1880s to describe chopped and fried boiled potatoes, later evolving into the grated patty popular in diners. They were introduced here much later via fast-food chains

Now they are popular in the UK, I thought I’d give them a go.

Cooking could either be oven bake – which I did – or air fryer. Some can be deep-fried.

*Iceland Hash Browns, 800g, £2.00

This was an appetising golden colour, which was a good start. A bit greasy on the outside, inside it was fairly solid in consistency – I could see a few small chunks of potato and onion. Strangely, it had a slightly cheesy taste – cheese is not among the ingredients. I tried another to make sure and again it tasted cheesy. I didn’t like them at all and they left an unpleasant taste in my mouth.

Pros: appearance.

Cons: taste, price.

Mark: 1/5

*M&S Food Hash Browns, 750g, £3.50

Neatly shaped, this one was a darker brown in colour and thicker than the others. With a lovely crisp exterior, it was finely mashed and had a soft consistency. I liked the mild potato/onion flavour. I enjoyed it. The bag was, however, a lot more expensive than the others.

Pros: consistency, taste.

Cons: price.

Mark: 4/5

*Morrisons Hash Browns, 750g, £1.75

An appetising brown colour, this one were a little thinner than the others and didn’t crisp up too well on top. Inside it were finely mashed, with a nice soft consistency. The taste, though, wasn’t great – it was very potatoey and reminded me of oven chips. They are a reasonable price, but that’s where it ends.

Pros: consistency, price.

Cons: taste.

Mark: 2/5

Hash browns are a breakfast staple in the USA

Morrisons Hash Browns

Hash Browns from M&S Food (Image: Newsquest)

Hash Browns from Iceland

Tesco Hash Browns

*Tesco Hash Browns, 750g, £1.75

A good colour and neat shape, with visible pieces of potato and onion in the mix. The outer coating crisped up nicely, and the inside was suitably soft and well-mashed. I loved the taste – they were nicely seasoned and reminded me of the potato and onion rissoles my mum used to make. They are a budget-friendly price too – I’d definitely buy these again.

Pros: appearance, consistency, taste, price.

Cons: none.

Mark: 5/5

*Four Seasons Hash Browns, Aldi, 750g, £1.75

This one had a neat triangular shape and cooked to a crisp golden brown on top. It contained a few chunks of potato within the mix, giving me something to get my teeth into, and I could pick out the taste of onion. I liked it, and the affordable price.

Pros: appearance, taste, price.

Cons: none.

Mark: 4/5

*Harvest Basket Hash Browns, Lidl, 750g, £1.75

A decent size and triangular shape, this was an unappetising yellow in colour and didn’t brown on cooking. Sadly, there was barely any flavour other than potato, and salt – it was far too salty for me. Three of these make up 20 per cent of your recommended daily salt intake, which was far higher than any of the others.

Pros: none.

Cons: taste.

Marks: 1/5

Four Seasons by Aldi

Harvest Basket from Lidl

Asda Hash Browns

Sainsbury’s Hash Browns (Image: Newsquest)

*Crispy Hash Browns by Asda, 800g, £2.25

A bit like Harvest Basket, this were a pale yellow colour. It crisped up on the outside, but didn’t go brown. Things didn’t improve as I bit into it – it was soft verging on soggy in the middle, like mashed potato. I did not pick up any onion taste at all. A bit more expensive, but it’s a bigger bag.

Pros: none.

Cons: appearance, consistency, taste.

Mark: 1/5

*Sainsbury’s Hash Browns, 1.2kg £3.10

A neat shape, this one baked to a light brown colour. It crisped up nicely on the outside, while the inside was soft, with shredded potato and onion combining for a lovely flavour. I enjoyed it. This was more expensive, but it was a bigger bag.

Pros: appearance, consistency, taste.

Cons: none.

Mark: 4/5