Would brunch be complete without hash browns? I love them in all forms – shredded, homestyle, cubed, patties….I mean they’re potatoes so obviously they’re delicious. But if you’re looking for something a little different and a lot more fun then be prepared to have your mind blown and all your carby dreams come true with these Hash Brown Waffles. All the amazingness of a regular waffle – crispy outside, soft inside, easy to make – but with cheesy hash browns.

These are super fool proof. Frozen shredded hash browns are mixed with egg, lots of cheese and a bit of melted butter and cooked until crispy and golden in your waffle iron. It’s seriously that easy. You don’t have to worry about flipping or burning them – just close your waffle iron and leave ’em alone for 12 minutes. What you do in that 12 minutes is totally up to you. The hands on time for the recipe is only 5 minutes. Really, it is!

Once your waffle is crispy and golden brown, you can keep it warm in a low oven while you prepare the others – you could even make them ahead if you wanted and just warm them up when you’re ready to eat!

You can spice these waffles up however you like, garlic, onion, rosemary, chipotle – the spice combinations for these are endless. You could also stir in bacon, ham or sausage to really make these an all in one kinda waffle. The hash brown mixture is basically just a blank slate for your favourite flavours. Oh, and the best part? THE CHEESE.

These NEED cheese. The cheese gets all crispy, caramelized and golden on the outside, and all melty on the inside. If you’re a cheese lover, this is perfection. You can use whatever cheese you have on hand! Cheddar, gouda, parmesan, mozzarella, havarti, whatever you have – throw it in! These are your hash brown waffles – you choose how they taste! I’ll be honest, I used a combination of gouda, cheddar and parmesan because that’s what I had on hand! There is no wrong answer when it comes to which cheese to use for these. They’re all going to be delicious. Let your cheese flag fly free.

These are great for breakfast, brunch or for a fun potato side dish for dinner. Top with sour cream, parsley, chives, more cheese (get wild), bacon, ham, or even top with an egg. Basically whatever you like on regular hash browns – except your toppings will be sitting on a throne of cripsy, golden, cheesy hash browns.

Make your next brunch fun with these delicious hash brown waffles – they are:

• Easy to make – minimal ingredient list and only 5 minutes of hands on time;
• Versatile – spice it however you like and add in fun mix ins like bacon and your favourite cheeses;
• Can be made ahead and kept warm in a low oven;
• Crispy and golden with a caramelized cheesy exterior and a fluffy soft interior;
• Did I say CHEESY already?
• The thing that carby potato dreams are made of.

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Hash Brown Waffles

Makes 2 large waffles.

• 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. melted butter/olive oil
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I like cheddar, gouda and parmesan but use whatever cheese or combination of cheeses that you like!)
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• Chili flakes, to taste
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Any other seasoning you’d like
• Cooking spray (for the waffle iron)
• Toppings – sour cream, parsley, chives, bacon, egg (whatever your favourite toppings are!)

Start by turning on your waffle iron and letting preheat for 5 minutes while you prepare the hash browns.

In a large bowl combine the hash browns, egg, melted butter, cheese and spices.

When your waffle iron is hot, grease it well with cooking spray.

Place 1/2 cup of the hash brown mixture into each waffle slot (about 2 cups per full waffle) and spread and press out evenly to cover the entire waffle iron. I use a spatula to press it as I spread.

Let cook for 12 – 15 minutes (check at the 12 minute mark, depends how hot your waffle iron is, mine took 12 minutes) until the outside is crispy, golden and the cheese is caramelized.

Using a fork, gently release all the corners of the waffle. Gently lift one corner usking the fork (or tongs) and slide a spatula underneath to grab the whole waffle.

Keep warm in the oven while you cook the next one.

Top with your favourite potato garnishes or breakfast toppings and enjoy hot!