A tale of two potatoes.

“Home fries or hash browns, hon?”

And you probably paused before responding.

home fries

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What is the difference between home fries vs. hash browns, anyway?

Aren’t they bothbreakfast potatoes?

Read on to see what sets them apart from one another and how to prepare them.

What Are Home Fries?

If you’re a fan ofsteak fries, you’re probably a fan of home fries.

Chopped bell peppers or chile peppers are another common addition to home fries.

This allows the interior of your home fries to become softer and creamier.

What Are Hash Browns?

Hash browns, on the other hand, are all about texture.

you might shred the potatoes by hand with a food processor or grater or buy them pre-shredded and frozen.

Or you’ve got the option to get creative and use them to make thecrust of a quiche.

How To Cook Hash Browns

Shredding potatoes produces a lot of liquid.

That starchy liquid will prevent the hash browns from browning nicely as they cook.

For home fries, steam them first to ensure a crisp exterior and soft interior.

OurBreakfast Potatoesrecipe calls for steaming them in the microwave for busy mornings when time is of the essence.

Thanks to steaming, they can also be prepared the night before and ready for frying in the morning.

Put the shreds in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning while you shred the remaining potatoes.

Before frying, be sure to squeeze out excess moisture from the water soak.

Use them inFreezer Breakfast Burritosor as a main ingredient inCheesy Sausage, Egg, and Hash Brown Casserole.

They make a hearty one-pan breakfast inLeftover Turkey Hash.

Hash browns are tasty enough that theres no reason to go beyond simplehash brown patties.

But theyre so good, why not use them in other ways?

Swap out bread with hash browns, and youll never look at breakfast the same way again.

TheCowboy Hash Brown Breakfast Sandwichlayers bacon, egg, and cheese between two hash brown patties.

Hash browns were first offered on menus around New York City in the 1890s.

Home fries are a breakfast staple in the South, often eaten alongside a plate of eggs and bacon.

They can serve as the main dish or a side dish.

Other regions have variations of home fries with names like fried potatoes or bistro potatoes.

Hash browns are shredded potatoes that are fried until crispy and brown with no soft interior.