Last Updated on June 8, 2024
Hash browns are actually super easy to make from scratch, but sometimes you just want to take some food out of the freezer and throw it in the oven! For that reason, frozen hash browns are perfect. But which ones are gluten free? Why would hash browns contain wheat? Let’s take a closer look.
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What Are Hash Browns?
If you’re in the Western world, I’m sure you’ll already be familiar with hash browns. They’re a particularly popular breakfast food in the UK and US, and have been around for over a hundred years! They’re simply potatoes that are chopped finely and then fried in oil. Yes, it really is that simple. How can something so easy be so delicious?
Ingredients In Hash Browns
To make hash browns, you simply need three ingredients: potatoes, oil, salt. However, if you’re wanting to be adventurous with your hash browns, other ingredients may be used such as:
- butter
- egg
- black pepper
- onions
It all depends on which recipe you’re following, or which brand you’re buying!
Nutritional Information Of Hash Browns
You may be wondering what the nutritional value is when it comes to hash browns. Each 100g serving of hash browns contains the following:
- Calories: 326
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9g
- Sodium: 518mg
- Carbs: 32g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.7g
- Sugar: 0.2g
- Protein: 2.6g
Are Frozen Hash Browns Gluten Free?
Unfortunately, there is no direct answer to this question. The answer is simply: sometimes. Some brands are gluten free, some brands do not contain any gluten, and some brands do. For this reason, it’s always best to check the ingredients labels of any frozen hash browns you’re purchasing to be sure they’re free from gluten.
There is a possibility that your frozen hash browns will contain gluten. This is because wheat is often added to frozen potato products to help achieve crispiness when in the oven, and also to enhance the flavor too. However, there are plenty of gluten free brands available, which are just as delicious as the gluten-containing ones!
Are Fresh Hash Browns Gluten Free?
Much like frozen hash browns, there’s always a chance that fresh hash browns will contain gluten. However, the risk is often much less as it’s easy to make hash browns flavorful and crispy when you’re making them fresh. One thing to watch out for is how the hash browns are being fried. Even if the hash browns are gluten free, if they share a fryer with gluten-containing foods, they’ll no longer be gluten free.
Gluten Free Frozen Hash Browns Brands
If you’re looking for frozen gluten free hash browns – look no further! And you may be surprised at some of the brands that are completely gluten free! Let’s take a look at a round-up of some of our favorites.
Ore-Ida
Ore-Ida is definitely the best option when it comes to gluten free frozen hash browns! All of Ore-Ida’s potato products are safe for those on a gluten free diet. And they have a large selection of hash brown products. These include:
- shredded hash brown potatoes
- diced hash brown potatoes
- golden hash brown patties
- potatoes O’Brien
Simply Potato Southwest Style Hash Browns
These hash browns from Simply Potato make gluten free claims, and they’re really tasty. They’re full of flavor and are a little more exciting than traditional hash browns. The ingredients in these hash browns include:
- potatoes
- seasoning (onion, green peppers, red peppers, garlic, tomato, jalapeno)
- salt
- dextrose
- spices
- autolyzed yeast extract
- garlic powder
- citric acid
- hydrolyzed soy protein
- cilantro
- soybean oil
- torula yeast
- paprika
- natural and artificial flavors
Aviko – Are Frozen Hash Browns Gluten Free
The Aviko range is a frozen range that is completely gluten free. Their Golden Hash Browns and these, are my go-to choice at home. They’re a UK brand and go really crispy in the oven! The only ingredients in these hash browns are:
- potatoes
- sunflower oil
- dextrose
- salt
- onion powder
- white pepper
Strong Roots
If you’re looking for a hash brown that’s slightly different, these sweet potato hash browns from Strong Roots are incredible! They’re not just gluten free, but also low sugar, low saturated fat…and the best part? Toaster friendly. These are a little pricier than the other options, but they’re perfect as a treat.
The ingredients in these hash browns are:
- sweet potato
- potato
- carrot
- potato flake
- white onion
- rice flour
- sunflower oil
- citrus fiber
- salt
- concentrate of paprika and carrot
- onion powder
- chipotle powder
- ground black pepper
Conclusion, Are Frozen Hash Browns Gluten Free?
I hope this post has helped to answer the question: are frozen hash browns gluten free? And given you an idea of the best brands to try if you’re following a gluten free diet.
FAQ’s
Hi, my name’s Zoë. I live in London, UK. I work full time as a freelance writer and critic for West End theatre. Writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I spend most of my free time at the theatre, or at conventions. I’m married to the love of my life, and live in a small apartment with my fur baby, Lillie. I run two of my own blogs: No Safer Place and Stage to Page: both of which have won awards. I also have a YouTube channel where I talk about all things stagey.