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These low carb spaghetti squash hash browns have been pretty revolutionary for my paleo diet. The light crispy texture on the edges and soft golden insides of each patty will have you wondering why the heck in the olden days we ever used potatoes to make hash browns in the first place!?
I hope you find that these hash browns make a perfect side dish on your breakfast plate too! And they are sooo easy to make. When I cook up a spaghetti squash for dinner I simply make extra so I can transform it into hash browns in the next few days.
Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 1/2 or 1 whole large spaghetti squash
- sea salt
- 3 Tablespoons avocado oil for frying or coconut oil
Optional
- herbs: sage or rosemary black pepper* (or garnish with fresh diced green onion, cilantro)
- optional: top with yogurt (dairy-free vegan) or sour cream
- *for AIP omit black pepper top with a coconut based yogurt
Instructions
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I always make extra spaghetti squash for dinner a day or two in advance and then save 1/2 of already cooked spaghetti squash for this breakfast recipe. (See notes below for precooking spaghetti squash.)
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Spoon the squash strands out of the outer skin and into a bowl, discard skin. Mix squash with a little sea salt and optional diced herbs. (I like adding diced sage or rosemary into the patties before frying.) Form into balls, compact them with your hands, and then press each ball into a hash brown patty. Use a kitchen towel or paper towel to help squeeze out any extra moisture you can from each patty. I get 10 patties from 1 large spaghetti squash.
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Heat a skillet up to medium heat, and add in a little avocado oil. When avocado oil is nice and hot, gently add in a couple patties to pan fry.
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Pan fry each side of the hash brown patties for about 5 to 7 minutes a side, or until nice and golden and thoroughly heated all the way through. I use my fave thin flexible spatula to gently flip them.
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After frying they are read to serve, or you can place them into a warm oven so they stay warm while you prepare the rest of your brunch.
Recipe Notes
Spaghetti Squash Cooking Instructions:
Slice squash in half length wise. Spoon out seeds and discard/compost. Set each 1/2 of the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 400*F, until squash is fully cooked. Baking time will vary on the size of your spaghetti squash. I usually serve 1/2 of the squash with dinner, and save the remaining 1/2 to enjoy as hash browns for breakfast in the next few days. Refrigerate leftover squash until ready to cook into hash browns.
Or you can cook your spaghetti squash in an Instapot. Just slice it in half through the middle (not lengthwise) and cut off the bottom round edge of each 1/2. Spoon out the seeds and compost/discard the seeds. Set the halves inside the Instapot on the steamer plate, with the small open end of each one facing down, and add 1 cup water. Set the manual high pressure cook time to 13 minutes. After it beeps and is done steaming, you can then let it depressurize on it's own, or very carefully let the steam out, and then shred into a bowl after it is cool enough to handle.
Nutrition info below based on making a total of 5 servings (2 hash browns each) from 1 whole spaghetti squash, using 3 Tablespoons of avocado oil for pan frying. For a lower fat hash brown you can use less oil, the hash browns without the oil only have 25 calories per serving.
Shared at: Happy Healthy Green Natural Party Blog Hop + Allergy Free Wednesday + Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable + Gluten Free Friday
+ Real Food Friday
These look so yummy and all of the photos on your website are amazing!
Thank you Lisa!!
Hash browns has long been one of my fave breakfast foods, but we don’t eat as many potatoes as we used to. I only discovered how much I like spaghetti squash this last fall. I can just imagine how good these will taste. Pinning, etc. Thank you!
Hi Kathryn!
I am pretty excited about these “hash browns” right now! Just picked up more spaghetti squash to make them again this week. Thanks so much for stopping by!
CAN I GET A HECKKKKK YES!!! THIS IDEA IS OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS SOUNDING!
HECK YES! Right back at ya! Thanks so much for stopping by Gigi! xx
I love this idea! I probably eat spaghetti squash at least once a week, so I’ll have to give this a go soon!
Hi Lauren!
This is currently my favorite way to eat spaghetti squash! Hope you enjoy it too!
My 2 year old boy demolished them 🙂 thanks for the recipe
Hi Nadia!
That is awesome! You son has excellent taste 😉
Thank you so much for the great feedback!
xx
These look so good!!
Thank you! I am currently hooked on making these a few times per week!
I don’t always know what to do with spaghetti squash so this is a really good idea. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
At the moment this is totally my favorite way to eat spaghetti squash. Thanks so much for stopping by!
It’s such a pleasure to read and share your healthy and delectable Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns. Thank you for partying with us at the Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I’m pinning and sharing this!
Thank you Deborah!! Wishing you a Happy Healthy Day!
HI Andrea,
What a great idea. I love spaghetti and eat it often. This is new a different way to make it since I usually make a whole large squash at a time and have leftovers. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!
I am surprised at what a hit these hash browns have been at my house! I just baked up another spaghetti squash to make them again for dinner tonight, and breakfast tomorrow! xx
Oh, those look lovely! I like how you got the spaghetti squash to crisp up in areas. This is indeed a yummer to bookmark!!! Thanks.
Thanks so much goats and greens!!
Oh yes, those look wonderful. I can almost taste them just reading the recipe, and your photos! So crisp. Terrific recipe. Thanks.
Thank you Kathryn!! I am about to fry up another batch of these hash browns, as we are having breakfast for dinner tonight! I love how they round out the dinner (or breakfast) plate. ♥
Tried to make these and I think I made two critical mistakes.
1. I added egg thinking I really needed a binder. That in turn made the squash too moist and would not bind after all. I tried to fix that by adding almond flour. That helped but didn’t fully solve the issue.
2. I made my patties too big and had issues with them staying together when I flipped them.
If I had not made my patties too big and if I had not added egg, I think I would have been more successful. That said, I simply made a delicious flavored pile of “goop” that when I added a fried egg on top and garnished with bacon and an avocado, I was more than satisfied… Just wish the “goop” was more patty shaped for presentation sake. 🙂
Hi Nikki!
Love hearing your unique approach to the whole thing! Your “goop” sounds like it was pretty darn delicious!! ♥
These were fantastic. I made mine thinner, more like a latke. I did add the chives and sage (fresh) and it was a nice addition.
Hi Barb!
I am so happy to hear that! Love the idea of thin latkes with chives and sage!! ♥
Do you think we could cook the hashbrowns in a waffle iron? How long would it need to be in there?
Hi May!
That’s a great question, and I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Best of luck if you try it!
I have a GIANT spaghetti squash and was just looking for recipes online and came across yours. Looks wonderful! I think I’m going to add some finely diced shallots to mine for a bit of extra savory deliciousness. Goodness, I’m excited to try these!
These are fabulous! I just made one for breakfast. I added cilantro, garlic powder, and sharp cheddar cheese. Fried them in avacado oil. The mouth-feel is hash browns with the lovely crunchy outside and shreddy goodness inside. Topped it off with a dollop of sour cream. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Oh my goodness the added cilantro, garlic powder, and cheddar sounds delicious! Thanks so much for the great feedback!
You don’t have to throw away the seeds. There’s not a whole lot in a squash, but you can toast them in the oven, they toast and taste just like pumpkin seeds. It’s just a handful, so either a quick snack or toss them out into the backyard for the birds. I have a pet bird, so I skip the salt and give them to him as treats.
Glad to hear you and your birds enjoy them!! How fun!
I’m personally not a fan of squash seeds with the outer shell, even toasted, but our pigs and other garden critters love the seeds and all our extra veggie scraps.
Cheers!
so many ways to use spaghetti squash—–there is more bang for the buck—i use this squash often—-