How much cholesterol is in a hash brown?

December 12, 2025 •

3 min read

Nutritional data consistently shows that a plain hash brown, made purely from potatoes, contains zero milligrams of cholesterol. The amount of cholesterol in a hash brown is dependent on the cooking method and any additional ingredients used.

Quick Summary

Plain potatoes are cholesterol-free, so hash browns inherently contain no cholesterol. Their health profile changes significantly based on preparation, particularly the cooking oils and high-fat additives used.

Key Points

No Inherent Cholesterol: Potatoes, the primary ingredient, contain zero cholesterol, so a plain hash brown is cholesterol-free.
Preparation is Key: The cooking method, including the type and amount of oil used, primarily dictates the health impact.
Fast Food is High in Fat: Restaurant hash browns are often deep-fried, meaning they are high in unhealthy saturated fat and sodium, even without cholesterol.
Homemade Offers Control: Making hash browns at home allows you to use healthy oils, bake or air-fry, and avoid high-fat additives like butter or cheese.
Healthy Alternatives Exist: For low-carb or heart-conscious diets, alternatives using riced cauliflower or radishes provide a similar experience with different nutritional profiles.
Focus on Fat and Sodium: When evaluating hash browns for heart health, pay closer attention to the saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium content rather than just cholesterol.

Understanding Cholesterol in Hash Browns

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all cells of your body. It is essential for making hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, but you also get it from animal-based foods, such as meat, poultry, and dairy products. A pure potato, being a vegetable, contains no cholesterol naturally. Therefore, a hash brown made only from potatoes has a cholesterol content of zero.

The Impact of Cooking Method and Ingredients

The most significant factor influencing a hash brown's health is its preparation. The cholesterol content of the final dish is not determined by the potato but by the ingredients added during cooking. The primary concerns are saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium, which can negatively affect cholesterol levels indirectly.

Key Additives to Consider

Frying Oils: Many restaurants and fast-food chains deep-fry hash browns in large quantities of vegetable oils. While most vegetable oils are cholesterol-free, some can contain unhealthy trans fats, and the high-calorie load can contribute to weight gain. Homemade versions fried in butter, a dairy product, will also contain cholesterol.
High-Fat Dairy: Homemade mashed potato hash browns often include ingredients like butter, cream, or cheese, all of which are sources of saturated fat and cholesterol.
Sodium: Restaurant and frozen hash browns can have high sodium levels, which is a significant health concern for blood pressure.

Homemade vs. Fast-Food Hash Browns

There is a notable difference between the nutritional profile of hash browns from a restaurant and those made at home with healthy ingredients. The table below highlights these differences based on publicly available data for a typical fast-food hash brown patty versus a simply prepared homemade version.


Nutrient	Fast-Food Hash Brown (McDonald's)	Homemade Crispy Hash Brown (Olive Oil)
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Saturated Fat	1.2 g	1 g
Total Fat	8.6 g	10 g
Sodium	310 mg	90 mg

Healthier Hash Brown Alternatives

For those looking to reduce fat and sodium intake, there are several healthy ways to enjoy a hash brown-like dish. The key is to control the ingredients and cooking process.

Air-Fried Hash Browns: Using an air fryer or oven baking requires significantly less oil than deep-frying, reducing overall fat content. For crispy results, many recipes suggest pressing excess moisture from shredded potatoes before cooking.
Cauliflower Hash Browns: A popular low-carb and keto-friendly alternative uses riced cauliflower as the main ingredient. It is mixed with eggs and spices and then pan-fried or baked. This offers a similar texture with fewer calories and carbs.
Radish Hash Browns: When cooked, radishes lose their peppery flavor and soften, making them an excellent potato substitute for a low-carb version of hash browns.
Sweet Potato Hash Browns: Swapping regular potatoes for sweet potatoes adds a boost of vitamins and antioxidants while keeping the dish cholesterol-free, provided the cooking method is healthy.

Conclusion

The crucial takeaway is that the inherent cholesterol content of a potato is zero. Therefore, the amount of cholesterol in a hash brown is entirely dependent on the preparation. Fast-food options are often high in saturated fat and sodium due to deep-frying and additives, which can negatively impact heart health, even if they contain 0mg of cholesterol. The power is in the preparation; by choosing to make your own hash browns using healthier methods like air-frying with heart-healthy oils and minimal additives, you can enjoy this breakfast classic guilt-free. To learn more about how diet affects cholesterol, you can consult reliable sources like the American Heart Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most fast-food hash browns, including those from McDonald's, contain 0mg of cholesterol because they are made from potatoes. However, their saturated fat and sodium content can be very high due to deep-frying.

The unhealthy aspect of many hash browns is not the potato but the cooking method and ingredients. Frying in unhealthy oils and using high-fat additives like butter or cheese can increase saturated fat and calorie content.

To make healthier hash browns, use an air fryer or bake them in the oven with minimal heart-healthy oil, such as olive or avocado oil, instead of deep-frying.

Yes, sweet potatoes are a nutrient-dense alternative to regular potatoes. Sweet potato hash browns are a healthier option, especially when prepared by baking or air-frying with little oil.

Riced cauliflower is a popular and delicious low-carb substitute for hash browns. Mixed with an egg and seasonings, it can be cooked into crispy patties that are keto-friendly.

Homemade recipes can contain cholesterol if they call for ingredients from animal products. For example, if you fry them in butter or add cheese to the mix, you will introduce cholesterol to the dish.

Yes, squeezing out excess moisture from the shredded potatoes before cooking is a crucial step for achieving a crispier texture in homemade hash browns, especially when using less oil.