Move over fries, this classic Swiss Rosti recipe is going to be your new favorite fried potato. They’re so crispy on the outside and beautifully tender inside. With just a few tips and tricks, you’ll have them perfected in no time.
Usually when people think about Swiss cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is fondue. But on our recent winter holiday to their beautiful country, we discovered that there was one food that they eat with just about anything, at any time of day: rosti.
What is Rosti?
Rosti is a Swiss dish consisting of shredded potatoes that are formed into a patty and shallow fried. The proper spelling is rösti, but my keyboard doesn’t have an umlaut option, so we’ll keep it simple.
They can be considered a close cousin to hash browns or latkes, but with slight differences in preparation, ingredients and serving style.
Rosti originated as a breakfast dish in the canton of Bern. Since then, they have spread all over Switzerland, and are especially popular in German speaking areas of the country. And they’re not just for breakfast anymore. Rosti can now find their way into any meal, and can be served with just about anything.
Important Tips
- When grating the potatoes, aim for longer strips. This helps hold the rosti together.
- Don’t even think of skipping the step of squeezing the water out of the grated potatoes. Otherwise your rosti will steam and won’t get nice and crispy.
- Use the right sized pan. For the amount of potatoes used in my recipe, you want a 10 inch skillet. That’s the measurement across the top, the cooking surface should be about 8 inches. If your pan is too large, the rosti will be too thin and fragile. Also, non-stick is best.
- Be patient. I know it can be tempting to use a higher temperature to speed things up, but for that perfect balance of crispy outside and tender inside, keep the temperature on the lower side.
- Regarding temperature and timing, remember that “medium-low” on my stove may not equate to the same temperature as it does on your stove. Use the timings as a general guideline, and go more by color and crispness.
Side Note: Raw vs. Cooked Potatoes
There is somewhat of a debate among rosti aficionados over whether to use raw potatoes or those that are already cooked (either parboiled or baked). From what I can gather, it seems that originally leftover baked potatoes were used. Nowadays, rosti are made from potatoes in various forms.
Having tried both raw and pre-cooked, I prefer cooking the former. Not only does it obviously cut out a step, but they also hold together better.
Ingredients
- Potatoes – There is not one specific “best” type of potato, though each will come out a bit different. Starchy varieties tend to result in a bit softer inside, while waxy types make for crispier rosti. I like Yukon gold because they strike a good balance.
- Clarified butter – This is the top choice for a frying medium. If you can’t find regular clarified butter, or don’t feel like making it yourself, ghee is pretty easily available in supermarkets these days. It is the Indian version of clarified butter, and has just a slightly nuttier taste.
- Salt and pepper – Not strictly necessary, but we can’t help but add a little seasoning.
How to Make Swiss Rosti
First I peel and grate the potatoes, then squeeze out as much water as possible. I just use my hands, but you can also place the shredded potatoes in a cheesecloth and twist it to get the water out. Then, I add the potato shreds to a bowl and toss in a little ghee, salt and pepper.
To cook, I melt some more ghee in my skillet over medium heat. Once hot, I add the grated potatoes to the skillet. Using a rubber spatula, I gently pat down on the potatoes and make the edges smooth. After a couple of minutes, I reduce heat to medium-low. I continue cooking for 12-15 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and crisp.
Next, I place a flat cutting board on top of the skillet and quickly flip, so that the uncooked side of the rosti now rests on the cutting board.
I add a bit more ghee to the skillet, then with the help of the spatula, gently slide the rosti back into the skillet. I continue cooking for about 15 minutes, until the underside is browned and crispy.
There you go, perfect rosti, ready to serve!
Serving Suggestions
As I mentioned earlier, rosti are a versatile dish that can go with just about anything. Today, we are using them as the base for a breakfast, along with fried eggs and bacon. Try them with anything that you would enjoy with any other form of fried potatoes.
In Switzerland, they are one of the most popular side dishes. You will often find them accompanying everything from sausage to schnitzels. One of our favorite ways to enjoy rosti was alongside a creamy Zurich-style veal dish known locally as Zürcher Geschnetzeltes. That recipe will be coming to GypsyPlate very soon!
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More great potato recipes:
Colcannon
Stamppot
Batata Harra
Indian Potatoes & Spinach
Roasted Baby Potatoes
Bubble and Squeak
Swiss Potato Rosti
Move over fries, this classic Swiss Rosti recipe is going to be your new favorite fried potato. They’re so crispy on the outside and beautifully tender inside. With just a few tips and tricks, you’ll have them perfected in no time.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes (see note)
- 5 Tbsp ghee or clarified butter, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ black pepper
Instructions
- Peel potatoes, then grate them with a box grater, aiming for long strips.
- Using your hands, squeeze as much moisture out of the potatoes as you can, and transfer to a bowl.
- Add 1 Tbsp of ghee, along with salt and pepper to the potatoes. Toss until well combined.
- Melt 2 Tbsp ghee in a 10" (8" as measured across the cooking surface) non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the grated potatoes to the skillet. Using a rubber spatula, gently pat down on the potatoes and make the edges smooth. After a couple of minutes, reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for 12-15 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and crisp.
- Place a flat cutting board on top of the skillet. Quickly flip, so that the uncooked side of the rosti now rests on the cutting board.
- Add remaining 2 Tbsp ghee to the skillet. With the help of the spatula, gently slide the rosti back into the skillet. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, until the underside of the rosti is browned and crispy.
Notes
- There is not one specific “best” type of potato, though each will come out a bit different. Starchy varieties tend to result in a bit softer inside, while waxy types make for crispier rosti. I like Yukon gold because they strike a good balance.
- When grating the potatoes, aim for longer strips. This helps hold the rosti together.
- Use the right sized pan. For the amount of potatoes used in my recipe, you want a 10 inch skillet. That’s the measurement across the top, the cooking surface should be about 8 inches. If your pan is too large, the rosti will be too thin and fragile. Also, non-stick is best.
- Be patient. I know it can be tempting to use a higher temperature to speed things up, but for that perfect balance of crispy outside and tender inside, keep the temperature on the lower side.
- Rosti are great at breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 380Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 49mgSodium 604mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 5gSugar 3gProtein 6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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