Swiss Rösti
Switzerland's golden potato cake — crispy on both sides, buttery and tender inside.
Budget Friendly
Comfort Food
Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 800g waxy potatoes
- 40g butter
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: fried egg, melted cheese, smoked salmon
Instructions
- 1 Boil potatoes in their skins for 15 minutes — they should be firm, not fully cooked. Drain and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.
- 2 Peel the cold potatoes. Grate on the coarse side of a box grater. Season with salt and pepper.
- 3 Heat butter and oil in a 25cm non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- 4 Add grated potato. Press down firmly with a spatula to form an even cake about 2cm thick.
- 5 Cook without disturbing for 8-10 minutes until the bottom is deep golden and crispy. Shake the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 6 Place a plate over the skillet and flip the rösti onto it. Slide it back into the pan, uncooked-side down.
- 7 Cook for another 7-8 minutes until the second side is equally golden and crispy.
- 8 Slide onto a cutting board. Let rest 1 minute, then cut into wedges.
- 9 Serve as a side dish, or top with a fried egg and fresh herbs for a main course.
About This Recipe
Rösti is the dish that divides Switzerland — literally. The "Röstigraben" (Rösti ditch) is the cultural boundary between German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland, and Rösti belongs firmly to the German side.
At its simplest, it's grated potato fried in butter into a flat golden cake. The Bernese version uses pre-boiled potatoes for a drier, crispier result, while the Zürich version uses raw potato for a softer center. This recipe uses the Bern method. Serve it as a side or top it with a fried egg for a full meal.
