Rosti potatoes (or rösti as it is properly written) are a grated fried potatoes recipe that originated in Switzerland.
They are delightful.
Rösti originated in the Bern region of Switzerland and quickly became a very popular potato recipe across the country. Of course anything that is really good spreads around the world these days so rösti potatoes are now enjoyed everywhere.
You can shred the potatoes in a food processor or using a box grater (which my Aunt Pauline calls a reibeisen in German). If you use a food processor, just make sure you don’t grate them too finely because they will be very wet and there is a chance they will turn out too mushy.
Some people pre-cook the potatoes, some use raw. I think it cooks up better if the potatoes are partially cooked before you shred them, so that is what I have indicated in the instructions below.
The recipe calls for the fried onions to be spread between the two layers of potatoes. You can mix them into the potatoes and cook it all at once, but the onions tend to cook before the potatoes. They will brown too much on the outside. It is best to cook them as it says above.
Fried Rosti Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, shredded
- 4 baking potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons oil, divided
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onions over medium heat until they are tender but not brown. Remove the onions and set them aside.
- I like to partially precook the potatoes. Put them whole with skins on in a pot of water, bring to a boil and boil them until the potatoes are about 1/2 cooked, probably about 5 or 7 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.
- Peel and shred the potatoes or cut them into very small squares. Pat them dry on a paper towel. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter and spread half the shredded potatoes over the bottom of the skillet.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper, top them with the onions, then add the remaining potatoes. Add salt and pepper to the top layer of potatoes.
- Reduce the heat to medium low or low and for cook 10 minutes or until the bottom is brown and crisp. Turn upside down onto a plate.
- Heat the remaining butter and oil and slide the potato cake back into the skillet and brown the second side for another 8 or 10 minutes.
- Serve sprinkled with cooked pieces of bacon if you want and a dollop of sour cream.
Nutrition
Makes 2-4 servings.
Rosti potatoes are different than potato pancakes. Find our recipe for potato pancakes here.
Browse all of our starch side dish recipes here.
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Hello, I am Swiss and come from the Bernese Oberland. We ate Roesti almost every evening with different sides, usually a salad or cheese and little bits of bacon. My grandfather had it every evening: he would make it on the woodstove. He would put a little bit of bacon and onions and then add the patatoes. We always used boiled potatoes, few people actually use raw ones. We live in Canada since 1981 but my parents still have Roesti a few times a week for an evening meal. My Canadian born children (adults now) love it.
Thanks for your input Therese. I grew up eating variations of roesti too and love it. I love the bacon and onions idea. It probably cooks up faster too if the potatoes are precooked a bit.
Hello !I love rösti potatoes and your recipe is very yummy , I can’t wait to try it, thank you !
You are quite welcome Sabine. Glad you liked it. I love rosti’s as well.