Weekend Potato Rosti

Rosti is one of those things that sounds fancy but is honestly just a glorious excuse to eat crispy potato for brunch. This is a Swiss classic, and the Swiss have been doing it right for centuries: grated potato, a little salt to draw out the moisture, a hot pan with a generous pour of oil, and patience. That's it. I can't tell you how many I ate while I lived in Switzerland while I was private cheffing (nearly 10 years, that's a lot of rosti!). The result is a golden, crispy-edged disc of potato that's crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, and it is absolutely delicious. I'm topping mine with a silky pea purée and a perfectly poached egg because that combo is just something else. Weekend brunch, sorted.

Watch me make this on YouTube!

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Serves: 2
• Difficulty: Easy

The two things that make or break a rosti are moisture and patience. Too much moisture and you get a steamed, soggy potato cake. Not enough time in the pan and you pull it before the crust has properly set. Get those two things right and you get perfection. I'll walk you through both.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Crispy on the outside, soft in the middle: that contrast in texture is what makes rosti so satisfying. It's not a hash brown, it's something better.
• Made from pantry basics: potato, onion, oil, salt. The toppings are where you get creative.
• Perfect weekend brunch: impressive enough to feel like a treat, easy enough to make without planning ahead.
• The pea purée is a game changer: bright, creamy, and takes about 3 minutes to make. Once you've tried it, you'll put it on everything.
• Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian: works for a crowd without any substitutions.
• Great base for whatever you have: rosti is endlessly versatile. See Substitutions below.

Ingredients

For the Rosti:

• 2 to 3 medium floury potatoes (Agria or Maris Piper work perfectly), skin on
• 1 small white onion, very finely sliced (not grated, see Chef's Tips)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (or a mix of oil and butter)
• Good knob of butter for finishing

For the Pea Purée:

• 200g frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

To Serve:

• 2 eggs, poached
• Pickled red onions (shop-bought is fine, or make your own)
• Fresh herbs to finish (chives, mint, or flat-leaf parsley)

Instructions

1. Grate the potatoes: Grate the potatoes on the coarse side of a box grater. Leave the skin on, it adds texture and flavour, and saves you a step. Place the grated potato in a large bowl.
2. Slice the onion: Slice the white onion as finely as you can get it. You want thin, delicate slices that cook through with the potato. Add to the bowl with the potato.
3. Draw out the moisture: Add the salt and toss everything together. Let it sit for 5 minutes, you'll see liquid pooling in the bowl. Then take handfuls of the potato mixture and squeeze hard over the sink, getting rid of as much liquid as you can. This step is not optional. The drier you get it, the crispier your rosti will be.
4. Form the rosti: Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan (a cast iron pan is ideal) over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the potato mixture and press it down firmly into an even disc with a spatula. You want it compact and flat.
5. Cook low and slow: Cook for 5 minutes without touching it. You're building a crust. After 5 minutes, check the underside by lifting the edge. It should be deep golden. If it's not there yet, give it another 2 minutes. Don't rush this.
6. Flip: Slide the rosti onto a large plate, then invert back into the pan so the uncooked side goes face-down. Add a generous knob of butter around the edges and let it melt and bubble into the rosti as it cooks. Another 5 minutes on this side.
7. Make the pea purée: While the rosti is cooking, blanch the peas in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, then blitz with the cream cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Keep warm.
8. Poach the eggs: Bring a deep saucepan of water to a gentle simmer. Add a splash of white wine vinegar. Stir the water to create a gentle whirlpool, crack an egg into a small cup, and lower it into the centre. Cook for 3 minutes for a runny yolk. Repeat with the second egg. (See my Easy Hollandaise Sauce for more tips on poaching eggs perfectly.)
9. Assemble and serve: Slice the rosti into portions. Spoon the warm pea purée over the top, place a poached egg on each portion, and finish with pickled red onions and fresh herbs. Eat immediately.

Chef's Tips

Grate skin on, always: Most home cooks peel their potatoes for rosti. In professional kitchens, we don't. The skin adds texture and structure that helps the rosti hold together, and the extra starch content in the skin helps bind the edges. Try it once and you'll never go back.

Slice the onion, don't grate it: Grated onion releases too much liquid and can make the outside of the rosti taste sharper and more raw than sliced. Very fine slices cook gently through the heat of the potato and become sweet and soft. It's a small change that makes a real difference to the final flavour.

Squeeze harder than you think you need to: The number one mistake people make with rosti is not removing enough moisture. After you've squeezed, squeeze again. The mixture should feel almost dry to the touch.

Don't move it: Once your rosti is in the pan, leave it alone. Every time you lift it or shake the pan before the crust has set, you risk breaking it apart. Trust the process, watch for the golden edges, and wait.

Butter at the end, not the beginning: Starting with neutral oil means you can get the pan properly hot without burning anything. Adding butter near the end gives you that rich, golden, nutty flavour on the crust without it scorching before the potato is cooked through.

Substitutions & Variations

• No pea purée? Smashed avocado with lemon, salt, and a pinch of chilli works brilliantly on top. It's a different vibe, but just as good.
• No poached egg? A fried egg with a runny yolk is just as delicious, and less nerve-wracking to make.
• Want something richer? Swap the pea purée for a spoonful of crème fraîche or sour cream, and add smoked salmon and capers. A proper brunch platter.
• Hollandaise instead? If you want to take this to the next level, make a quick hollandaise and serve it alongside. See my Easy Hollandaise Sauce for the full method.
• Add herbs into the rosti: A tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary or thyme mixed into the potato before cooking adds a lovely herby edge.
• Make individual rostis: Instead of one large disc, divide the mixture into 4 smaller ones. Easier to flip, great for a crowd.
• Vegan version: Skip the butter and the egg, top with the pea purée, pickled red onions, and some roasted cherry tomatoes.

Storage

Best eaten fresh: Rosti is at its absolute best straight out of the pan when the crust is still crispy. It does soften as it sits.

Fridge: Leftover rosti keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a dry frying pan over medium heat to get the crust back. The oven at 200°C also works well.

Pea purée: Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a small saucepan with a splash of water, or microwave in short bursts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between rosti and hash browns?
Hash browns are usually made from parboiled or partially cooked potato, formed into patties, and often have added flour or egg as a binder. Rosti is made from raw grated potato (or sometimes cooked), is typically larger and thinner than a hash brown, and relies on the potato's own starch to hold together. Rosti is Swiss, hash browns are American. Both are delicious.

Do you peel potatoes for rosti?
Most recipes say yes, but I say no, and I mean it. Leaving the skin on adds texture, extra starch, and flavour. It also saves you time. Use a floury variety like Agria or Maris Piper and give them a good scrub.

What's the best potato for rosti?
A floury, starchy variety. In New Zealand, Agria is ideal. In the UK, Maris Piper or King Edward work perfectly. Avoid waxy varieties like Desiree, they hold too much water and won't crisp up properly.

How do you stop rosti from falling apart?
Squeeze out as much moisture as you possibly can, and don't rush the cooking. The starch in the potato is the binder, but it only works once the moisture is gone and the potato has had time to set against the heat. A compact, dry mixture and a patient hand are the secrets.

Can I make rosti ahead of time?
Rosti is really best made fresh. Grated raw potato oxidises and goes brown quickly, so prepping ahead isn't ideal. Make it just before you're ready to eat for the best colour and crust. You can reheat a cooked rosti in a dry pan or oven if needed, though it won't be quite as crispy as fresh.

What do you serve with rosti?
A poached or fried egg is the classic choice. Other great options: smoked salmon and crème fraîche, sautéed mushrooms and wilted greens, hollandaise sauce, or just a simple green salad if you want something lighter.

You Might Also Like

Easy Hollandaise Sauce — Silky, buttery, and genuinely easier than it looks. If you're making rosti for a proper weekend brunch, hollandaise takes it to another level entirely.

Parsnip Rosti with Dill Yoghurt and Chilli Crunch — If you love this recipe, you'll love the parsnip version too. The dill yoghurt and chilli crunch on top make it something really special.

Crispy Curried Devilled Eggs — Another crowd-pleasing brunch dish that comes together quickly and looks absolutely stunning on the table.

This rosti is pure weekend cooking: a little technique, proper ingredients, and something that feels genuinely special without taking over your morning. The pea purée and poached egg on top make it something you'd happily order in a restaurant, and you made it at home in 35 minutes. That's the whole point. Make it this weekend.

Enjoy!

Del x

Crispy potato rosti made with skin-on grated potato, topped with a silky pea purée, a perfectly poached egg, and pickled red onions. A proper Swiss-inspired weekend brunch ready in 35 minutes.