Potato Rosti with Cheese

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Cheesy Potato Rosti | Whether you want a savory breakfast option, a satisfying brunch, or a delightful side dish for dinner, this potato rosti (or rösti) with Mozzarella or Gouda and fried onions won’t disappoint.

With a simple ingredients list and quick cook time, a cheesy rosti is easy to make for any meal. Make one big rosti or a bunch of small ones!

A sliced potato rosti on a plat with sour cream, sambal oelek, avocado, onion, and cheese on top.

I can’t wait to show you how to make the best crispy and cheesy potato rosti from scratch in this blog post.

This simple dish makes for a great breakfast or weeknight dinner, with so many possibilities to customize it and make it exactly as you want.

What is a rosti?

A rosti is a savory Swiss dish that combines mainly grated potatoes that are cooked in a frying pan in a large pancake shape.

What is rosti made of?

Rosti are made of grated potatoes which are compressed together into a large pancake shape.

For my homemade rosti I add egg and flour, which is not typically used in a traditional rösti recipe but is common in latkes. I like the texture. I also add grated cheese and fried onion for extra flavor.

What is the difference between rosti and hashbrowns?

Both rosti and hashbrowns are made with grated potato but rosti is made with compressed potatoes and hashbrowns are usually cooked loose.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

Ingredients for a potato rosti on a white marble surface.
  • potatoes: I’ve used russet and red potatoes for this recipe and both work. This recipe is made for one so I use one potato – use a smaller one for a flatter crispier overall texture and use a bigger one for a thicker rosti with a soft interior. It all depends on the texture you want!
  • onions: finely diced onion is great but you can cut yours bigger if you like.
  • cheese: I use finely grated cheese, and I grate it at home instead of buying it pre-grated which can sometimes change the texture but store-bought grated cheese is fine for this recipe also.
  • flour and egg: this isn’t usually used in a rosti but I like it. One egg and a tablespoon or two of flour help the potatoes stick together and the outside still gets crispy.

Substitutions

  • mozzarella: I’ve used both Mozzarella and Gouda in this recipe and both are great. Try Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Monterrey jack.
  • potato: if you don’t have Russet or Red potatoes on hand, try Yukon Gold.
A sliced potato rosti on a plat with sour cream, sambal oelek, avocado, onion, and cheese on top.

Instructions

Prep Tips

  • You’ll cook the rosti in a frying pan over medium heat, for about 5 minutes per side. I use a cast iron pan.
  • Grate the cheese and dice the onion.
Grated potato in a blue bowl.
  1. Grate the potatoes. I use the large holes on a box grater.
The water is squeezed out of grated potato.
  1. Squeeze water out of the potatoes and then add them to a mixing bowl.
Grated potato, cheese, an egg, and fresh herbs in a bowl.
  1. Add the egg, flour, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Potato rosti ingredients are mixed by hand with a fork.
  1. Mix well. The mixture will be thick and shouldn’t be wet.
Diced red onions fry in a cast iron pan.
  1. Fry the onions over medium heat in a splash of oil. Cook until browned and then spread them out.
Flattening a potato rosti in a cast iron pan.
  1. Add the potato on top of the onions and spread it out to the edges of the pan. This is an 8-inch pan.
Flipping a potato rosti.
  1. Cook the rosti for about 5 minutes on the first side. Lift the edge to make sure it’s cooked and browned. It shouldn’t stick at all. Carefully flip it. It should stay together because it’s fairly thin.
A potato rosti cooks in a cast iron pan with a crispy top.
  1. Cook for another 5-6 minutes on the second side until it’s also golden brown and crispy. Remove from the heat.

How to Serve a Rosti

To serve the rosti whole, place it on a plate. Garnish with fresh herbs, avocado, extra cheese, and onions. You can top with a fried egg, or just serve with dollops of yogurt dip on top.

To serve the rosti in smaller pieces, place the cooked rosti on a cutting board and using a large knife, cut it into 6 pizza like slices. Stack them on a plate and serve with avocado slices, grated cheese, fresh herbs, pickled red onions, a fried or poached egg, and the spicy yogurt dip on the side.

A sliced potato rosti on a plat with sour cream, sambal oelek, avocado, onion, and cheese on top.

Tips for Making a Crispy Rosti

  • squeeze the potatoes: squeezing the potatoes gets a lot of water out so that they can cook up crispier. Don’t skip this step.
  • flavor: feel free to use different fresh herbs or add spices to the mixture. Try adding green onions or shallots. Try adding some grated carrots to the potato.
  • fat: frying the rosti in oil helps the outside gain a satisfying crispiness.
  • topping: you can serve these topped with a fried egg or just with some sour cream and salsa on the side for dipping.

What to Serve With a Cheesy Potato Rosti

For a backyard BBQ, this rosti is great on the side of Big Mac Quesadillas on the Blackstone Grill, or Easy Grilled Chicken Tacos.

If you’re in the mood for a quick weeknight dinner, pair a rosti with a side salad like a Broccoli Crunch Salad, a Spicy Cucumber Salad, or a Spinach and Arugula Salad.

For a vegetable based dinner or casual dinner party, try some Roasted Broccoli and Carrots, Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Green Beans.

If you’re serving this for breakfast try my Breakfast Salad on the side. Learn how to poach an egg in that blog post!

Love potatoes for breakfast? Try my sweet potato skillet!

Try my Zucchini and Corn Fritters for something similar.

A sliced potato rosti on a plat with sour cream, sambal oelek, avocado, onion, and cheese on top.

Storage

These rosti are best served fresh but leftovers would keep in the fridge for a few days. Try reheating in a frying pan or an air fryer.

FAQ

Can I use other types of potatoes for this recipe?

Yes, you can use other potatoes in this rosti recipe. Russet potatoes are typically used in this recipe due to their starch content which helps achieve crispiness and helps prevent them from becoming soft and mushy when cooked.

How do I prevent the Rosti from falling apart while cooking?

To prevent the rosti from falling apart while cooking, make sure to squeeze out a good amount of water from the grated potato and mix it well with the egg and flour, which helps bind it together.

A sliced potato rosti on a plate with sour cream, sambal oelek, avocado, onion, and cheese on top.
5 from 7 votes

Potato Rosti with Gouda and Onion

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 1
Potato rosti with gouda or mozzarella cheese and fried onions. 20-minute breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Easy to scale up and make for more people.

Ingredients
 
 

Rosti

  • ¼ cup diced red onion
  • 1 medium potato shredded, I use Russet or Red
  • ¼ cup shredded cheese I like Gouda or Mozzarella
  • 1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley loosely packed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil for frying

Yogurt Dip

  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon sambal oelek
  • 1 squeeze lime juice

Instructions

Yogurt Dip

  • Mix all ingredients for the dip in a small bowl and set side.

Rosti

  • Add oil to a cast iron or non-stick frying pan and heat over medium.
  • Fry the onions for a few minutes until browned
  • Grate the potatoes and squeeze most of the water out.
  • In a small mixing bowl, mix together the grated potato and grated cheese. Add the egg, flour, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
  • Using a spatula, scoop the mixture into the pan, on top of the onions, flattening it until it covers the entire bottom of the pan.
  • Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown, crispy outside, and cooked through.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with yogurt dip on the side.

Video

Notes

Potatoes: This recipe is made for one so I use one potato – use a smaller one for a flatter crispier overall texture and use a bigger one for a thicker rosti with a soft interior. It all depends on the texture you want!
Substitutions:
  • mozzarella: I’ve used both mozzarella and gouda in this recipe and both are great. Try cheddar, pepper jack, or Monterrey jack.
  • potato: if you don’t have russet or red potatoes on hand, try Yukon gold.
Tips:
  • squeeze the potatoes: squeezing the potatoes gets a lot of water out so that they can cook up crispier. Don’t skip this step.
  • flavor: feel free to use different fresh herbs or add spices to the mixture. Try adding green onions or shallots. Try adding some grated carrots to the potato.
  • fat: frying the rosti in oil helps the outside gain a satisfying crispiness.
  • topping: you can serve these topped with a fried egg or just with some sour cream and salsa on the side for dipping.

Nutrition

Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 26g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

This post was originally posted on February 17, 2017.

A sliced potato rosti on a plat with sour cream, sambal oelek, avocado, onion, and cheese on top with text for Pinterest.

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A photo from the original post in 2017.

Potato Pancake with mozzarella and onions _ PiperCooks

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24 Comments

  1. Anything with onions and cheese has got to be good! Isn’t it great when you can catch some decent weather during the winter? It’s nice this weekend too. It was about 65 or 70. I wish it would stay that way.

5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

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