The rosti potato became our answer for so many things. It was economical, gluten-free (vegan really), was useful for a variety of toppings and could be made with just 3 ingredients. When holiday entertaining rolls around, we’re all looking for that one appetizer that’s elegant enough for a party, easy enough for a crowd, and guaranteed to disappear the minute it hits the table.
Enter: Potato Rösti, the beautifully crisp, golden potato dish that looks impressive, tastes incredible, and somehow works with just about any topping you throw at it.
Think of rösti as the most sophisticated version of a hash brown: shatteringly crisp on the outside, tender inside, and the perfect canvas for smoked salmon, crème fraîche, fresh herbs, and bright citrus. It’s fancy without being fussy.
Whether you’re serving individual mini röstis as canapés, plating larger ones for brunch, or topping them with smoked salmon (our favourite), these are the appetizers guests remember and ask for the recipe. You can literally hand them a potato!
Below is our chef-tested (Jody’s made thousands. Seriously.) method for the crispiest potato rösti, plus topping ideas to make your holiday menu shine.
Rösti (pronounced ro-shtee) is a Swiss potato pancake made with grated potatoes fried until golden and crisp. Unlike latkes or hash browns, rösti is typically made with only potatoes, salt, maybe pepper, and oil — no flour, no egg, no fuss.
It’s naturally gluten-free, simple, and incredibly versatile.
Purchase the right kind of potato. We like a slightly aged yellow-fleshed potato. You’re like ladies, how do I know this?? Potatoes are new in the summertime, so if you’re making in the summer, look for older, last year’s potatoes. Russet potatoes work well also as they have a higher starch content. What you just want to avoid completely is a ‘new potato’, ‘red potato’ or boring ‘white’ potatoes.
Using a coarse grater, grate potatoes into a large bowl.
Squeeze Out the Moisture: Excess moisture = soggy rösti. Using clean hands or a kitchen towel, squeeze the grated potatoes a handful at a time and transfer to a second bowl.
Season Well: Add a generous pinch of kosher salt (pepper if you like, but we never did)
Preheat the Pan: Preheat a frying pan BEFORE adding oil over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down slightly. Rösti needs a balance of heat: high enough for crisp edges, low enough so nothing burns. Add enough neutral oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
Form Your Rösti: Drop 4–6 generous tablespoons of potato into the pan for each rösti. Using a spatula (the thin edge, not the flat large part) to gently press down. No need to pack the potatoes tightly — the loose shreds create those golden, lacy edges.
Cook Until Golden: Cook for 3–4 minutes, then flip. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until crisp, crunchy, and deeply golden on both sides. Remove to a rack or paper towel and repeat with remaining potatoes.
A spoonful of sour cream or crème fraîche
A slice or two of smoked salmon. We love T&J Seafoods Smoked salmon. They smoke it in-house twice a week!
Fresh dill
Lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon
Optional: capers, quick-pickled onions, or microgreens
Top with spinach, a poached egg, and hollandaise, a fun twist on Eggs Benny.
Mix in chopped chives, parsley, or rosemary before frying.
Sprinkle cheddar or Gruyère over the rösti during the last minute of cooking.
Layer rösti with bacon, a fried egg, avocado, and hot sauce.
Top with hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and feta.
A great alternative to smoked salmon for a more Nordic twist.
Squeeze harder than you think. The drier the potato, the crispier the rösti.
No stirring. Once the potato hits the pan, let it be. Adjust heat as you go. Every stove is different — aim for steady sizzling, not smoking oil.
Serve immediately. They are the absolute best straight from the pan.
This is undoubtedly one of our appetizer mainstays. Pair the rosti with our Chili Lime Shrimp and your party will shine!