Potato Rösti (Swiss Potato Pancake)

This potato rösti is an easy version of the traditional Swiss potato pancake, and is made with frozen hashbrowns and raclette cheese.

I tried Swiss rösti for the first time last summer in the small Alpine town of Champex Lac in Switzerland.

We'd been hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc for days, and I was exhausted. This meal was both hearty and delicious. What struck me was just how simple the ingredients were, but they'd been turned into something utterly delicious and delightful.

It was one of the food highlights of our trip, along with the Limoncello spritz I enjoyed with it. I knew I wanted to make it again when we got home.

In this simplified version of potato rösti, we're using frozen hashbrowns to speed up the process, along with melted Swiss raclette cheese.

What Kind of Shredded Potatoes should I Use?

Traditionally, Swiss potato pancakes vary from other versions in that they use par-boiled potatoes (not raw potatoes), the potatoes are allowed to cool fully, and then those potatoes are shredded and cooked again in a pan.

Since I don't always have time to parboil potatoes every time the desire for rösti strikes, I wanted a shortcut. Enter the frozen potato.

Before freezing potatoes, they must be par-boiled to avoid discoloration, so they work perfectly for rösti because they're already correctly prepared.

If you want to make this dish fully from scratch, you could par-boil, shred and freeze your own potatoes ahead of time.

If you'd like the quickest and easiest option, you can buy frozen shredded potatoes at the grocery store, but you have to read the label carefully. Some frozen potatoes are already cooked in oil, which is not what you want.

Before purchasing frozen potatoes, check the label. Look for: zero fat in the nutrition label (because there's no oil already added) and the ingredients list should be short: potatoes (and possibly a form of salt).

I've found that both Ore-Ida and Trader Joe's sell shredded hash brown potatoes that work perfectly.

Where Can I Find Raclette Cheese?

Look in a grocery store that sells specialty cheese. Trader Joe's sells it seasonally, but I've also found it in other shops with large cheese selections. The raclette I've found has come pre-sliced and ready to use.

If you can't find raclette, you can swap a different cheese that melts well, such as Gruyere.

What Does Raclette Cheese Taste Like?

Raclette is a Swiss cheese that's known for just how well it melts.

To me it smells quite a bit like regular Swiss cheese, but turned up several notches. It is rather pungent, but the taste is much milder than the pungent French cheeses I've tried. It's definitely worth a try even if you don't typically love strong cheese flavors.

Can I Use Less Oil to make Potato rösti?

If you use less oil, the pancake will likely fall apart when flipping. This is for two reasons: the oil helps bind the pancake and also helps create a non-stick environment below the pancake.

So you can use less oil, but you'll probably end up with more of a hash than a pancake.

What Kind of skillet Should I Use?

You'll need an 8" skillet that can go both on the stovetop and under a broiler. A well-seasoned cast-iron pan or carbon steel pan would work well.

I used this Lodge carbon steel pan. I personally find heavy cast iron too difficult to turn in one hand in order to flip the pancake, so I prefer the lighter carbon steel pans.

How to Make Potato rösti

First, heat oil in your 8" pan and then add the potatoes. Arrange them so that they're in an even layer, and then sprinkle with the seasoning.

It will be very tempting to scootch them around in the pan and check on them often. Don't. Leave them cooking unbothered until you start to see golden bits of potato along the edges of the pancake. This will probably take about 10 minutes: don't rush it.

Once the edges crisp up, test the pancake by sliding a metal spatula under the edge. If the pancake easily lifts, it's time to flip. If it doesn't easily lift, let it cook a little longer.

Next, it's time to turn the potato pancake. I admit that I found this part intimidating, and also that the first time I tried it, I ended up with potatoes all over my oven burner. But a clean flip IS POSSIBLE. Learn from my mistakes.

First, understand what's happening. You're attempting to take a plate, place it over the pan, and flip the pan so that the pancake comes fully out of the pan and onto the plate.

Tip 1: Don't flip the pancake directly over the stove burner. Move to a counter area so that if any potatoes don't transfer neatly, they don't end up on your hot burner.

Tip 2: Place a cutting board below the flip area, so that you'll have something to catch any stray pieces of pancake.

Tip 3: If you don't have steady hands and don't want to risk the flip, you don't have to. You can flip the pancake with a spatula and sort of piece it back together in the pan afterwards. It will almost certainly not be a clean flip, but it will still taste delightful.

Once you've flipped the pancake, do a little happy cheer. It's more exciting than it seems like it would be.

Then slide it back into the hot pan. Add a little more oil and then continue cooking until both sides of the pancake are golden.

Once both sides of the pancake are golden, remove it from the heat.

Add the cheese slices to the top of the pancake and slide it under a broiler until the cheese is all ooey and gooey.

Serve your potato pancake right away, along with any add-ons you like, such as a runny egg, breakfast meats or tomatoes.

In Switzerland, we enjoyed this pancake brunch-style with a cocktail, but you could also serve it with a warm drink such as a mocha or French hot chocolate.