Cheesy, crispy feta potato rösti with caramelized onions (gluten-free, vegetarian)
Faster and more forgiving than fries and less fussy when it comes to nailing a crispy, deep golden brown, pan-fried, golden potato rösti are one of my favorite potato dishes. Although not traditional, this recipe adds briny feta and oregano into the shredded potato mixture, and is topped with a scattering of sweet caramelized onions and garlicky sour cream. If you're feeling fancy, try it topped with a poached egg!
Equipment
- Box grater (See Note 1)
- Nut milk bag or cheesecloth (See Note 2)
- 1 Medium bowl
- 8-inch cast iron skillet (See Note 3)
- Spatula
- Large plate (for flipping the rösti)
Ingredients
Caramelized onions
- 1 onion sliced about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
- 1 tbsp ghee
- A pinch sugar
Cheesy potato rosti
- 2 russet potatoes (about 400g)
- 2 tbsp feta
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 ½ tbsp ghee to be divided between the potato mixture and skillet
Garlicky sour cream
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1-2 cloves garlic finely minced or grated
Instructions
Caramelized onions
- Slice the onions, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt ghee and swirl to coat the pan.
- Add the onions, pinch of sugar. Stir occasionally to keep them from burning.
- Once the onions have softened and started to darken, about 15 minutes, turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Continue cooking the onions, being sure to stir them every once and awhile to keep them from burning, until they are caramelized and deeper brown in color, about 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Cheesy potato rosti
- Wash, peel, and grate the potatoes against the largest holes of a box grater.
- Place the grated potato into a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Evenly spread the shredded potato out onto a clean kitchen towel. Place another kitchen towel over top, then roll both towels into a log, keeping the shredded potato in the middle (see GIF in the "Step-by-step instructions" above!). Wring out as much water as possible. You want the shredded potato to be as dry as possible in order to get a crunchy exterior.
- In a medium bowl, combine the shredded potato, oregano, salt, and ½ tablespoon melted ghee.
- (Optional, if crisping further in oven: Preheat oven to 400℉)
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in the 8 inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Swirl the ghee around, coating edges of the pan.
- When the ghee is hot and shimmering, scatter half of the shredded potato mixture into the skillet. Sprinkle feta over top, then scatter the remaining half of shredded potato mixture over that, building a slight dome in the middle.
- Cook for about 10 minutes. Do not fuss at it.
- Unstick from the pan with a spatula. To flip the rösti, place a plate over the skillet and flip both the plate and skillet (see GIF in the "Step-by-step instructions" above). Add 1 tablespoon ghee to the skillet, then slide the rösti uncooked side down back into the skillet.
- Cook for another 10 minutes.
- (Optional: Place the rösti on a wire rack in an oven preheated to 400℉ for 10 minutes.)
- Top with garlicky sour cream and caramelized onions (and/or any of your favorite toppings) and enjoy ❤️
Garlicky sour cream
- While the rösti crisps in the oven, in a small bowl, mix sour cream and garlic. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.
Notes
- If you don’t have a box grater and are up to the task, you could thinly slice the potato, then julienne them by hand. It’s time consuming, but I think the texture is even better than shredded.
- If you don’t have a nut milk bag or cheesecloth, you can use your hands instead to squeeze liquid out of the shredded potato.
- If you don’t have a cast iron pan, you can also use non-stick or stainless steel, but don’t expect as nice of a sear or as much of a crunch on your rösti. Cast iron retains heat and will give you a better, crunchier crust, so I highly recommend using cast iron.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!