Air Fryer Rösti
Air fryer rösti turns a few grated potatoes into four golden cakes with a crisp, lacy crust and a soft, tender middle, using only 2 teaspoons of oil. The trick is to squeeze the potato properly dry before it is seasoned and shaped. Each batch takes 15 minutes at 200°C, so the whole thing is on the table in under an hour, ready for fried eggs, bacon or a bowl of soup.
- Total
- 48 min
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 33 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 300kcal
How long to cook air fryer rösti
Each batch needs 15 minutes at 200°C, plus 3 minutes of preheating at the start, which brings the total cooking time to 33 minutes for two batches. The air fryer uses far less oil than a frying pan: 2 teaspoons are brushed over the tops, and the butter in the mixture does the rest.
A 5-litre basket holds two rösti comfortably, with room for the air to move round them. Squeezing the potato is the one step not to rush. Rösti made from damp shreds steam rather than crisp, however long they cook.
How to prepare air fryer rösti
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Grate and squeeze the potatoes Peel the potatoes and grate them on the coarse side of a box grater. Pile the shreds into a clean tea towel, twist it tight over the sink and squeeze hard until hardly any liquid comes out. Work quickly, as grated potato turns grey if left to stand.
- Season Tip the dry potato into a bowl and toss it with the melted butter, salt, pepper and onion powder until every strand is coated. Let the butter cool for a minute first so it does not start to cook the potato.
- Shape Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions, about 100g each. Press each one firmly into a flat round about 8cm wide and 1.5cm thick, so the shreds hold together. Brush the tops with half of the oil.
- Preheat Heat the air fryer to 200°C for . Cut a perforated baking paper liner to fit the basket, and only put it in once the food is on it, as loose paper can lift in the fan.
- Cook the first batch Put 2 rösti on the liner, oiled side up, with a gap between them. Cook for , turning them over carefully with a fish slice after . They are ready when the edges are dark golden and crunchy.
- Cook the second batch Brush the remaining 2 rösti with the rest of the oil and cook them in the same way. Serve straight away.
What to serve with rösti
Rösti are a breakfast or brunch favourite with a fried or poached egg, grilled bacon or smoked salmon, and they also make a good side for sausages, roast chicken or a bowl of soup. For a quicker version made with shop-bought shreds, see air fryer frozen rösti.
Grated onion or a crushed garlic clove can go into the mix, but squeeze the onion dry too, as it releases a lot of juice. Cooked rösti soften as they cool, so serve each batch as soon as it comes out of the basket, or keep it on a plate in a low oven.
Common problems and fixes for Air Fryer Rösti
- The rösti are soft and soggy instead of crisp.
- The potato still held water. Squeeze it again in the tea towel until nothing drips out, and do not salt it until it has been squeezed, as salt pulls more liquid from the shreds.
- The rösti fall apart when you turn them.
- The shreds were not pressed together firmly enough, or you turned them too soon. Pack each round tightly, wait until the base is set at 8 minutes, then slide the fish slice right underneath before flipping.
- The edges are dark but the middle is still firm.
- The rounds were too thick. Keep them to about 1.5cm, because a thicker cake browns long before the centre softens.
Frequently asked questions about Air Fryer Rösti
How long do you cook rösti in the air fryer?
Cook rösti for 15 minutes at 200°C, turning them after 8 minutes. If your basket is large enough to hold all four in one layer, they cook together in the same time.
Do you need to parboil potatoes for rösti?
No. Raw grated potato works well here, as long as it is squeezed dry. The raw starch helps the shreds stick together, and 15 minutes at 200°C cooks the middle through.
Which potatoes are best for rösti?
Floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward are best. Their starch helps the cakes hold together and gives a fluffy middle. Waxy salad potatoes make a denser rösti.
Can you make rösti ahead and reheat them?
Yes. Cooked rösti keep in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat them at 180°C for 4–5 minutes, until steaming hot all the way through and crisp again.
How did you like the recipe?
4.8 / 5 · 19 ratings
