Rösti is Switzerland’s answer to the perfect potato dish — a crispy crust, a soft inside and just a handful of ingredients. Traditionally it’s fried in a pan with plenty of butter, but the air fryer delivers an even, golden crust without you having to flip a large potato cake several times or use half a pack of butter.
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In this version you get the recipe for a classic Swiss rösti made in the air fryer, where grated potatoes turn into a golden cake with crispy edges and a soft centre. It works both as a side dish for meat dishes and as a filling main course with fried eggs and bacon on top.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love air fryer rösti
Air fryer rösti strikes a balance that’s hard to achieve in a pan: the crispiness is even across the whole cake, and you avoid the pool of fat that’s otherwise needed to get exactly the right crust. The air fryer circulates hot air around the potatoes so they turn golden without soaking up unnecessary fat — perfect for a weekday meal or a weekend brunch with fried eggs.
The difference between the pan and the air fryer
In the pan you need to be very patient — press the potatoes together, turn carefully with a plate, and watch that it doesn’t burn on the bottom. In the air fryer the heat distribution is more even, and you save 5-10 minutes on the total time. The result is also lighter, because you use significantly less fat than the traditional pan-fried version.
My kitchen test of rösti
I tested rösti in my Cosori Dual Blaze at 200 °C in two different formats. The first time I made one large cake about 18 cm in diameter, the second time I tested four smaller individual rösti cakes of 8-9 cm. The small cakes were done in 14 minutes, while the large one needed 18-20 minutes to become completely crispy on both sides.
The most important thing I learned was that the water content in the potatoes is the decisive factor. If you don’t get all the liquid out of the grated potatoes, the cake turns soft and steamed instead of crispy. A clean tea towel works perfectly for wringing out the moisture. Use floury potatoes like Bintje or Maris Piper for the best result — they hold their shape and become crispier than waxy varieties.
The secret to a crispy rösti is to wring all the moisture out of the potatoes before they go into the air fryer — if there’s water left, the cake steams instead of crisping up.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake I see is that people don’t wring the potatoes properly. The grated potatoes should be as dry as hay before they’re gathered into a cake — put them in a tea towel and press with your hands until no more liquid comes out. The second common mistake is making the cake too thick; it should be at most 2 cm high, otherwise the centre stays raw even if the crust is beautifully golden. Finally, many forget to brush or spray a little oil on top, and without a thin layer of fat the surface turns dry instead of crispy.
How to serve rösti
Rösti is a versatile side dish that suits both traditional and modern meals. Here are some of my favourite ways to serve it:
- As a side dish for roast chicken, meatballs or salmon
- With fried eggs and bacon as a classic Swiss brunch
- Topped with smoked salmon, crème fraîche and fresh dill
- Cut into quarters with a skyr-based dressing
- As a base for a small Swiss-inspired salad with apple and walnuts
Storage and reheating
Finished rösti can be stored in the fridge for up to two days in an airtight container. Reheat it in the air fryer at 180 °C for 4-5 minutes to bring back the crispiness — the microwave makes it soft and moist, so avoid it. Fresh rösti tastes best, but leftovers also work fine as a base for a hash with eggs, onion and vegetables the next day.
Air fryer rösti is a good example of how simple dishes become better with the right technique. With dry potatoes, a thin cake and the right temperature, you have a crispy Swiss classic ready in 20 minutes — without having to stand and flip a giant pancake with a plate.
FAQ
Use floury potatoes like Bintje, Maris Piper or ordinary baking potatoes — they hold their shape better and give a crispier surface than waxy varieties like Amandine or Asparges.
It’s optional. Raw-fried gives a more classic Swiss texture with a pronounced crust, while potatoes par-boiled for 8 minutes give a softer centre. Choose according to the taste you prefer.
You can, but the result will be much less crispy. Spray or brush a thin layer of oil or melted butter on the top and bottom to get the golden crust that defines a good rösti.
Recipe
Air Fryer Rösti
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Grater - Coarse
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Rent viskestykke - For pressing out the water
- 1 Parchment paper - For the air fryer
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 800 g waxy potatoes (Peeled)
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp butter (Melted)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
How to make it
Preparation
- Peel 800 g waxy potatoes and grate them coarsely on a grater. Place the grated potatoes in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to draw out some of the starch.
- Tip the potatoes onto a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much water as you possibly can. This step is crucial for a crispy result.
- Put the squeezed potatoes in a dry bowl and mix with 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp freshly ground pepper, 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil, so all the grated strands are evenly coated.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan.
- Place a piece of parchment paper in the air fryer basket. Spread the potato mixture out evenly in a layer about 2 cm thick, and lightly press the surface together with a spatula.
- Cook at 200 °C for 18-20 minutes. Carefully turn the rösti with two spatulas, or by sliding it onto a plate and tipping it back, halfway through cooking, so both sides turn golden.
- Let the rösti rest 2-3 minutes outside the air fryer, so the surface sets and becomes extra crispy. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Our notes for the recipe
The most important thing for a crispy rösti is to press all the water out of the potatoes — the drier, the crispier. Wring the tea towel tightly until no more liquid comes out. Use waxy potatoes (such as Asparges or Folva), as floury varieties fall apart. Variation:
Grate in a small onion or sprinkle grated gruyère over the last 5 minutes of cooking for a richer Swiss version. Herbs such as thyme or rosemary also work well. Serving:
A classic side for schnitzel, smoked salmon with crème fraîche or fried eggs and bacon for brunch. Also excellent alongside steaks. Extra crispiness:
Spray lightly with oil before cooking and keep the layers thin. If your air fryer is smaller, make the rösti in two smaller cakes instead of one large one.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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