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Meat, Busy evenings

Rösti with ham and green salad

Rösti with ham and salad is a Swiss dish made of grated potato cakes pan fried until golden, served with sliced ham and a green salad. It serves 4, takes 35 minutes, and is rated easy, for about €2.10 per serving. The key to success is squeezing all the water out of the grated potatoes before cooking them.

Tonight we're heading to Switzerland with crispy rösti, ham, and a green salad, simple and satisfying.

Rösti with ham and green salad
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.10
Calories per person
600 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Rösti is all about crispiness. Golden and crunchy underneath, soft inside, with a faint onion flavor running through the whole cake. The sliced ham adds just enough savory softness, while the vinaigrette dressed green salad brings freshness to balance the plate. It is a simple combination, but the contrast in textures is what makes it work.

This is a great weeknight dinner when you don't want to spend hours cooking but still want something satisfying. Kids tend to love rösti, and you can even let them help shape the cakes. It's also a nice way to change things up from pasta or rice without complicating your grocery list.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Firm potatoes 800 g
  • Onion 1
  • Green salad 1

Butcher

  • Egg 1
  • Sliced ham 4 slices

Dairy

  • Butter 40 g

Pantry

  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel and grate the potatoes and onion, then press them in a kitchen towel to squeeze out the water.

    Don't rinse them after grating, the starch helps the rösti hold together.

  2. Mix in the egg, salt, and pepper.

    Stir with a fork to keep some strands intact, they crisp up nicely.

  3. Heat the butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet and shape into four cakes, pressing them down firmly.

    Combining butter and oil lets you cook at a higher heat without burning the butter.

  4. Cook the rösti over medium heat, flipping once, until golden on both sides. 16 min

    Flip them by sliding onto a plate, it's safer than using a spatula.

  5. Dress the salad with vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and serve alongside the ham.

    A touch of mustard in the vinaigrette pairs really well with the ham.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm, waxy potatoes, they release less water during cooking than starchy varieties and give crispier rösti.
  • Don't crowd the pan, cook the rösti in two batches if your skillet is small, otherwise they'll steam instead of browning.
  • Let the pan get fully hot before adding the cakes, that initial contact with high heat is what forms the golden crust.

The variations

  • Swap the sliced ham for bacon or crispy lardons for a heartier version.
  • For a vegetarian take, skip the ham and top each rösti with a fried egg, that alone makes a complete meal.
  • For kids in a hurry, shape smaller rösti, they cook faster and are easy to eat with fingers.

What to serve it with

  • A lightly tart applesauce
  • A glass of sparkling apple juice
  • Pickles or small pickled onions

Storage

Cooked rösti keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat them in a skillet over medium heat to bring back the crispiness, the microwave makes them soggy. They don't freeze well, the texture turns mushy once thawed.

Questions about this dish

Why aren't my rösti crispy?

It's almost always a water problem, the grated potatoes need to be pressed firmly in a towel before mixing. A pan that isn't hot enough to start also leads to soft, soggy rösti.

Can you prep rösti ahead of time?

You can grate the potatoes and onion a few hours ahead, keeping them pressed and covered in the fridge. Mix in the egg right before cooking so the mixture doesn't turn brown.

What's the best potato for rösti?

A firm, waxy potato, like Yukon Gold or a similar variety, holds up better during cooking and releases less water. Starchy potatoes fall apart and give a texture closer to mashed potatoes.

Can you swap the sliced ham?

Yes, cured ham, bacon, or even melted cheese slices all work well with rösti. Just pick something savory enough to contrast with the potato.

How long does it take to make rösti with ham and a green salad?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in rösti with ham and a green salad?

About 600 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does rösti with ham and a green salad cost?

About €2.10 per serving, or €8.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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