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Spinach and potato rostis are a popular vegetarian dish that often contain eggs or cheese. This vegan recipe, however, features tofu as one of its main ingredients, offering a plant-based and high protein twist on the traditional recipe.
Rosti – or rösti – is a Swiss dish that consists of mostly grated potatoes that are pan-fried or baked until crispy and golden brown. It originated in Switzerland as a breakfast dish for farmers in the canton of Bern but has since become popular throughout Switzerland and around the world. Traditionally, rösti is cooked in a round pan and often resembles a large potato pancake, with a crispy exterior and a soft, tender interior.
Rösti is versatile and can be served as a side dish with various meals or enjoyed on its own. Its simplicity, satisfying texture, and comforting taste have contributed to its widespread popularity, making it a staple in Swiss cuisine and a beloved dish in many other cultures.
How to make a vegan rosti
While many traditional rösti recipes tend to be vegetarian, rather than vegan, it’s perfectly easy to make egg-free and dairy-free röstis.
The basic ingredient in a traditional rösti is potatoes, which are naturally vegan. The key to making vegan rösti lies in the cooking method and the choice of additional ingredients, if any.
In traditional recipes, röstis are often pan-fried in butter or include non-vegan add-ins like cheese or bacon. To make them vegan, you can simply use plant-based oils such as olive, canola, or coconut oil for frying.
The below recipe, which comes from Viva!’s Vegan Recipe Club, doesn’t use any animal ingredients – and you’ll just need a bit of vegan-friendly oil, rather than butter, to fry them in the pan.
Here’s how to make them:
Spinach and potato rostis with tofu
Ingredients
Rostis
- 500 g/16 oz potatoes, peeled and grated
- 200 g/7 oz firm tofu, patted dry and crumbled into small pieces
- 2 handfuls of fresh spinach, finely chopped (or use frozen, defrosted)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp gram/chickpea flour, mixed with 3 tbsp warm water in a small bowl
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 tsp caraway seeds (or use cumin seeds but caraway work best)
- 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- 1-2 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Easy caramelised onion chutney
- 4 red onions, sliced
- 70 g/⅛ cup golden caster sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 50 ml/3¼ tbsp red wine vinegar
- 50 ml/3¼ tbsp vegan red wine (use alcohol-free if needed)
Instructions
Rostis
- Using a large bowl, add the grated potato and gently squeeze it against the side of the bowl before pouring away the excess liquid.
- Add the crumbled tofu, spinach, garlic, gram flour mixture, plain flour, lemon juice, caraway/cumin seeds, chilli flakes, salt and pepper, then thoroughly combine the ingredients.
- Shape the mixture into 8 round rostis – be firm but try not to over-handle. If they are too wet to hold their shape, add a little more plain flour.
- Add a little oil to a large, non-stick frying pan and fry the rostis on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden. Press down on the rostis and encourage them to keep their shape using a spatula.
Easy caramelised onion chutney
- Using a large frying pan, add the onions, sugar and salt then heat on medium for around 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the red wine then heat for around 20 minutes or until the liquid has reduced down and it has a sticky consistency.
- Leave to cool then transfer to an airtight container or jar and keep refrigerated.
This recipe was republished with permission from from Viva’s new cookbook, Everyone Can Cook Vegan. You can buy the book here.
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