Sweet Potato Rosti (Hash Browns)

These Sweet Potato Rosti are great for a healthy and easy weekend breakfast at home.  Top these sweet potato hash browns with fried eggs and smashed avocado for a delicious cafe-style breakfast without the hefty price tag!  This vegetarian sweet potato rosti recipe is made with whole-wheat flour, eggs and halloumi cheese.  

I wholeheartedly believe that breakfast is better when potatoes are involved.  Crispy Breakfast Potatoes are a favourite in our house.  Nestled alongside some eggs and bacon, you've got yourself the most perfect breakfast.

But while regular potatoes are great and all, the sweet potato has my heart in a HUGE way.  And I knew I had to try and find a way to incorporate it into a breakfast dish.

Enter the Sweet Potato Rosti.  Or Sweet Potato Hash Brown.  You can really call it either!

This vegetarian sweet potato rosti recipe is made with halloumi cheese which adds so much flavour.  You can serve the rosti as is or my favourite - top them with some smashed avocado, a fried egg and even some bacon.  Breakfast heaven!

And just a quick word of advice - you will be left with some unused halloumi after making this (you only need half a standard block) and you should DEFINITELY use it to make these Zucchini and Halloumi Fritters for dinner.  They are AMAZING and you won't be sorry.

What's the difference between a rosti and a hash brown?

Not a lot.  In fact, you can call these sweet potato rosti or hash browns.  Rosti is a traditional Swiss dish of grated potato that is rolled into a small flat cake and fried.  Hash browns are a popular American dish, and are made in a similar fashion to a rosti.

Traditionally the difference between the two was that hash browns were made with potato that was already cooked.   These days, however, both rosti and hash browns are cooked in very similar ways that you can use the terms interchangeably.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

This sweet potato rosti recipe is filled with everyday ingredients.  If you're having trouble finding halloumi cheese in your supermarket, try your local Mediterranean deli.

• Sweet Potato
• Green Onions / Shallots
• Halloumi Cheese
• Egg
• Whole-Wheat / Wholemeal Flour - OR you can use white all purpose flour or almond flour if you'd prefer.
• Garlic Powder
• Cumin
• Olive Oil - OR you can use coconut oil if you'd prefer.

SWEET POTATOES - SKIN ON OR OFF?

Whether you peel your sweet potato before grating it for the rosti is up to you.  I personally almost always leave the skin on when cooking with sweet potatoes.

The skins of sweet potatoes contain a number of additional nutrients and vitamins, including fibre, beta carotene and vitamin C & E.  They are 100% safe to eat, you just need to ensure you wash and scrub them well first to remove any dirt.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO ROSTI - STEP BY STEP

1. Squeeze as much moisture from the sweet potato as possible.  I find the easiest way to do this is to scoop up by the handful and squeeze over the sink, then pop into a clean mixing bowl (photo 1).
2. Add green onions, halloumi, egg, flour, garlic powder and cumin to the mixing bowl, and mix well to combine (photos 2-3).
3. Heat oil in frying pan on medium heat. Place a tablespoon or so of the rosti mixture in the pan and flatten with the back of the spatula. Repeat with the remaining mixture, cooking in batches without overcrowding the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel (photo 4).
4. Serve on their own, or top with eggs and avocado for a delicious cafe style breakfast

HOW TO STORE SWEET POTATO HASH BROWNS

Rosti are similar to fritters and are at their best when eaten straight away when they are crisp and golden.  They are still delicious when reheated, but they often lose that crispiness and become a little softer.

This has never bothered me, and I regularly eat my leftovers over the next few days and thoroughly enjoy them regardless of if they are as crisp or not.

IN THE FRIDGE:

Store rosti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

IN THE FREEZER:

Individually wrap rosti in cling wrap / plastic film, then pop in an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to 1 month.  Thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to use and follow the reheat instructions below.

HOW TO REHEAT ROSTI

Heat oven to 180C / 350F.  Pop rosti on a baking tray lined with baking paper or a silicon mat, and place tray in the oven for 10 minutes, or until rosti is heated all the way through.

You can reheat in the microwave, although, I find this method makes the rosti soft and soggy and I don’t recommend it.

Tips for making this recipe

• Make sure you squeeze the excess moisture out of the sweet potato.  This step helps avoid sogginess.
• If you find the mixture is too wet and not holding, add in a teaspoon of flour and mix again.  Continue, if necessary, until you reach your desired consistency.
• You need enough oil to just cover the bottom of your frying pan.  Make sure it's hot before popping the rosti into the pan.  Cold oil will absorb into the rosti and make them soggy.
• Cook the rosti in batches, about 3-4 at a time so you don't overcrowd your pan.

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If you’ve tried these Sweet Potato Rosti I’d love to hear how you enjoyed them! Pop a comment and a star rating below!

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