Since launching this blog I have come to learn that our family loves balls….the vegan type of course ☺️. From protein balls to falafel balls to meatless meatballs – and everything in between – we definitely like our balls in all ingredients, shapes and textures😛. I started to think about ball-friendly recipes…and rösti immediately came to mind. In case you’re not familiar with it, rösti is a potato-centric dish originating from Switzerland that is served as a fritter….think quality potatoes which are coarsely grated, pressed and then fried into a mound of crispy potato goodness.

I’ve been making rösti since the kids were born and they’ve always been a big hit; in fact, it’s affectionately known as “those potato pancakes” in our household. In the past I’ve always made them with yukon gold potatoes, a ton of salted butter (non-vegan at the time) and sea salt but I was eager to experiment with more flavour and herbs – and of course, use Earth Balance® buttery spread. I decided to go with a classic approach and used minced onion, fresh parsley, garlic powder and Himalayan pink salt to create these tasty fried potato balls. If you’re armed with a good lot of nugget potatoes, some fresh herbs and a generous amount of butter (not to mention a good half hour to fry these balls) I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. I’ve photographed these with scrambled eggs in the spirit of ‘breakfast for dinner’, but these are so versatile (and addictive!) they would complement a light, roasted vegetable soup or a medley of sautéed vegetables. They are best served hot off the skillet!

Enjoy~

Ingredients

1.5 kg nugget potatoes (unpeeled)

2 cups water

Cooking onion (half only) (55g)

Fresh parsley leaves (5g)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Butter (I used Earth Balance Buttery Spread – Original)

Instructions

1/Steam the potatoes until just slightly cooked.* You don’t want to steam to the point of the potatoes being too tender/crumbling when pierced with a fork. Having them slightly cooked will save time when pan frying. When done, set aside potatoes in the Varoma basket to cool (approx. 20-30 minutes).
2/Add onion and fresh parsley to your Thermomix mixing bowl. Chop 5 sec/Speed 7. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to collect the minced onion and parsley mixture at the base of the bowl.

Note: If not using a Thermomix use a food processor of choice (grater attachment) or grate by hand.

3/Transfer the slightly cooked potatoes from the Varoma basket to your Thermomix mixing bowl. Chop 12 sec/speed 4.5 (reverse blade) This will grate the potatoes (but not finely) so expect some larger chunks. You do not want to end up with over-processed (mushy) potatoes. Transfer the grated potato mixture to a large mixing bowl.
4/Add olive oil, salt and garlic powder to the grated potato mixture. Mix well to combine. Spoon the potato mixture into 1-inch balls (or desired size) and plate until ready to fry.

5/Add a thin layer of butter a skillet.  Using medium high heat pan-fry the potato balls  (on all sides) until they are crispy and/or golden – approx. 15 minutes.  You don’t want to fry these at high heat to avoid burning.

 

*If using a Thermomix to steam your potatoes add 2 cups of water to the Thermomix mixing bowl. Place the potatoes in the Varoma basket. Cook 20 min/VAROMA/Speed 1 (or until slightly cooked). Remember to pour out any remaining water in the mixing bowl before beginning Step 2.

These delicious potatoes can be used as a side to many of our soups and dishes. In fact, they would go perfectly well with our Curried Red Pepper Soup.

Note: This recipe was made using a Thermomix appliance, however it can easily be adapted using similar food prep tools (e.g. mutli-function processor, immersion blender etc) or using a more traditional stovetop method.

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