Golden brown and crispy on the outside, tender and savory on the inside, they’re so good, I make them not just for Hanukkah. While potatoes are not something that I would eat every day, I do make this traditional recipe for Hanukkah. We all partake - the kids a bit more, my husband and I just one or two. After all, it’s a beloved holiday tradition. I’ve been making these latkes for many years now. They are excellent and I do consider this a foolproof recipe. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make these potato pancakes. Scroll down to the recipe card for the exact measurements. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Onion: I use a large yellow onion. Some people like to use green onions, but I find that yellow onions are more flavorful. Yukon Gold potatoes: They are suitable for frying because they are not very starchy. Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included. Salt and pepper: I use sea salt. If using kosher salt, you can use a little more. Garlic powder: Or use a teaspoon of fresh minced garlic. Avocado oil: A neutral-tasting oil, suitable for high-heat cooking.
Instructions
Making this latkes recipe is easy, especially if you own a food processor. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here’s an overview of the steps:
Your first step is to shred onion and potatoes. It’s easy to do in your food processor.Drain them well (really well!), then mix them with eggs and spices.Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into hot oil and fry on both sides until very crispy.Place on paper towels to drain.
Expert tips
I have three tips for you for ensuring perfect results: Get rid of the liquid. Extract as much liquid from the potato/onion mixture as you can, by placing the mixture in a colander and repeatedly pressing on it with your hands. The drier the mixture, the crispier the fritters will be. Don’t add flour to the mixture! When you don’t add flour, the potato pancakes taste much better. They are a bit more fragile, but nothing that one can’t handle. My beloved grandma Chava never added flour to her recipe. She considered it as something that only lazy housewives would do, and she was not lazy! 😀 Fry them in hot oil until VERY crispy. You want the lacy edges to be brown. Proper brown, not golden brown. The middle can be golden brown.
Frequently asked questions
Variations
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you’d like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
Cook the pancakes in a fat other than avocado oil. Ghee is a good option. It’s very tasty.As mentioned above, you can use green onions instead of yellow. White onions are an option too and so are shallots.Add more spices. This is nontraditional, but you can add a pinch of dried thyme.Another nontraditional option is to add dry-grated parmesan to the mixture. Try ¼ cup.
Serving suggestions
Latkes are traditionally served with sour cream and applesauce. You can also serve them with salsa or hot sauce. They’re excellent all on their own, of course, so they don’t really need any of these toppings.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat them in a 200 F degree oven. They won’t be as good as fresh, but they will still be quite good.
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