Description
Traditional crispy potato latkes with golden-brown edges and fluffy centers. These classic Jewish potato pancakes are perfectly seasoned and fried to perfection, served with traditional applesauce and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and grated (about 4 cups packed)
- 1 medium yellow onion, grated
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (or matzo meal if you’re feelin’ traditional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon baking powder (for a lil’ extra crisp)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Optional for serving: sour cream, applesauce, or both
Instructions
- Grate & Squeeze: Grate your potatoes and onion using the large holes of a box grater. Place the mix in a clean kitchen towel and wring it out real good to remove excess water.
- Mix It Up: Toss the squeezed potato-onion mix into a big bowl. Crack in your eggs, sprinkle in the flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder. Mix until everything’s coated and sticking together.
- Fry Time: Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, drop in heaping tablespoons of the latke mix and flatten gently with your spatula.
- Cook: Fry 3–4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and crispy. Don’t crowd the pan.
- Drain & Serve: Let latkes drain on paper towel-lined plate. Serve hot with sour cream, applesauce, or both.
Notes
- Removing excess moisture is crucial for crispy latkes
- Test oil temperature with a small piece of mixture – it should sizzle immediately
- Keep cooked latkes warm in 200°F oven if making large batches
- Can be made ahead and reheated in oven at 375°F for 5-8 minutes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Appetizer
- Method: Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Jewish, Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 latke
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg