Give Homemade Latkes a Try This Hanukkah
Make these traditional grated potato latkes for a yummy appetizer or side dish this holiday season.
Unfamiliar with latkes? They’re crisp, pan-fried patties from grated potatoes, onion, and a simple binder like matzo meal or flour, traditionally served during Hanukkah.
This recipe is perfect for anyone who loves potato dishes; they’re fun to make at home and incredibly satisfying.
Curious about the significance of latkes? I found a great article on PBS.org that explains the history of potato latkes in-depth. After reading a ton about latkes, I found there to be many variations and methods, including cheese latkes. YUM! 🧀
*Note that the process is a little time-intensive, yet the results are so tasty and worth the effort.
Potato Latkes are a yummy way to incorporate a popular Jewish dish into your holiday season!
Crispy Potato Latkes
yield: 12 SERVINGS
prep time: 30 MINUTES
cook time: 20 MINUTES
total time: 50 MINUTES
Bundles of grated potatoes and onion that are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 medium sized), shredded
- 1 small onion, shredded
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons matzo meal
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup peanut oil (or desired oil for frying)
- sour cream and apple sauce, for serving
Directions
1
Drape a mixing bowl with cotton cheesecloth. Shred or grate the potatoes and onions into the cloth. Squeeze out the moisture very tightly by twisting tightly in a ball. Discard the water.
2
To your onions and potatoes, add an egg, matzo meal, and salt. Mix well.
3
Add enough oil to a large cast iron skillet to cover the bottom. Heat it up to medium. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop potato mixture. Flatten the latke and place it in the skillet. Fry for about 2-3 minutes until browned and cooked.
4
Place the cooked latkes on a paper towel or on a drying rack stacked on top of a sheet pan to dry. This recipe made 12 latkes for me. If you made them smaller 1/8 of a cup size, you could get around 24.
5
Serve warm with sour cream and applesauce on the side. Enjoy!
Additional Notes
Adapted from MomsDish.com
Tips for making the best potato latkes:
- To shred the potatoes and onion, I used the shredder attachment that came with my mandoline slicer. You can use a box cheese grater or if you have a food processor with the shredder attachment, that would also work.
- Use your favorite baking potato. My family prefers Yukons, so I used that. Russet can certainly be used, too.
- The oil can be catered to your taste as well. Typically, canola or peanut oil is used, but I have seen recipes using avocado oil instead.
- Flour or breadcrumbs can be substituted for the matzo meal. Traditionally, the matzo meal is used, so that’s what I used for this recipe.
- Getting out the moisture from the potatoes and onions is very important so they will turn out crispy. I draped a bowl with cheesecloth and then squeezed out all the moisture I could. Using a salad spinner seems to also be a popular option.
What a delicious potato side dish!
Honestly, I could probably eat a couple of these as a meal. My family really enjoyed them, and I hope yours loves making some too. Both the sour cream and apple sauce are great toppings. I had a couple left over and reheated them in the air fryer for a minute or s,o and they were still crisp and yum. Enjoy!
Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate. 🕎
Serve up your latkes with our low-carb, slow-cooked brisket recipe!
So glad you featured latkes! I made 4 dozen this year and every year I use the grating blade on my food processor for the potatoes and the onions. Makes them so much easier to work with and saves time!