Easy Potato Latkes

This Potato Latkes recipe first appeared on Savory Experiments where I am a contributor.

This 5 ingredient Easy Latkes Recipe yields perfectly crispy potato pancakes in less than 30 minutes. Learn my secret to making golden potato pancakes without burning.

Traditionally served on Chanukah, these classic latkes are a deliciously crispy vessel for sweet or savory toppings like homemade apple sauce or dollop of sour cream.

With just a few staple ingredients, like russet potatoes, onions, and garlic powder, you will have perfect latkes ready and on the table in just 20 minutes.

Celebrate the holidays with some of my other favorite recipes like roasted garlic mashed potatoes, red wine mushrooms, and one of my all-time holiday favorites, healthy green bean casserole!

What are potato latkes?

Potato latkes are crispy, round potato “pancakes” made in majority from shredded potatoes and flavored with onion and garlic, then pan fried in a skillet. They have crispy edges and are just so delicious!

They’re traditionally served on Chanukah (my favorite time of year), but they are so versatile and would make a delicious appetizer or side dish to chicken, steak, or salmon.

No Hanukkah celebration is complete without potato lakes. While I don’t have my Grandma’s potato latke recipe, I do have the perfect technique for creating crisp potato latkes that don’t fall apart when they hit the pan and don’t burn.

Fun Fact: did you know latkes have been around since around the mid-1800s?

What is the difference between potato pancakes and latkes?

Although very similar, potato pancakes and potato latkes are a bit different. Both call for similar ingredients like potatoes and something to bind them with.

Latke vs potato pancake:

Potato Pancakes call for grated potatoes using the finest grater attachment. This allows for a fluffier or pancake like texture and consistency.

Potato Latkes call for shredded potatoes using a medium or large grater attachment. This gives us that crispy, crunchy, and lighter consistency.

Of the two, potato latkes are faster and easier to make…and in my opinion, tastier!

Ingredients You Will need

Chances are, you already have all, or most, of the ingredients to make potato latkes and you might not even know it!

Potatoes: for this recipe, I used large russet potatoes. The potato is the highlight of the dish, so it is important you use a high-quality/high in starch potato.

Onions: one small white onion will do. However, you can also use a small sweet or yellow onion here if needed.

Herbs and spices: you don’t need much here, latkes get most of their flavor from the potato and whatever you decide to top them with. Keep it simple with a touch of garlic powder and kosher salt.

Eggs and flour: these ingredients act as binding agents to hold everything together and provide some structure to the pancake shape.

I used all purpose flour, but you can make gluten free latkes using gluten free flour at a 1:1 ratio.

Olive oil: you will want to use an oil with a high smoke point to keep the latkes from burning. There are various olive oils with high smoke points; you can also use avocado oil or vegetable oil.

Garnish: freshly chopped chives are a nice garnish for latkes. You can also use fresh chopped parsley.

*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.

How to Make Latkes

With just a few basic ingredients, you will have the tastiest dish on the Hanukkah table. This is how to make potato latkes!

1. Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Grate potatoes and onion. Start by grating your potatoes and onions using the medium grater attachment for your food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a hand grater to shred the potatoes.

Transfer the shredded potatoes to a large bowl of ice water to keep the potatoes from browning and remove some of the starch. Soak the grated potatoes for 15 minutes.

When you are just about ready to start cooking, drain the potatoes. Either place them in a mesh strainer and release the excess liquid by gently pushing down with your fingers or wring them out in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to dry them as best as possible.

If there’s too much liquid in the mixture, the latkes won’t get as crispy.

3. Make the potato mixture. Transfer the potatoes and onions to a medium mixing bowl and toss with the flour, egg, garlic powder and salt. Mix gently until fully combined.

4. Fry the latkes Heat a large skillet (I prefer non-stick but you can also use a large cast iron) over medium-high heat with about 1/8 inch of olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, scoop a 1/4 cup of the latke mixture into the pan and flatten with a spatula. Fry the mixture for 4-5 minutes, or until crispy. Flip and fry for another 3-4 minutes on the other side.

I like to place latkes on paper towels right after frying to remove excess oil.

Garnish and serve. Garnish with fresh chives and serve with applesauce and sour cream!

Why Is My First Batch Better Than The Rest?

Have you ever noticed when you are frying latkes, the first batch usually comes out the best?

This is because the longer you keep your pan over the heat, the hotter the pan gets and it’s hard to keep the oil at that same temperature. Here are some tips to help your second, third, and fourth bathes look and taste just as good as your first!

• Remove any burnt bits. After each batch makes sure to remove any burnt bits from your pan. If you keep them in the pan they will mix with your oil. This will cause your fried latkes to taste burnt, even though they aren’t burnt.
• Keep the oil moving. It’s very important to move your oil around the pan once in a while. This will ensure evenly proportioned browning of your latkes so you get that great crisp in every bite!
• The importance of potatoes. Since potatoes are high in starch, they absorb oil while they are cooking. Be sure to check on the amount of oil in the pan regularly and add more if necessary.
• Increasing temperatures. As the pan gets hotter your latkes will cook faster in batches two and three than they did in the first one. That said, it’s important to always keep an eye on the pan. After the first or second batch, you might want to reduce the heat a little bit to keep the oil from getting too hot.

How to Keep the Oil From Burning

No one wants burnt latkes or burnt oil! If you are new to frying, keeping your oil from burning can be a difficult process. However, the trick is to make sure you use olive oil with a high smoke point.

If you start to notice the latkes are browning too quickly, reduce the heat to medium heat or medium-low to keep the oil from getting too hot. I usually do this after my second batch of latkes.

Make sure there is always enough oil in the pan. It’s more likely to burn as more and more gets absorbed by the potatoes.

Why frying latkes in oil is important

The traditional way of making potato latkes is by frying them in oil. Frying latkes is something deeply rooted in the Jewish faith. The use of oil for Hanukkah is very important.

Oil is used to represent the oil that miraculously burned for 8 days straight (miracle of the oil) when it was used to light the menorah.

Oven Baked Latkes

Although frying latkes is the traditional and quicker route to making latkes, oven-baked latkes will come out very good and a fraction of the oil.

Oven-baked latkes will still have the classic potato latkes flavor and similar texture, a soft inside and crisp outside. If you are looking to make the healthier version, oven-baked latkes is definitely the way to go.

Air Fryer Latkes

Air fryer potato latkes are delicious!! While I love pan fried latkes, the air fryer is great if you have a lot going on in the kitchen and don’t want to deal with oil splatters.

One of the easiest ways to make latkes with minimal oil is in the air fryer. The hot air circulates around the latkes to cook them instead of frying in oil.

Toss your potato latkes in the air fryer with a spritz of oil and air fry them at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes, then flip and air fry for 5 more minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

I can fit about 5 latkes in my air fryer. Depending on your air fryer, you might have air fryer racks and be able to fit more!

Note: the cook times might reduce after a few batches so check on them a few minutes early after your third batch.

Toppings and Dipping Sauces

In my opinion, there is nothing better than serving up some hot and fresh latkes with a dollop of apple sauce. Sour cream is also a popular potato latke topping.

Easy Variations

Traditional latkes are great, but sometimes it’s fun to step outside the box and get creative! Below are some fun variations you can try too.

• Smoked salmon and sour cream latkes – enjoy latkes for breakfast with a smoked salmon, sour cream, salmon roe, and capers topping.
• Sweet potato latkes with applesauce – swap out russet potatoes for sweet potatoes.
• Zucchini latkes – make latkes with zucchini instead of potatoes for a lower carb option. You can top them with pine nuts, basil, and parmesan cheese.

What country are latkes from?

Of course we associate potato latkes with Chanukah, but did you know latkes descend from Jewish-Italian pancakes that were made with ricotta cheese?

The first connection between Chanukah and pancakes was made by a rabbi in Italy named Rabbi Kalonymus ben Kalonymus (c. 1286-1328).

According to The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food by Gil Marks, the Rabbi “included pancakes in a list of dishes to serve at an idealized Purim feast, as well as a poem about Chanukah.

After the Spanish expelled the Jews from Sicily in 1492, the exiles introduced their ricotta cheese pancakes, which were called cassola in Rome, to the Jews of northern Italy. Consequently, cheese pancakes, because they combined the two traditional types of foods–fried and dairy–became a natural Chanukuh dish.”

What type of potato is best for latkes?

Russet potatoes are traditionally used for latkes and they produce the best latkes.

Russets make for crispier latkes over other potatoes because they have a higher starch content. This means the latkes are less likely to fall apart and they come out crispier.

What to serve with latkes

If you want to feel fancy, top your delicious latkes with crème fraîche and Ossetra caviar. It all melts in your mouth like butter. You can also top your latkes with sour cream and chives.

I like to serve latkes with chicken, salmon, or shrimp. Latkes require a good amount of hands on work, so I prefer serving them with easy to make dishes like Roasted Broccolini or Roasted Carrots.

Anything that can be made with minimal ingredients and in the oven is a safe bet!

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More Potato Recipes To Try

• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
• Roasted Garlic Potatoes
• Mexican Sweet Potatoes
• Creamy Mushroom Hasselback Potato Gratin
• BBQ Chicken Baked Sweet Potatoes