Introduction & Concept
Potato pancakes are a beloved classic in many cuisines (Eastern European, Jewish, German, etc.). The basic idea is to grate raw potatoes (often with onion), bind them with egg and a little flour (or another binder), then fry them until crisp and golden. The challenge is balance:
You want crisp outsides and tender insides.
You must remove excess moisture so they don’t become soggy.
You want the batter to hold together — so don’t overdo the binder.
Fry at the right temperature.
Serve them hot (they lose crispness as they cool).
This recipe will walk you through each step with care.
Ingredients (Base / Classic Version)
This recipe yields about 15–20 medium pancakes, enough for 4–6 people as a side or appetizer.
Main components
2½ lb (≈ 1.1 kg) russet potatoes (about 4 medium)
1 medium yellow (or sweet) onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons (heaping) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (optional, for a slightly lighter texture)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2½ teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
Vegetable oil (or corn/sunflower) for frying — enough to shallow-fry (or a mix of oil + butter, if desired)
Optional / variations & add‑ins
A pinch of nutmeg (common in German versions)
A dash of garlic powder or onion powder
Fresh chives, parsley, or green onions, finely chopped
If you want more binder: a small amount of breadcrumbs or potato starch
Substitute part of the flour with matzo meal (in Jewish traditions)
Serve with sour cream, applesauce, creme fraiche, smoked salmon, or caviar
Equipment & Preparation Notes
You’ll want:
A box grater, food processor with a grating disc, or mandoline
Large bowl(s)
Fine mesh colander or sieve
Cheesecloth, nut-milk bag, or a clean kitchen towel for squeezing
Skillet or heavy flat pan (nonstick or cast iron)
Spatula
Paper towels or a wire rack for draining
A thermometer (optional) to monitor oil temperature
A key preliminary note: peeling, grating, draining, and squeezing properly are the heart of success. If you skip or rush those steps, your pancakes may flop or turn soggy.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions
1. Peel, wash, and prepare potatoes & onion
Wash and peel your potatoes.
Cut them into quarters or pieces that fit your grater or processor.
Peel and cut the onion.
Grate the potatoes and onion. You can use:
A box grater (finer side)
A food processor with grating attachment
A mandoline / shredder
Many recipes combine the onion with the potatoes in the grating step (so the juices mix).
2. Soak / rest and drain — remove water
This is critical. The more water you remove, the crisper the pancakes will be.
Put the grated potato + onion mixture into a large bowl.
Cover with cold water (a few inches above) and let rest for 20–30 minutes (this helps leach out starch and loosen fibers). (This step is used in Chef John’s recipe, for example.)
Allrecipes
After soaking, pour the mixture into a colander or sieve.
Rinse gently to remove surface starch if desired.
Then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Use cheesecloth, a nut-milk bag, or a thick kitchen towel: wrap portions of potato mixture and twist/press.
Save the liquid you squeezed out — after all the water is removed, you’ll notice a white starchy sediment at the bottom. That is potato starch, which you can pour back into the mix (but discard the watery portion). (Many traditional recipes keep this starch to help bind the pancakes.)
Return the drained, squeezed potato-onion mixture to a large dry bowl.
3. Combine with binder & seasonings
In a separate bowl, mix together your egg, flour, baking powder (if using), salt, pepper, and any optional seasonings (nutmeg, garlic powder, etc.).
Pour this mixture into the bowl with the drained potatoes.
Stir gently but thoroughly to combine.
At this point, taste a little — fry a tiny test pancake if you want to check seasoning. Add more salt or pepper if needed.
If the batter seems too loose or wet (i.e. not holding together at all), you can add a little extra flour or breadcrumbs — a tablespoon at a time — just enough to firm it up.
4. Heat the pan / oil
Use a heavy skillet (cast-iron or nonstick).
Add oil so there is about 1/8 to ¼ inch (3–6 mm) of oil in the bottom (shallow fry). Some cooks also use a mixture of oil + a bit of butter for flavor (as in Epicurious’ version)
Epicurious
Heat the pan over medium to medium-high heat. You want oil that’s hot enough to sizzle but not smoke. A good target is ~ 325–350 °F (160–175 °C).
To test, drop a small bit of batter into the oil; it should sizzle and crisp at the edges almost immediately.
5. Frying the pancakes
Scoop ~2–3 tablespoons (or enough to form a modest pancake) of batter and gently place into the hot oil. Use a spoon or small ladle.
With the back of a spoon or spatula, flatten it gently into a round pancake ~⅜ to ½ inch (1 – 1.3 cm) thick.
Fry until the edges look golden and crisp, ~3 to 4 minutes (this timing may vary).
Carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden, usually another 3–4 minutes.
Try not to overcrowd the pan — leave space so the oil stays hot.
When done, transfer pancakes onto paper towels or a wire rack to drain excess oil.
Continue frying remaining batter in batches. If needed, you can keep already-cooked pancakes warm in a low oven (e.g. ~200 °F / 95 °C) — but they are best served fresh.
6. Serve & garnish
Serve the potato pancakes hot, with your choice of accompaniments. Traditional pairings include:
Sour cream
Applesauce
Chives or chopped green onion
Smoked salmon
Caper
Crème fraîche
Sugar (for sweet contrast, sometimes)
You can also stack two pancakes with a layer of cream or smoked salmon between them for a more elegant presentation.
Time Estimate & Workflow Tips
Task Time Estimate
Peeling & grating potatoes + onion 10–15 min
Soaking / resting 20–30 min (this can overlap prep)
Draining, squeezing, returning to bowl 5–10 min
Mixing with binder & seasoning 3–5 min
Heating oil & frying ~ 10–20 min (depending on batch size)
Serving / garnishing 5 min
Total active time: ~ 30–40 minutes; overall time ~60 minutes (including soak/rest).
Workflow tip: While potatoes are soaking, you can prep your onion, set out equipment, mix the binder ingredients, or prep dipping sauces/garnishes.
Tips, Troubleshooting & Best Practices
Here are many tips drawn from experience and classic recipes to help you avoid common pitfalls:
On moisture & crispness
Removing water is critical. If your pancakes are soggy or fall apart, it’s usually because there is too much retained moisture.
Use the reclaimed potato starch. That milky liquid you squeezed out — let it settle, pour off clear liquid, and retain the starch at the bottom to mix back in. It helps bind.
Grate finer, not coarse. Finer potato shreds release moisture more easily and mix better.
Don’t skip the soak/rest step. It helps reduce surface starch and helps improve texture (some recipes do it, like Chef John’s).
Allrecipes
On batter consistency & binding
The batter should be moist, cohesive, but not runny.
Use the minimum binder needed (egg + flour) — too much binder leads to a heavy, doughy pancake.
Test by frying a small amount: if it falls apart, tighten the batter (add a bit more flour or starch).
Baking powder is optional — it gives a slightly lighter result, but is not essential.
On frying & heat control
Let the oil come up to temperature before starting.
Maintain medium or medium-high heat — if the oil is too cool, the pancakes absorb oil; too hot, they burn outside while remaining raw inside.
Use a heavy-bottomed skillet so heat distributes evenly.
Flip carefully — use a thin spatula.
Don’t overcrowd — this lowers the oil temperature.
Drain properly — place on paper towels or a rack to let excess oil drip.
On keeping crispiness
Serve immediately. They crisp up best fresh.
If you must hold them, use a low oven (around 90–100 °C) to keep them warm and crisp.
Avoid stacking them directly on each other while they are hot (that traps steam and softens them).
On freezing / make-ahead
You can freeze cooked pancakes: cool them completely, then freeze in single layer (on a baking sheet) and transfer to freezer bags.
To reheat: bake or re-fry for a few minutes to crisp them again.
Another method: you can partially assemble (grate, drain, mix) ahead of time and refrigerate the batter, then fry just before serving.
Variations & customizations
Herbed version: add chopped herbs — chives, parsley, dill, scallions
Spiced: a pinch of paprika, cumin, garlic powder, or cayenne
Cheese addition: fold in a little grated cheese (e.g. sharp cheddar) into the batter
Vegetable versions: mix in shredded zucchini, carrot, sweet potato (adjust moisture)
Alternative binders: use potato starch, corn starch, gluten-free flour, or matzo meal
Oil mix: a bit of butter + oil enhances flavor (but be cautious of butter burning)
Sweet version: after frying, dust lightly with sugar, serve with fruit compote
Full Example: “Classic Potato Pancakes (German / Jewish Style)”
Here is a consolidated, practical recipe you can follow.
Ingredients (yields ~15–20 pancakes)
2½ lb (≈ 1.1 kg) russet (Idaho) potatoes, peeled
1 medium yellow onion
1 large egg, beaten
2 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder (optional)
2½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying (approx ½ inch / shallow fry)
(Optional) 1–2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or parsley
Garnishes & Accompaniments
Sour cream
Applesauce
Chives
Smoked salmon or caviar (for a fancier touch)
Lemon wedges
Instructions
Peel & grate the potatoes and onion. Use a fine grating method.
Place grated mixture into a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 20–30 minutes.
After soaking, drain into a colander. Rinse lightly if desired.
Working in batches, squeeze out as much liquid as possible using cheesecloth or kitchen towel. Let the starchy water settle; discard the watery portion but save the potato starch at the bottom and add it back to the potato solids.
Return the dry potato + onion solids to a large bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together egg, flour, baking powder (if using), salt, pepper and optional herbs.
Pour binder mixture into potato solids and mix gently but thoroughly. Adjust seasoning; test a small spoonful if uncertain.
Heat oil in a skillet to medium-high (~160–175 °C). Add oil until there’s enough for shallow frying (just enough to cover the bottom).
Once oil is hot and shimmering, drop ~2–3 tbsp of batter per pancake, then flatten gently to ~⅜ to ½ inch thickness.
Fry ~3–4 min per side, until golden and crisp. Flip carefully.
Drain on paper towels or rack. Continue until all batter is used.
Serve immediately with sour cream, applesauce, chives, etc.
Serving Ideas & Presentation
Serve pancake stacks with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh chives.
Place smoked salmon or lox on top, with a sliver of red onion and capers.
Use as a base for eggs Benedict style — potato pancake instead of English muffin, top with poached egg and hollandaise.
Serve in a brunch buffet with multiple dips (garlic mustard, herbed yogurt, etc.).
Offer a sweet side like applesauce or berry compote for contrast.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Problem Likely Cause Fix / Prevention
Pancakes are soggy or fall apart Too much moisture / batter too wet Drain & squeeze better; add a bit more binder (flour or starch)
Outer burns but inside raw Oil too hot Lower heat, cook more slowly
Pancakes stick to pan Pan not hot enough / no oil Preheat pan, add adequate oil, don’t move pancake too early
Hard or thick texture Too much binder or overmixing Use minimal binder; mix gently
Lack of crispness over time Steaming / stacking Serve fresh; keep warm in low oven; re-crisp on reheating
Nutritional & Cultural Notes
Potato pancakes are calorically dense due to the frying step, so portion accordingly.
In Jewish tradition, they are especially associated with Hanukkah (fried in oil to commemorate the miracle of the oil).
Across Europe, versions (Kartoffelpuffer, Reibekuchen, latkes) vary slightly in binder or serving accompaniments.
The dish is a classic example of turning humble ingredients (potatoes, onion, egg, flour) into something rich and satisfying.
If you like, I can also produce a printable single‑page recipe, or a lighter/oven‑baked version, or a gluten-free version. Would you like me to send one of those now?
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