Description
Light & Crispy Potato Latkes are traditional Jewish potato pancakes made with grated russet potatoes, sweet onions, eggs, and matzo meal. These latkes are pan-fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside, tender inside, perfect for Hanukkah or any time you crave a delicious potato treat. Serve with applesauce or sour cream for a classic pairing.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 5 lbs russet potatoes
- 2 large sweet onions
- 4 eggs, slightly beaten
- ½ - ¾ cup matzo meal (or potato starch or flour)
- ½ Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 large bottles of canola oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Peel and grate the russet potatoes. Immediately place them in a mixing bowl filled with warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain and refill with warm water. Repeat this soaking and draining process a total of 3 times until very few bubbles appear on top.
- Drain Excess Water: Squeeze out all excess moisture from the grated potatoes using a large cheesecloth, kitchen towel, or clean pillowcase. Transfer the drained potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare Onion Mixture: Grate the sweet onions and squeeze out any excess water. Add onions to the potatoes along with about ¾ of the beaten eggs, matzo meal, salt, baking powder, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly. If mixture feels too dry, incorporate more egg a little at a time until consistency is right.
- Heat Oil: Pour canola oil into a frying pan to a depth of approximately ½ inch. Heat the oil until it reaches 400°F (204°C).
- Fry Latkes: Drop about 1-2 tablespoons of latke batter into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Use the back of a spoon to flatten each latke to a thin layer. Fry each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown on the first side, then 1-2 minutes on the other side.
- Drain and Season: Remove latkes from the oil and drain on paper towels or a paper towel-lined cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt for seasoning.
- Repeat and Serve: Fry remaining batter in batches following the same method. Keep cooked latkes warm on baking sheets in an oven heated to 250°F (121°C) if needed. Serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.
Notes
- This recipe is traditionally served during Hanukkah but is delicious year-round.
- Matzo meal can be substituted with potato starch or flour for binding.
- Use a clean cheesecloth or pillowcase to remove excess moisture for crispier latkes.
- Serve latkes with applesauce, sour cream, or smoked salmon for variety.
- This recipe is gluten-free if using matzo meal without flour, and dairy-free.
- Keep latkes warm in a low oven to maintain crispiness before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 402 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 725 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 82 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg
