Making crispy potato latkes is a skill every Jewish cook wants to master. It’s not a great secret — it just requires a few easy steps to ensure crispy, golden latkes every time. And we’ve got a short video to show you exactly how.
We also love topping our latkes with an array of delicious choices, from sweet to savory and from ordinary to extraordinary: homemade applesauce, cream cheese and smoked salmon, pulled brisket, Israeli salad or even pastrami and mustard.
So get frying and get creative with those toppings!
Classic Potato Latkes Recipe
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Perfect Latkes for Hanukkah
You can’t go wrong!
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 15 latkes
Ingredients
- 5 large potatoes, peeled
- 1 small onion
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- ¼ cup bread crumbs, matzah meal or flour
- 1 ½ tsp coarse salt (1 tsp if using kosher salt)
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Grate potatoes coarsely or finely, according to your preference. Finely grate the onion.
- Place grated potatoes and onion in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze tightly until all of the liquid is strained.
- Place the strained potatoes and onion in a large bowl and add the eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
- Heat the 1-inch oil in a large pan and drop 6-8 tablespoons of mixture into hot oil. Using the back of a spoon, pat down each latke to flatten it. Put as many as you can in the skillet without crowding. Putting them too close together will make them soggy.
- Fry 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp around the edges; repeat procedure until finished with all the batter.
- Blot excess oil with paper towels and serve warm with desired topping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Hanukkah
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Theses are childhood memories.
The Maccabeats song “ Latka recipe” is a good start and a great video.
Do you have a recommendation for those with egg allergies who LOVE LATKES!?
Thank you!
This vegan latke recipe uses vegan mayo as a binder, but you could also try an egg replacer or a flax egg.
Thank you!!! Brings back memories.
Thank you 🙏🏻
It would mean so much to me to have latke recipes specify the amount of potatoes by weight. I’m a seasoned cook and have not yet figured out what a “medium” or “large” potato is. So every year, when I make latkes, I have to play it by ear.
I never could understand why to drain the potatoes and onions. You lose all the potato starch flavor and the water cooks out when frying.
Up five pounds and it’s only day 4!