Our potato latkes recipe creates traditional, unadorned latkes that are perfectly crispy and delicate, just as latkes should be. Potato latkes are delicious spheres of grated potato and onion, bound together by flour and eggs, and shallow-fried in rich oil until their lacy exterior is a deep golden brown with a soft, creamy potato center.
Latkes are among the most traditional Hanukkah foods, so whether you’re celebrating the holiday or drooling over all the latke photos online, give this recipe a whirl. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to make latkes, this is the perfect beginner’s recipe while still being traditional.
Ingredients for Potato Latkes
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes crisp up perfectly on the outside while maintaining a fluffy interior—two crucial characteristics of potato latkes.
- Onion: Onion is used in potato latkes to add an allium flavor, breaking up the rich taste of the potatoes and oil.
- Egg: An egg is crucial to a latkes recipe to bind the ingredients together and form perfect spheres.
- Oil: The best oils for frying latkes are vegetable, canola, safflower or peanut oil. These all can handle the high heat you need to crisp up latkes without burning the oil.
- Toppings: Traditional latke toppings include old-fashioned applesauce, sour cream or both. You can also try other latke topping ideas like smoked salmon or trout, poached eggs, caramelized onion dip or Romesco sauce.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables
Coarsely grate the potatoes and onion. Place the vegetables in a clean dishtowel or a few layers of paper towels, and squeeze the vegetables to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard the excess liquid.
Editor’s Tip: You can use a box grater (our fave is the Taste of Home large box grater) or a food processor with a coarse grating disc.
Step 2: Create the latke batter
Place the grated vegetables in a large bowl. Stir in the egg, salt and pepper.
Step 3: Cook the latkes
In a cast-iron or electric skillet, pour in oil to a depth of 1/8 inch, and heat to 375°F. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Flatten with a spatula to form patties. Fry until golden brown, then turn and cook the other side until golden brown.
Editor’s Tip: Make sure you know how to clean a cast-iron skillet—this recipe uses a lot of oil and can be messy.
Step 4: Drain on paper towels
Remove latkes from oil, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with toppings.
Editor’s Tip: To keep the latkes warm while you cook them all up, preheat your oven to 250°, and place a baking sheet inside. Add your cooked latkes to the baking sheet inside the oven, and get started on your next round of latkes.
Potato Latkes Variations
- Swap out the potatoes: Sweet potato latkes are a great alternative to traditional latkes if you still want a sturdy potato latke but prefer sweet potatoes. If you want to go low carb, try our zucchini latkes.
- Cook in the air fryer: Not a fan of how much oil is used to make traditional latkes? Try air-fryer latkes. These latkes only use a little bit of oil but still get nice and crispy in the air fryer.
- Add mix-ins: Don’t be afraid to add vegetables, cheese, spices and herbs to your latke batter. Our cheese and red pepper latkes are a testament to how delicious latke batter mix-ins can be.
How to Store Potato Latkes
To store these potato latkes, let them cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Latkes can last in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat latkes in a 300° air fryer, toaster or oven for 5 to 10 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn.
Can you freeze potato latkes?
Yes, you can freeze potato latkes. To freeze, allow the latkes to cool to room temperature, then place the latkes on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the latkes are solid, about two hours. Collect the frozen latkes, and place them in a resealable bag. Store in the freezer for up to two weeks.
Reheat frozen potato latkes in a 400° oven, toaster or air fryer until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.
How to Serve Potato Latkes
Serve potato latkes with side dishes like smoked cod, a winter beet salad, stuffed mushrooms, braised Hanukkah brisket, roasted winter vegetables, challah, roasted chicken, and a few traditional Hanukkah recipes. Champagne and other sparkling beverages pair excellently with fried foods like latkes.
Potato Latkes Tips
Can you make potato latkes in advance?
Yes, you can make potato latkes in advance, but don’t do it too far ahead of time. You can cook the potato latkes the same day as serving but before guests arrive. After frying the latkes, place them on a baking sheet in a 250° oven. This will let you fry up all the batter before serving everyone at once. However, for every minute you’re not serving (or eating!) the latkes, you’re sacrificing crispiness, so enjoy them as soon as possible.
What are the best potatoes to use for potato latkes?
Russet potatoes are the best potatoes to use for latkes. Russet’s high starch content allows them to brown quickly, giving you fluffy, tender interiors and very crispy edges.
Should potato latkes be dense or delicate?
Potato latkes should be delicate, not dense. If the latkes are dense, they are holding too much liquid. In step 1, squeeze out as much of the vegetable liquid as possible by spreading the vegetables on a clean dish towel (or a few layers of paper towels) and rolling it up. Holding each end, twist in opposite directions. Be sure to do this over a sink! You’ll be amazed how much liquid comes out.
