Potato Latkes

Ready to make the crispiest potato latkes of your life? You're in the right place! This potato latke recipe is perfect for Hanukkah, but you'll want to make it all year long.

What Are Latkes?

A latke is a type of potato pancake or fritter found in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. The dish, which is traditionally served during Hanukkah, can be made with grated, shredded, or mashed potatoes. This top-rated recipe is made with shredded russet potatoes, all-purpose flour, an egg, an onion, and salt. The potato latkes are fried in peanut oil.

How to Make Latkes

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make these easy potato latkes:

1. Shred the potatoes and wring out excess moisture with a cheesecloth.2. Mix two cups of the potatoes with the flour, salt, egg, and diced onion.3. Fry spoonfuls of the potato mixture in hot oil, pressing down to form patties.4. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

What to Serve With Latkes

Traditional potato latke toppings include applesauce and sour cream. If you’re serving them for breakfast, consider pairing them with smoked salmon and cream cheese or a poached egg. Of course, latkes make a great addition to any Hanukkah table. Explore our Traditional Hanukkah Menu for delicious recipe inspiration.

Can You Make Latkes Ahead of Time?

Kind of. Potato latkes are crispiest straight from the pan, but you can prep the ingredients the day before. Shred the potatoes up to 24 hours in advance and store them, submerged in water, in the fridge. Drain them, make the batter, and fry them up to two hours in advance. Reheat them in the oven just before serving.

Can You Freeze Latkes?

Yes! Here's how to freeze latkes:

Fry and drain them, allow them to cool, then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for a few hours or up to overnight. Transfer the now-frozen latkes to a zip-top bag or other freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to two weeks. Reheat in an oven preheated to 450 degrees F.

Cookdap Community Tips and Praise

“Made them for Hanukkah last year, will definitely make them again this year,” says Ania. “The key is definitely extracting all the moisture possible via the cheesecloth.”

“I squeeze out all of the juice from the potatoes and onion through cloth,” according to SELLARDS. “Top off with apple butter and a little sour cream, you can’t go wrong!”

“Latkes turned out GREAT,” raves dbear. “I also added some minced chives to the potato batter. I used a coffee mug to press them down into thin patties once the potato mixture balls were added to the oil.”