Perfect Potato Latkes

24 latkes
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won’t be a single one left over.

Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.Perfect Potato Latkes for the win on the fourth day of Hanukkah! Ha! I wasn’t going to post this recipe this year, in fact I had convinced myself I would post it next year a month before the holiday and give myself a bit of a break from cooking in the holiday season. Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.But then I was sitting on the couch thinking about how special latkes are to our Chrismukkah celebrating household and even though you all either don’t eat latkes or have already enjoyed them for the season I decided it was best to post them now. Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.So here we are on the fourth day of Hanukkah and I’m making a second batch of latkes because our first batch didn’t even outlast the next morning and it is reminding me of my husband’s grandmother. Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.She was the absolute kindest soul and every year she would look over at my plate with latkes and *GASP* ketchup and say in total shock, “You’re putting KETCHUP on your latkes?!!?” I miss her terribly (I know way more personal than I normally get on here) but making latkes and celebrating with family was the perfect medicine.  Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.

So I’m just going to leave this Perfect Potato Latkes recipe out here, hanging in the deserted wind where hopefully you all will find it next year in time for the holidays and enjoy them as much as we did. Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.

Tools Used in the making of these Perfect Potato Latkes:
Cast Iron Skillet: Perfect for frying all things, keeps heat extremely well. This is my go to skillet for pan frying.
Fish Spatula: I’m very careful about my latke flipping so I use my super flexible fish flipper. I have an All-Clad one I use from a set I got for our wedding but my backup is this Winco one for 5$ and honestly… it is every bit as useful. Save the cash and go for that one!
Cookie Sheet: Perfect for putting in the oven to keep the latkes warm when used with…
Cooling Rack: Using the cooling rack with your latkes will help prevent the bottoms from getting soggy while your finish frying the rest of them. Remember never cool anything fried on a paper towel (steam will build up and make them soggy!).

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Perfect Potato Latkes

Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.
Yield 24 latkes
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Jewish
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 12 medium Idaho potatoes , peeled
  • 4 eggs , beaten
  • 2/3 cup flour (if you have matzoh meal go for that to keep it classic, I found flour adds to crispy texture)
  • 1 yellow onion , grated
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • canola oil for frying (about an inch deep in your frying pan)
  • Ketchup *GASP*, Applesauce or sour cream as toppings (optional)

Instructions

  • Fill a large bowl halfway with water.
  • Grate all the potatoes and put them into the water.
  • I let them sit in the water for an hour, but as much/little time as you can give them the crispier your latkes will be. This water bath removes a lot of the starch.
  • Take the potatoes out one handful at a time and squeeze them as dry as you can and put them into a second large bowl.
  • Add the eggs, flour, onion, Kosher salt and black pepper to the potatoes and mix well.
  • Heat the oil in your frying pan and using ¼ cup measure form them into patties about ¾ inch thick and fry on medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside but still fluffy in the middle.
  • To keep warm in the meantime while frying set your oven to 250 degrees or "keep warm" setting and keep these on a cooling rack set on top of a cookie sheet while you fry the remaining latkes.

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 6.4mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Keyword: Perfect Potato Latkes

Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.

Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.
Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.
Perfect Potato Latkes with just a few ingredients and a bit of soaking time have the crispiest exteriors with the fluffiest centers. There won't be a single one left over.

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

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Comments

  1. These look great! I have to tried the water bath but squeezing out water after grating. Have you prepared these & frozen them? I like to do that when Im having a party, & take them out & heat up in the oven??Then I only cook up one batch prior to the party

    1. Yes, latkes are still awesome out of the freezer. They will never be as good as freshly cooked but we often reheat in a 400 degree oven, somewhere between 10-15 minutes.

    1. Hi Jaime, I’m so sorry this comment got stuck and I just came across it. I know your meal is long gone now. I made it by potatoes, I would just count them? I’m sorry I don’t have the weight of my potatoes written down, it was made a few years ago. I will try to recipe test it again this year for you.

  2. The absolute worst part of making Latkes is the grating of the potatoes. This has prevented me from making them more often. I’ve used a food processor, but it really does not produce the same texture. Someone I know used frozen shredded potatoes. Another friend used a boxed “Latke base.” Both were awful. I’ve looked for frozen grated potatoes online, but can’t find any. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

    1. I’ve only ever used potatoes so I don’t really have any experience with the shortcuts. I would think frozen would add too much liquid and make it harder for the latkes to stick together. Good luck!

  3. I make Latkes often, but I never thought of soaking them (in order to eliminate most of the starch). I’ll definitely try that next time. We like ours crispy around the edges, so I always use flour. Idaho OR Russet potatoes? Most folks I know use Russets, so I’m wondering if you feel that Idaho potatoes work better in Latkes, and why. We enjoy our Latkes with sour cream as opposed to applesauce, but KETCHEP!!!!???? Oy 🙁

  4. Your recipe is almost identical to the one I use. I have never done the water bath. I’ll have to give that a try for our second eighth night.

  5. I already get your daily emails. But I signed up again anyway please make sure I don’t get double the emails,
    Thank you
    Robin

  6. I’ve only made latkes once, and they were an oily mess. I cannot wait to make these – they certainly look and sound perfect! Happy Hanukkah to you and yours!

  7. I don’t celebrate Hanukkah, but these just look really good anyway! I might just try to make a gluten-free version anytime.