These potato latkes are so good that posting the recipe alone is a mitzvah of the highest order. The Festival of Lights refers to a lamp in the temple that was supposed to have only enough oil to last the Maccabees one night, but instead lasted for eight. The holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil, so fried foods are often featured at Hanukkah feasts. Problem is, most potato pancakes, or latkes, are awful. Luckily for you, these are amazing.
Note: The fried latkes can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Reheat them on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp.
Perfect Potato Latkes
Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these latkes are a perfect Hanukkah dinner.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 20 latkes
Ingredients
- 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- sea salt
- 2 lb baking potatoes
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup matzah meal
- ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
- vegetable oil, for frying
- applesauce, crème fraîche, smoked salmon, salmon roe and dill sprigs, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, cover the Yukon Gold potatoes with cool water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and immediately pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl.
- Working quickly, peel and grate the baking potatoes on the large holes of a box grater into a medium bowl. Press with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Add half of the grated potatoes to the riced potatoes.
- Transfer the remaining grated potatoes to the bowl of a food processor. Add the onion and pulse until the potatoes and onions are very finely chopped. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve and press with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Add the potato-onion mixture to the large bowl. Stir in the eggs, matzah meal, white pepper and 2 tsp of salt.
- In a large, heavy skillet, heat ¼ inch of oil until shimmering. Working in 3 batches, spoon ¼ cup of the potato mixture into the oil for each latke; press slightly to flatten. Fry over moderate heat, turning once, until the latkes are golden and crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes. Drain the latkes on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve with applesauce, crème fraîche, smoked salmon, salmon roe and dill.
Notes
The fried latkes can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Reheat them on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Holiday
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Ashkenazi
Why do you have two separate ingredients for potatoes? Which is it, one or the other or both?
It is both. Enjoy! Rachel at The Nosher.
I use Russet potatoes only and my latkes come out delicious, tasty and crispy.
Its 2 different consistencies – one is kind of mashed with the ricer and the other is shredded
When you select “Scale Up” why don’t the other content values change?
Hi Stephan, Thanks for alerting us to this issue. It should now be fixed. Enjoy! Rachel at The Nosher.
These latkes are excellent. I remember making fried mashed potatoes ~ and these have the smoothness of the mashed cakes, with the mouth feel of the grated potatoes.
I use Avocado oil as it’s the most healthy oil at high temperatures. Seed oils are not good to eat. They are treated with chemicals to remove unwanted flavors.
Totally agree with using avocado oil. This is a fruit oil rather than a seed oil and generally obtained by cold pressing, not solvent extraction. It has a high smoke point so high temperatures do not break it down. Overall a good healthy choice.
1 onion to all those potatoes DOES NOT make perfect latkes.
I happy to be a fabulous cook and your recipe for latkes with Yukon golds sounds fabulous. I am going to try it. Definitely will try it.
I’m so excited to try Andrew’s recipe! Bought my first ricer!
Just made these, I also fry in avocado oil and only outside! They came out perfectly and I doubled the recipe. I used humongous onions so the ratios are great!
i dont’ have a ricer, what can i do instead?
You could lightly mash them, though nothing comes close to the light airiness of a ricer. Or try a different recipe with grated potatoes, instead.
Too complicated! Many more simple recipes that are easy and tasty
I totally agree. As I replied to Marjorie I just use a manual grater. Takes longer but mine come out great. I also only use Russet not two kinds of potatoes.
I have been making latkes for about 60 years and I never, ever peel the potatoes…and my latkes are always yummy, crunchy and devoured by family and friends!
potatoes are sprayed several times to prevent the “eyes” from sprouting
therefore you should use organic potatoes since the skin is not sprayed
Thank you for the perfect latkes recipe, from, Andrew Zimmerman.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Happy Chanukah!
I use a manual shredder and use with the larger holes and again, my latkes come out great. More work but I only make latkes a couple of times a year so didn’t pay for a ricer. I use it also to shred other veggies like carrots for my salad, etc.
My mom made these did not confuse them with the actual potato Latkes but called them Chremsel (or chremslach or cooked potato latkes.
Can you freeze these and reheat another day?
Here’s everything you need to know about freezing latkes.
What is the purpose of cooking the Yukon potatoes
They are riced – the other potatoes are shredded – and then all mixed
That is wayyy too many steps. And I disagree with the intro statement that most latkes are awful. No, they are delicious without the elaborate prep of this recipe- which totally underestimates the prep time prep 20 minutes
Agree with others that this is way too many steps, too time consuming and way too much filler. Easy grating of potatoes with onion, egg and a tiny amount of flour or matzo meal ( like a tablespoon ) takes far less time and tastes far better!!
Cooking the potatoes is not a little. It’s a pirate cake, which is good, but not as advertised.
After making latkes for fifty years this is the best recipe. It even avoided the oil smell in the kitchen
PRE COOKED BOILED POTATOES? Never! It ruins the texture of real latkes.
I have made many latkes in my 73 yrs, but these are definitely some of the best. They combine so many of the different pieces of advice I’ve received over the years. Add Yukon potatoes to the baking potatoes. Shred some potatoes, but have some ground.
These Latkes have wonderful dense centers, but also crispy edges. Win! Win! in my opinion.
They also taste great warmed up in the Air Fryer if you manage to have any left overs!!
This is a tricky recipe with the two kinds of potato and two preps, but I made a batch of very small pancakes for a party and they were a hit, people loved them!