Our crispy Potato Latkes are an excellent side dish for the Jewish holidays like Hanukkah, Passover, or just whenever you’re craving potato latkes. We’re sharing step-by-step photos, plus how to make vegan potato latkes using aquafaba.
Flashing back to my childhood my mother would make potato latkes or matzo meal pancakes every Jewish holiday. I was so impatient and would sneak (and burn my mouth) on a latke each time too. They’re so good and hard to resist eating just one!
My mother would serve potato latkes with sour cream and applesauce. That being said, I would always dip mine in ketchup, and I still do!
Potato Latke ingredients:
- Russet Potatoes – This is our choice of potato for latkes as russet potatoes have a high starch content and get really crispy.
- Onion – You don’t want a bland potato latke, onions add so much flavor!
- Matzo Meal – To keep it kosher for passover use matzo meal. I grew up using matzo meal, but you could also use plain breadcrumbs or all-purpose flour.
- Avocado Oil – We use avocado oil since it’s a good high point smoke oil. My grandma was more traditional and used schmaltz (chicken fat).
- Eggs or Aquafaba – Eggs are traditional, but if we’re making vegan potato latkes we use aquafaba without an issue. What is aquafaba? Aquafaba is the leftover bean water after cooking chickpeas or the liquid in canned chickpeas.
- Kosher Salt – Salt brings out all the flavors.
Ingredients to serve with potato latkes
- Applesauce – unsweetened applesauce is best.
- Sour Cream – along with chives, this is a delicious option.
- Ketchup – although my grandma kvetch, I grew up dipping potato latkes in ketchup and it’s delicious.
How to make Latkes step-by-step instructions
For the full ingredient amount and full instructions on how to make potato latkes see the recipe card below.
- Scrub the potatoes to clean and then grate the potatoes. (Optional) Add shredded potatoes to a bowl filled with cold water as you grate more to prevent them from browning.
- After grating the potatoes, grate the onion.
- Drain the potatoes and onion well after grating by using a cheesecloth or kitchen towel.
- Place the grated potatoes and onion into a bowl and add in the matzo meal, eggs or aquafaba, and salt.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat with avocado oil on deep enough to shallow pan fry the latkes, you want the temperature around 370-375 degrees F.
- Scoop about 1/4 – 1/3 cup of latke mixture and flatten in your hands to make a latke patty. Carefully place the latke into the pan and repeat with more latkes until the pan is full without overcrowding.
- Fry the potato latkes for about 4-5 minutes per side, reducing the heat if needed.
- Once the latkes are done transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle immediately with a little more kosher salt if you like them salted.
- Serve as desired.
Recipe Tips and Alterations:
- Latkes are the best when served within 30 minutes so they stay nice and crispy. You can keep them warm in a 200 degree F oven while you make more. We recommend using an oven safe warming rack on top of a baking sheet to keep them crispy. If you have an air fryer oven you can also use the air fryer rack and the baking option.
- Potato latkes should be a nice golden brown color, not too light and not too dark.
- If your potatoes are too big you can cut potatoes in half lengthwise when using a food processor. This will prevent the shreds of potatoes from being too long.
- It’s important to squeeze out the liquid from the potatoes and onions, this ensures a crispy potato latke. We use avocado oil since it has a high smoke point. For example, you shouldn’t use extra virgin olive oil.
- Don’t discard the liquid that collects on the plate after shredding the potatoes. This is liquid starch, add it to the potato mixture to help bind the potatoes.
- Placing the shredded potatoes into a bowl of cold water prevents the potatoes from turning brown. Just be sure to drain the potatoes really well from the water.
Storage and reheating tips:
- How to store potato latkes in the refrigerator – Store any leftover potato latkes in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- How to freeze potato latkes – Store any leftover potato latkes in a freezer safe container. We like to use some unbleached parchement to create layers so they don’t stick together or you can freeze individually then freeze together. You can freeze for 2-3 months.
- How to reheat potato latkes – To reheat you can use an air fryer or oven. To reheat potato latkes in the air fryer you’ll want to cook at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until warm and crispy. To reheat potato latkes in the oven you’ll want to do 400 degrees F around 10-15 minutes or until warm and crispy.
How to serve potato latkes:
Potato Latkes are best served with sour cream and applesauce. Also, give ketchup a try, I grew up eating them with ketchup and now my kids enjoy ketchup more as well.
FAQs
Matzo is unleavened and kosher for Passover. It’s what we have always used and the flavor is better than using plain flour.
Most stores carry matzo meal in the kosher section. If you can’t find any matzo meal you can make a homemade matzo meal in your blender.
Yes! We love making a few variations of potato latkes like sweet potato latkes and zucchini latkes, some even make cheese latkes.
Latkes are a Jewish cuisine traditionally prepared for Hanukkah or on other Jewish holidays. Hash browns are a traditional American breakfast dish and do not contain onions or matzo meal.
more Hanukkah recipes
Potato Latkes
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium russet potatoes
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 egg or 3 tablespoons of aquafaba
- 1/3 cup matzo meal or all-purpose flour, or breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- avocado oil for frying
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes to clean and then carefully shred the potatoes using a medium-size grater on box grater or food processor. (optional) To prevent the potatoes from browning place the shredded potatoes as you grate them into a bowl filled with cold water.
- After grating the potatoes, grate the onion.
- Place the potatoes in the cheesecloth as well as the grated onion and squeeze out all of the excess water.
- Place the grated potatoes and onion into a bowl and add in the matzo meal, eggs or aquafaba, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat with avocado oil on deep enough to shallow pan fry the latkes, you want the temperature around 370-375 degrees F. To test the oil use a little bit of the latke mixture to see if it sizzles when you put it in, if it does, it’s ready.
- Scoop about 1/4 – 1/3 cup of latke mixture and flatten in your hands to make a latke patty. Carefully place the latke into the pan and repeat with more latkes until the pan is full without overcrowding.
- Fry the potato latkes for about 4-5 minutes per side, reducing the heat if needed.
- Once the latkes are done transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle immediately with a little more kosher salt if you like them salted.
- Serve as desired.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is automatically calculated and can vary based ingredients and products used. If the nutrition numbers are important for you we recommend calculating them yourself.
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Shredding the potatoes by hand for the potato latkes makes such a big difference. I’d say these were just like my mom used to make. Very, very delicious. Thanks for the recipe and Happy Hanukkah! 🕎
Yes!! We can tell a difference between hand shredding and using a food processor to shred the potatoes for sure. We are so glad you liked them! Happy Hanukkah to you too! 🙂