Papa Leo’s traditional potato latkes are the perfect dish to serve for Hanukkah or any day of the year!
In this Post: Everything you need for Traditional Potato Latkes
When Hanukkah rolls around every year, I have a hard time straying away from the traditional potato latke recipe passed down from my Papa Leo. Crispy, salty, savory potato pancakes in all their glory – it doesn’t get any better than this for a side or main dish! We top them simply with a little sour cream, fresh parsley, and apple sauce. And that’s all you need! If you’ve ever been curious about latkes, here is your sign to give them a try!
Helpful Tips
- Using a food processor with the grating attachment to shred the potatoes and onions will save you time and prevent knicking your fingers.
- Squeeze out as much water as possible from the grated potatoes. Paper towel or a kitchen tower works really well. Keep squeezing until you can’t squeeze anymore. Note: If using a food processor, do the potatoes separately from the onions so you can squeeze them. Onion juice = flavor. Potato water = soggy sadness.
- Make more than you think you’ll need! More than likely, you’ll only make these once a year. Go crazy and make a double batch, you’ll thank yourself all week long.
How to Make Traditional Potato Latkes
Start your potato latkes by using either a food processor or grater to grate your potatoes and onion.
When you’ve finished grating your potatoes, transfer them to a large bowl and use a paper towel to squeeze as much excess water out as you can. Then add the grated onion.
Into the bowl of the potato and onion, crack in your eggs.
Then stir in your matzo meal.
Finally, sprinkle in some salt for flavor.
Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
Then in a large cast iron skillet or pan, heat a couple inches of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to portion your batter into the oil.
Be careful not to overcrowd the pan and use a spatula to flatten your latkes. After a couple minutes, flip your latke so that it can cook on both sides.
Once your latkes are evenly browned, remove from the oil and plan on a pan or plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
Continue working in batches until all of your potato mixture is gone, then serve your traditional potato latkes with sour cream and apple sauce and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What were original latkes made of?
Before potatoes, they were most likely made with a grain like buckwheat or rye.
What is traditionally served with potato latkes?
Sour cream and apple sauce is the traditional topping! However many also enjoy them with a horseradish sauce.
Are latkes only for Hanukkah?
While latkes are traditionally served on or around Hanukkah, you can enjoy them any time of year!
More Holiday Favorites
- Jewish Apple Cake
- Classic Matzo Ball Soup
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
- Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze
- Easy Sugar Cookies
Did you try this recipe and like it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or not, my family’s Traditional Potato Latkes are a delicious dish worth trying.
Your fork is waiting.
Traditional Potato Latkes
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes (peeled and grated finely water squeezed out)
- 1 medium onion (grated finely)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup matzo meal or more if needed
- canola oil (for frying)
- sour cream (and apple sauce for serving)
Instructions
- Using a food processor or cheese grater, grate the potatoes and place in a bowl using a paper towel to remove excess water. Grate the onion in with the potato.
- Add egg, salt, and matzo meal to the potato/onion mixture and mix well with a fork. If mixture seems too watery, add more matzo meal.
- Heat 2-3 inches of oil over medium-high heat In a deep pan or cast iron skillet. Add a drop of the potato mixture to test the heat of the oil. If it bubbles, it's ready!
- Using an ice cream scoop or large soup spoon, drop the potato mixture into the oil being careful not to over crowd the pan. Flatten the pancakes with a metal spatula to ensure even cooking.
- After 3-4 minutes, check for color and flip once browned on one side. Flatten again with the spatula and cook until browned on both sides.
- Lay cooked latkes on plate or baking sheet lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Continue working in batches until all of the potato mixture is gone. Serve with sour cream, horse radish, or apple sauce.
Potato Chips ;)
I don’t eat too many fried food, but topping the list are latkas and doughnuts – so if I could have them without the calories? Yum!
This is tough, because I love fried foods! Probably Krispy Kreme raised glazed. These don’t present a problem to me now because there aren’t any in the state I live in, but if I come across one……
I wish falafel had no calories. I love falafel.
latkes would be right up there – any kind of veggie fried up latke style actually …. the possibilites are really endless.
I wish fried chicken had no calories : )
I wish sufganiyot had no calories!!!
I just made Eddie’s Moms recipe for latkes yesterday – almost the same! They were SOOOO good, and yours look amazing, Liz! xx
I can’t even visually tell these were made in the food processor, you can always tell w/mine! Love the addition of matzo meal, we use bread crumbs.
I would have to agree and say that latkes with no frying would be wonderful.
I love latkes so much it’s ridiculous. I don’t deep fry mine but the crispy edges are by far the best part so they are a must! Happy Hanukkah friend :)
I am a sucker for crispy edges!! Thanks friend!
Liz, your latkes look amazing!
Donuts. definitely donuts. :) Just got a mini deep fryer and it was so easy to make fresh donuts and even easier to eat them up!
you can never go wrong with a traditional recipe. My fiance would prefer your latkes over mine because they look so crunchy. Looks so delicous!
haha – I make them super crunchy!!!
Don’t caramel sufganiyot have no calories already? ;)
So glad you joined the blog party – can’t wait to see how you used the printables! http://thekosherhome.com/chanukah-sameach/
Shelley from The Kosher home!
Awesome shot of the fryer- I’d be afraid to get my camera that close! I would say latkes too!
These latkes look amazing!
I wish donuts had no calories. Specifically caramel donuts with chocolate glaze. Or maybe custard donuts. Or cinnamon twist donuts. Ok, skip that. Any donut. All donuts. Just donuts!
Can you tell I hate dieting on Hanukkah??
Loving that you stuck with tradition for this post. It balances out the “shake up the norm” approach I took with my post for this blog party!
Thats exactly the ratios I use when I make my potato latkes, except I don’t use any matzah meal. Russet potatoes are the best when making latkes!
Your latkes take me straight back to my childhood! I wish chicken fried steak had zero calories!
I’m so glad to hear!!! :-)