Whether you are from a Polish, Irish, or German heritage, you’ve likely had a version of this at some point!  It is a yummy change from standard mashed potatoes (although you CAN make mashed potato pancakes with leftovers), and goes with anything!

What Potatoes to Use

Potato pancakes are also called latkes, boxties, or draniki depending on what culture you draw from, but the basic recipe is the same: potatoes, onions, seasonings, and sour cream or applesauce!

Russet potatoes are perfect for this recipe because they are extra starchy which helps bind the other ingredients. They fry up really well without absorbing extra oil.

Making Sure They Stick Together

While this recipe is easy to prepare there are a few tricks to making them stick together perfectly when cooking!

  • Moisture You’ll want to remove as much moisture as possible from the potatoes. Once grated, I put them in a kitchen towel and squeeze them out as much as I can by twisting the towel.
  • Binder The real trick to perfect potato pancakes is the right amount of binder (flour, egg) to potatoes!
  • Heat Make sure the oil is hot enough, the pancakes should sizzle when dropped in. (Make sure it’s not too hot or the potatoes won’t cook through before the outside is crisp).
  • Size Be sure they are uniformly flat so they cook at the same rate and come out perfect every time!

How to Make Perfect Potato Pancakes

Once your potatoes are prepped this easy recipe comes together quickly! Just combine, fry, and enjoy.

  • Combine all ingredients together (see recipe below).
  • Fry scoops of potato mixture, pressing into pancake shapes.
  • Drain excess oil by placing on a paper towel.

Serve these pancakes for breakfast or as an easy side dish that everyone will love.

My Favorite Potato Pancake Toppings

Traditionally, potato pancakes are topped with applesauce or sour cream. But, what doesn’t go with potatoes? Think of them like hash browns, what would you put on hash browns?

Here is a list of my favorite toppings:

  • Sauce: ketchup, salsa, guacamole, nacho cheese sauce, or sour cream.
  • Toppings: black olives, jalapenos, bacon bits, or chives.

Potato Dishes You Can’t Resist

  • Garlic Mashed Potatoes – made with 5 simple ingredients
  • Easy Cheesy Potatoes – loaded with creamy goodness!
  • The BEST Mashed Potatoes – perfectly creamy every time!
  • Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes – just 5 mins prep
  • Perfect Baked Potatoes – soft & fluffy inside!
  • Scalloped Potatoes Recipe – an elegant side dish
  • Sweet Potato Hashbrowns – so easy to make!

Potato Pancakes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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