Latke Recipes

On this page we have listed numerous recipes for Latkes, including traditonal lakets, oven baked latkes, Middle Eastern recipes and more. We hope you enjoy them!

Classic Ashkenazic latke recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

6 medium Idaho potatoes
2 medium yellow onions
2 large eggs
3 Tbs flour (some people use matza meal)
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Canola oil

DIRECTIONS:
Peel potatoes; place in cold water. Using a grater, grate potatoes and onions in large bowl – you can also use a food processor.

Transfer potato and onion mixture to a colander set over a bowl, and squeeze out excess moisture. Return mixture to bowl.

In separate bowl, combine eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Combine all ingredients. You can add flour or matza meal if the consistency is too thin.

In large frying pan, heat 1/2 inch oil over medium-high heat. Drop serving-spoon-size portions of mixture into oil. You can flatten them with a fork or spatula.

Fry until they are brown on the edges. Turn over the latkes until they are golden brown on each side (this can take 3-4 minutes per side. Place hot latkes on paper towels in a pan to drain excess oil.

Latkes are traditionally served with sour cream and/or applesauce.

Oven Baked Latkes

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with the flavor of the traditional potato latke (they are delicious!) I have a personal issue with them. One is that they are very fattening (since they are deep-fried) and they are also greasy. Due to stomach/heartburn related issues I simply can not eat them anymore, but I don’t intend to give up on latkes for Hanukkah, no way! So, I have found some other recipes and cooking methods that maybe you would appreciate.

One recipe (listed below) is made in a similar way to the traditional recipe but the latkes are baked in a hot oven instead of fried up in a pan. I have made this recipe every year for over 5 years, and they always come out great. Instead of serving them with sour cream, I use a low-cal yoghurt or home made applesauce which is just as delicious and with a lot fewer calories.

I have also found several recipes for latkes using a variety of ingredients. If you are having your own Hanukkah party try making several kinds of latkes and serving them with various toppings (listed below). Your company will love them!

This recipe makes 24 latkes. Give yourself about an hour and a half to prepare and bake them. If you grate the potatoes and onions in a food processor, this will cut down on time.

Ingredients:
3 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and shredded (about 4 large)
3 medium white onions, shredded
2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons canola oil
1. Mix shredded potato, onion, and salt in a medium bowl. Put in a strainer and let the water drain out for about 15 minutes.
Squeeze the potato mixture over the bowl to release excess moisture. Transfer the squeezed potatoes to another large bowl. Stir in eggs.
2. Sprinkle the flour and pepper over the potato mixture and toss to combine.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
4. Place a large spoonful of the mixture onto the cookie sheet, one by one, and line up the latkes as if you were making cookies. Bake for 10 minutes and flip over when brown on the bottom. Bake for an additional 5 minutes (Check latkes before flipping).

For a different type of latke experience…

SPICY POTATO LATKES…
This recipe was taken from the Jerusalem Post based on a recipe of Yamuna Devi, the author of The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking (Bala, 1987 ).
If you like falafel, the flavor of these Indian-inspired latkes will have an appealing familiarity and will add variety to your Hanukka menus.
Yamuna Devi, the author of The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking (Bala, 1987), notes that you can bake potato patties on an oiled baking sheet instead of frying them. The crust is not as delicate, but baking yields pleasing results and is more practical than frying if you're making a large amount. Besides, you'll use less oil.

Ingredients
450 gr. potatoes, preferably large baking potatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
1 fresh hot pepper, finely chopped, or cayenne pepper to taste
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. turmeric
3 large eggs, beaten
2 to 3 Tbsp. bread crumbs or flour, if needed
5 to 6 Tbsp. vegetable oil, or more if needed

Put potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and add salt. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer about 25 minutes or until tender. Drain, peel and mash potatoes. Add onion, hot pepper, coriander, cumin, turmeric and salt and pepper to taste. Beat eggs and mix with potatoes. Add bread crumbs, if necessary, so mixture is thick enough to be formed into patties. Mix well.

Preheat oven to 150 C to keep latkes warm. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Using a large tablespoon, add a spoonful of batter to oil and flatten slightly to make a small pancake of 5 to 6 cm. diameter. Mixture should spread but pancake does not need to be very thin. If mixture is too thick to spread at all, add a little water to batter. If pancakes do not hold together, add 1 tablespoon more bread crumbs to batter.

Make more pancakes of the same size and fry for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown on both sides; turn them carefully with 2 pancake turners. Transfer to paper towels spread on an oven-proof tray. Keep warm in oven while frying rest of pancakes.

Stir batter occasionally; add more oil to skillet if needed.
The pancakes are best if served right away, but they can be kept warm for 30 minutes.

You can also make them 1 day ahead and refrigerate them; heat in 1 layer on a baking sheet in a 150 C oven.

Makes about 4 servings.

Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potato Latkes
This recipe take from Spice History makes 20-30 latkes.

3 large sweet potatoes
3 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
pinch of pepper, ginger, cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup flour
Canola oil

Sour cream or yoghurt

Grate sweet potatoes and transfer to large bowl.
In a small bowl whisk the eggs.
Sprinkle spices and salt into the egg mixture. Whisk.
Mix in cilantro.
Add egg mixture to the potato mixture.
Stir in the flour.
Ina large skillet, heat the oil until hot.
Add the potato mixture 2 tbsp. at a time.
Fry until golden and flip until golden on other side.
Drain on paper towels.

Serve with sour cream or yoghurt.

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