Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 800 g russet potatoes, peeled
- 150 g yellow onion, peeled
- 2 garlic, minced
- 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
Binders and Seasoning
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 30 g matzo meal
- 10 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Frying
- 250 ml neutral cooking oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 81 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 339 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 31 mg
- Potassium
- 318 mg
- Calcium
- 20 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 19 mg
- Phosphorus
- 61 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 16 mcg
- Water
- 70 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the potatoes and the yellow onion into a large mixing bowl.
Transfer the grated potato and onion mixture into a clean kitchen towel. Twist the towel tightly and squeeze out as much liquid as possible into a separate bowl. Let the liquid sit for 5 minutes to allow the white potato starch to settle at the bottom.
Carefully pour off the watery liquid from the bowl, reserving the thick white starch at the bottom. Return the squeezed potato and onion mixture to the bowl with the reserved starch.
Add the lightly beaten eggs, matzo meal, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and fresh chives to the potato mixture. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Pour the neutral cooking oil into a large skillet to a depth of about 5 millimeters. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 180C/350F, or until a single strand of grated potato sizzles immediately upon contact.
Drop loosely packed spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, flattening them slightly with a spatula to form pancakes about 8 centimeters wide. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry until the bottoms are deep golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Carefully flip the latkes and fry the second side until deeply golden brown, an additional 3 minutes.
Transfer the fried latkes to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Season immediately with a light sprinkle of additional salt if desired. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Chef's Notes
- Reserving the natural potato starch from the squeezed liquid is the traditional secret to the best binding and texture, allowing you to use less flour or matzo meal.
- Do not let the raw mixture sit for too long, or the potatoes will oxidize and turn grey. If you must prep ahead, keep the raw grated potatoes submerged in cold water, then drain and squeeze just before mixing and frying.
- Keep fried latkes warm and crispy while cooking subsequent batches by placing them on a wire rack in a 100C/200F oven.
- Grating the onion into the same bowl as the potatoes helps prevent the potatoes from oxidizing too quickly, as the acidic onion juice protects their color.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container between layers of paper towels.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze flat on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag.
Reheating: Reheat in a 200C/400F oven for 8-10 minutes on a wire rack until crispy. Do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Latkes are soggy and greasy
Cause: Oil temperature was too low, or too much moisture remained in the potatoes
Fix: Re-crisp in a hot oven at 200C/400F for a few minutes on a wire rack
Prevention: Squeeze potatoes vigorously and ensure oil maintains 180C/350F between batches
Latkes fall apart in the pan
Cause: Insufficient binder or flipped too early before a crust could form
Fix: Stir an extra tablespoon of matzo meal into the remaining raw batter
Prevention: Ensure egg and matzo meal are well integrated, and let the first side cook completely before flipping
Inside is raw while outside is burnt
Cause: Oil temperature was too high or latkes were shaped too thick
Fix: Transfer dark but undercooked latkes to a 175C/350F oven to finish cooking the interior
Prevention: Flatten latkes to an even thickness and moderate the heat if the pan starts smoking
Cultural Context
Latkes are deeply embedded in Ashkenazi Jewish culinary tradition, most famously prepared during the festival of Hanukkah. The act of frying these savory potato pancakes in oil serves as a delicious homage to the Hanukkah miracle, wherein a small flask of temple oil miraculously burned for eight days. They are traditionally served alongside sour cream or applesauce.
