Potato Latkes Made Simple

Name: Potato Latkes Made Simple
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Jewish
Ingredients: 4 large russet potatoes; 2 eggs; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1/4 cup matzoh meal; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 dash black pepper; 2 ounces chopped lox, optional; 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil for frying

Recipe GLPR70d1593d0d1f09

Jewish

Appetizer

35 min

460 cal

Servings: 4

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

Crispy golden potato pancakes bound with eggs and matzoh meal, pan-fried until they develop a delicate crust. This simple, satisfying dish is a Jewish classic that can be enjoyed on its own or topped with lox for extra flavor.

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Ingredients

4 large russet potatoes

2 eggs

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup matzoh meal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 dash black pepper

2 ounces chopped lox, optional

1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Peel the russet potatoes and grate them on the large holes of a box grater into a clean kitchen towel. Gather the towel and squeeze firmly to extract as much moisture as possible, working over a bowl to catch any liquid.
Transfer the squeezed grated potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped onion, matzoh meal, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Pour the beaten eggs over the potato mixture and stir until all ingredients are evenly moistened. If using lox, fold it in gently at this point.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and a small piece of potato sizzles immediately when dropped in.
Working in batches to avoid crowding, carefully spoon mounds of the potato mixture into the hot oil, flattening each into a thin pancake about 1/4 inch thick with the back of a spatula.
Fry the latkes for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and crispy at the edges. Flip carefully and fry the second side for another 3 to 4 minutes until equally golden and crispy.
Transfer the cooked latkes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Keep warm while you cook remaining batches in the same manner.
Serve the latkes warm, plain or with your choice of toppings.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

All ingredients are available at any major Charlotte grocer including Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart, though lox will cost $12–16 per serving and is the primary budget driver; the stated 35 minutes ignores the 10–15 minutes of potato shredding and squeezing out moisture, so budget 50 minutes total. The dish is straightforward and cooks fast once prep is done, but latkes do not reheat well—they soften and lose their crispy edge, making this best eaten fresh the same night. The recipe suits a special breakfast or holiday meal rather than a weeknight family dinner, and the per-serving cost is high enough that stretching it with beans or a starch on the side makes sense for budget-conscious cooking.