By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
355 cal · 55 min
German Potato Pancakes
Recipe GLPR6571f373ca96fd
Crispy golden potato pancakes made with shredded russet potatoes, onion, and eggs. These traditional German Kartoffelpuffer are pan-fried until golden brown and served warm with applesauce for a delicious side dish or light meal.
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Ingredients
2 pounds russet potatoes
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
Applesauce for serving
Directions
Peel the russet potatoes and shred them using a box grater or food processor fitted with a shredding disc. Place the shredded potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove excess moisture.
Chop the yellow onion roughly into small pieces. Add the onion to the shredded potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
Lightly beat the eggs and pour them over the potato-onion mixture. Add salt and ground black pepper to the bowl and stir until all ingredients are evenly combined.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil and let it heat until shimmering, about 1-2 minutes.
Working in batches, drop heaping spoonfuls of the potato mixture onto the hot skillet and flatten each one gently with a spatula to form pancakes about ¼-inch thick.
Cook the pancakes for 4-5 minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy. Avoid moving them too much while cooking to allow them to develop a brown crust.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat steps 4-6 with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and remaining potato mixture.
Serve the warm potato pancakes immediately with applesauce on the side.
Comments
German potato pancakes are a weeknight win for Charlotte kitchens: russet potatoes, onions, eggs, salt, pepper, and canola oil are stocked at every chain (Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart, ALDI, Kroger), and applesauce rounds out the ingredient list without a special trip. The stated 55 minutes is honest if you account for shredding potatoes by hand and the 20–25 minutes of active pan time, though a box grater will test your patience and knuckles. At roughly $1.50 to $2.00 per serving, this is genuinely cheap—potatoes and onions carry the bulk of the cost. The dish needs constant attention while frying (pancakes don't tolerate being left alone), and leftovers are mediocre reheated; treat it as a same-night meal.
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