Old-Fashioned Latkes

Name: Old-Fashioned Latkes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Jewish
Ingredients: 4 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and shredded; 5 cups diced onion; 4 large eggs; 1 1/4 cups matzo meal; 2 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste; Canola or peanut oil, for frying; Applesauce, for serving; Sour cream, for serving

Recipe GLPR0277a7f05b8985

Jewish

Appetizer

60 min

191 cal

Servings: 16

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

Crispy potato and onion pancakes, a classic Jewish dish served at Hanukkah and beyond. Shredded russet potatoes and caramelized onions are bound together with eggs and matzo meal, then pan-fried until golden brown and crunchy on the outside. Best enjoyed warm with applesauce and sour cream.

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Ingredients

4 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and shredded

5 cups diced onion

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups matzo meal

2 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste

Canola or peanut oil, for frying

Applesauce, for serving

Sour cream, for serving

Directions

Peel and shred the russet potatoes using a box grater or food processor. Place the shredded potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Transfer the drained potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
Add the diced onion to the bowl with the potatoes and mix well to combine.
In a separate small bowl, beat the 4 large eggs together. Pour the beaten eggs over the potato and onion mixture.
Sprinkle the matzo meal and kosher salt over the mixture. Stir everything together until well combined. The mixture should hold together when squeezed; if it is too wet, add a bit more matzo meal as needed.
Heat about 1/4 inch of canola or peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and a small piece of potato mixture sizzles immediately when added.
Working in batches to avoid crowding, drop heaping tablespoon-sized portions of the potato mixture into the hot oil. Gently flatten each latke with the back of a spatula to form a thin patty about 3 inches across.
Fry the latkes for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and crispy. Carefully flip and fry the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes until equally golden and crispy.
Transfer the finished latkes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Keep warm latkes in a 200°F oven while frying the remaining batches.
Serve the latkes warm with applesauce and sour cream on the side.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

Latkes land well in Charlotte with all-accessible ingredients—russets, onions, eggs, and canola oil are staples at every chain, and matzo meal is stocked year-round at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Walmart. The real cost driver is the oil: frying sixteen servings uses 2–3 cups, pushing the per-serving cost to roughly $0.60–$0.80 once you factor in potatoes, onions, and eggs, which is reasonable for a from-scratch fried dish. Budget 90 minutes, not 60: the stated time omits the 20–30 minutes of hand-shredding potatoes and onion, squeezing out moisture, and the 30–40 minutes of frying in batches. These reheat beautifully in a 375°F oven, and the yield feeds a family of six-eight with leftovers, but they demand active attention at the stove and work best served immediately after frying for peak crispness.