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Golden Crispy Potato Latkes with Onion and Simple Pantry Ingredients
These Golden Crispy Potato Latkes are perfectly crisp outside, soft inside, and made with simple pantry ingredients. This easy homemade potato latke recipe is ideal for breakfast, brunch, or as a delicious family side dish.
Additional Information
- Can they be frozen? Yes. Allow the cooked latkes to cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer before transferring them to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 400⁰F (200⁰C) oven until hot and crisp.
- How long can they be stored, and how? Store cooled latkes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven, air fryer, or frying pan rather than the microwave to help bring back their crisp texture.
- Why draining the potatoes matters. Removing as much liquid as possible is one of the biggest secrets to crisp latkes. Excess moisture leads to soft, oily pancakes instead of crisp golden ones.
- Do I need to add sugar? The sugar is perfectly fine if you enjoy a hint of sweetness and extra caramelization. If you prefer a traditional savoury version, simply reduce or omit the sugar.
- Oil temperature. Oil that’s too cool makes greasy latkes, while oil that’s too hot browns the outside before the inside cooks. Medium to medium high heat gives the best results.
- How thick should the latkes be? Flatten each one to about 1/2 inch thick. This helps them cook evenly while developing a crisp exterior.
- Can I make these ahead? Yes, but they’re crispiest when served immediately. If needed, keep them warm in a 200⁰F (95⁰C) oven until ready to serve.
- Can I grate the potatoes ahead of time? It’s best not to. Grated potatoes brown quickly. If you must prepare them early, keep them submerged in cold water, then drain and squeeze them thoroughly before mixing with the remaining ingredients.
- Can I make these gluten-free? Yes. Replace the plain flour with your favourite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. The texture remains very similar.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Replace plain flour with Self-Raising flour if that’s what you have. The texture will be slightly lighter.
- Use sweet onion, yellow onion, or white onion.
- Replace white sugar with brown sugar for a slightly richer flavour, or leave it out if you prefer a more savoury latke.
- Use canola oil, sunflower oil, or another neutral frying oil.
Why You’ll Love and Enjoy These Golden Crispy Potato Latkes
- These homemade potato latkes are simple, satisfying, and packed with comforting flavour.
- They turn wonderfully crisp on the outside while staying tender inside.
- The ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find.
- They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or as a tasty snack.
Golden Crispy Potato Latkes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 to 18 depending on size 1x
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Easy Cooking
- Cuisine: Jewish
Description
These Potato Latkes are wonderfully crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, and made with just a handful of everyday ingredients. They’re easy to make, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a comforting side dish, and they’re at their very best straight from the frying pan.
Ingredients
- 6 large potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
- 1/2 onion, finely grated
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- All Season seasoning or Aromat, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Peel and coarsely grate 6 large potatoes into a large bowl.
- Grate 1/2 onion directly into the potatoes and stir them together.
- Let the potato mixture sit for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer it to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. This step really helps the latkes become crisp instead of soggy.
- Return the drained potatoes and onion to the bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup plain flour, salt to taste, black pepper to taste, and 1/4 cup white sugar.
- Mix everything until the flour is evenly distributed.
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a large frying pan to cover the base by about 1/4 inch.
- Heat the oil over medium to medium high heat until a small piece of potato sizzles immediately when added.
- Scoop portions of the potato mixture with a slotted spoon, pressing gently to remove any remaining liquid before placing them into the hot oil.
- Flatten each mound slightly with the back of the spoon.
- Fry each latke for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until beautifully golden brown and crisp.
- Transfer the cooked latkes to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess oil. Repeat until all the mixture has been cooked.
- If needed, keep the cooked latkes warm on a baking tray in a 200⁰F (95⁰C) oven while you finish frying the remaining batches. They’ll stay warm, although they may lose a little of their crispness.
- Sprinkle with All Season seasoning or Aromat, if using, and serve immediately while they’re still hot and crisp.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Renee
Crispy potato perfection starts with a handful of pantry staples.
Golden Crispy Potato Latkes deliver crisp edges, tender centres, and comforting homemade flavour using everyday ingredients. The easy to follow instructions, helpful cooking tips, storage advice, and substitution ideas remove the guesswork, making this a recipe that’s approachable for both beginners and experienced home cooks. Whether served for breakfast, brunch, or alongside dinner, these potato latkes are satisfying from the very first bite and are sure to become a favourite to make whenever crisp potato pancakes are on the menu.
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