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Latkes are one of those traditional Hanukkah foods that you see on the table year after year—and for good reason. These potato pancakes are versatile. They can just as easily be served up along a savory supper or finished with sweet toppers. Besides being incredibly versatile, latkes are simple to make—chances are you have all the ingredients you need already on hand.
Our Test Kitchen will show you how to make latkes step by step. And don’t forget to check out a few of our other favorite Hanukkah recipes, like sufganiyot, before you start.
How to Make Latkes
To make latkes at home, you can follow our Test Kitchen’s go-to recipe here. You’ll need:
- 3 large potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Vegetable oil for frying
Go to Recipe
Step 1: Prep the Potatoes
Taste of Home
Latkes, of course, start with potatoes. Starchy potatoes, like Russets, work particularly well. You’ll start making your potato pancakes by washing and peeling the potatoes.
Then, if you have a food processor, now is the time to pull it out of the cupboard (and if you don’t have one, think of adding our Test Kitchen’s favorite to your wish list). Use the disk attachment to shred the potatoes. This will save you so much time. If you don’t have a food processor, though, don’t fret. An old-fashioned box grater will work just fine.
Once the potatoes are shredded, rinse them in cold water and drain well, squeezing to remove excess water.
Test Kitchen tip: To get every bit of excess water out, we recommend putting your rinsed potato shreds in a tea towel and wringing out all the water you can. You might even want to consider using a second dry tea towel just to make sure you get all that starchy water out. Extra starch can make the pancakes gluey.
Step 2: Get Your Potato Pancake Mix Together
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With the potatoes prepped, you can start to add in your other ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the beaten egg, flour, grated onion, salt and pepper in with your potatoes, making sure every shred is coated. You can also incorporate your favorite herbs into the batter at this stage. Dill, cumin, cayenne or curry powder would be welcome additions
Test Kitchen tip: Be sure to grate your onion (just use the finest side of your box grater). The tiny bits will incorporate more nicely into the mix than even the finest dice.
Step 3: Fry the Latkes
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Next, it’s time to fry up the potato pancakes. Start by heating up a quarter-inch of oil in a nonstick skillet. For this application, our Test Kitchen recommends canola, vegetable or corn oil because of their high smoke points (meaning they won’t start to smoke until they hit higher temperatures). You can learn more about the best oils for frying here.
Working in batches, drop a third-cup of potato mixture into the oil. Use a spatula to flatten into a pancake shape. Fry both sides until golden brown, using a second spatula to flip the pancakes so you don’t cross-contaminate your crispy pancakes with that first raw egg-covered spatula. Be sure not to crowd the pan. The pancakes will need a little room to get nice and crispy!
When perfectly golden brown, drain on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Once drained, they’re ready to serve.
How to Top Latkes
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Potato pancakes are a fantastic canvas for all sorts of toppings. Sour cream, chives and lox are a classic combination, but applesauce is also tasty if you want to take these on the sweeter side. These toppings are just the start, though. Check out more ways to top latkes.
Next up: Learn how to make bourekas, savory cheese-stuffed pastries.
Try Our Other Favorite Jewish Recipes
Matzo Ball SoupThis recipe is worth the time and effort it takes for such a delicious and comforting meal. With the fluffy matzo balls, chicken, carrots, celery and onions, it's got everything you want in a bowl of soup. Make it to help fight off a cold or just to have something cozy for a winter night.
Matzo ball soup is also a popular holiday food, from Shabbat to Passover, and can be served at your Seder alongside one of these Passover chicken recipes.
Passover PopoversThis substitute for bread is perfect for sharing around the table during Passover. Made with only five ingredients, it'll use up any leftover matzo cake meal you have in your pantry. Check out other dishes to serve alongside your popovers with these classic
Jewish cookbooks.
Easy Smoked SalmonGravlax, smoked salmon, lox…whichever iteration you love, there's no denying this salt-cured fish is a welcome addition to any bagel, cracker or slice of toast. You can easily find different versions of the beloved salmon at your local grocer, but why not try your own hand at it with this shortcut recipe.
Rainbow CookiesShannon Sarna, a home cook and editor at
The Nosher, shares her family's most beloved dessert: rainbow cookies. These classic New York treats are traditionally served in synagogues and at Jewish celebrations, but actually have Italian roots. To make, you bake three thin cakes, spread jam between them and coat with smooth melted chocolate.
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poached eggs.
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Rustic Rye BreadThis rustic rye bread has an added sweetness to it from brown sugar and molasses, perfect as a side to a classic Jewish dish. Just add a touch of butter to a slice of bread and your meal will be complete.
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Mandelbrot Mandelbrot (translated from German means "almond bread") is similar to an Italian biscotti but uses no butter. These twice-baked cookies use oil instead and can be filled with the mix-ins of your choosing.
Slow-Cooked Corned BeefPut this in the slow cooker in the morning, and it'll be ready by dinner time. Packed with red potatoes, carrots and onions, this corned beef dish will leave you with a full and satisfied stomach.
TabboulehTabbouleh is a grain salad popular in Israel. It's traditionally made with bulgur, but you can easily substitute other grains and starches like couscous, farrow or quinoa.
KugelMade with noodles or potatoes,
kugel is a classic Jewish side dish. Sweet noodle kugel is rich and creamy, which makes it a nice treat to have on holidays and special occasions. Make it the way Bubbe might with this recipe.
Cherry Cheese BlintzesIn only 30 minutes, you'll have creamy blintzes you can serve for breakfast or dessert. Its sweet taste comes from a surprising filling of cottage cheese and cream cheese. Not a fan of cherries? No worries, this recipe is customizable to incorporate your favorite fruits like blueberries, strawberries or peaches instead.
CharosetAhhh, charoset. We don't know if it's the sweet apples, the crunch of the walnuts, or the scent of the spicy cinnamon that we love most. But what we do know is that it's the perfect last bite to any meal, though it's traditionally served during Passover.
HummusForget the chips—we're just here for the dip. And by dip, we mean
hummus, that creamy chickpea-based spread that makes even raw celery taste delicious. Start with a classic base, then add in your favorite flavors to make some finger-licking variations.
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chilaquiles, and it can be strictly savory or a sweet-and-savory combo. Though usually served as a breakfast dish, matzo brei is so tasty and easy that I'd eat it any time of day.
Matzo Meal PancakesSometimes the week of Passover can feel more like a month, so it helps to have some classics to get you through. Enter matzo meal pancakes—like regular pancakes, but with
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KnishKnishes, the elusive puffy dough balls stuffed with savory fillings, are the epitome of comfort food. They're sold in Jewish neighborhoods across the world, though you may not have heard of them if you're not Jewish. Try your hand at the humble knish and see what all the fuss is about.
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Updated: Oct. 16, 2023
