Description
Golden brown and crispy potato pancakes, perfect as a side, appetizer, or light meal. Made with grated potatoes, onion, and simple seasonings. Delicious with sour cream, applesauce, or your favorite toppings!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 1/2 inch deep in the pan)
- Optional toppings: sour cream, applesauce, chopped chives, crispy bacon bits
Instructions
- Grate the potatoes and onion into a large bowl using a box grater (large holes) or a food processor with a grating attachment.
- Place the grated potato and onion mixture in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth. Gather the edges and twist tightly, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
- Return the squeezed potato and onion mixture to the large bowl.
- Add the lightly beaten eggs to the bowl.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper to the bowl.
- Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Be careful not to overmix. The mixture should be slightly sticky but not too wet. If too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
- Pour about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet or frying pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Test the oil by dropping a small piece of the potato mixture into the pan. It should sizzle and turn golden brown in a few seconds.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into your hand and gently flatten it into a pancake shape (3-4 inches in diameter).
- Carefully place the potato pancakes into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan (3-4 pancakes at a time). Fry for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Flip carefully with a spatula.
- Remove the cooked pancakes from the pan with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess oil.
- Repeat the process with the remaining potato mixture, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
- Serve hot and crispy with your favorite toppings like sour cream, applesauce, chopped chives, or crispy bacon bits.
Notes
- Russet potatoes are best due to their high starch content.
- Squeezing out excess moisture is crucial for crispy pancakes.
- Maintain the oil temperature for even cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Taste the potato mixture before frying and adjust seasoning as needed.
- To keep warm, place cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in a preheated oven (200°F) for up to 30 minutes.
- Experiment with flavors by adding grated cheese, chopped herbs, or spices to the potato mixture.
- The potato mixture can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Cooked potato pancakes can be frozen for later use.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes