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Any Eastern European knows the comfort and joy that comes with fresh potato pancakes. Packed with potatoes, onions, eggs, and spices, they’re just perfect!

Potato Pancakes Recipe

One of my fondest memories of growing up in Ukraine was preparing potato pancakes. After each potato harvest, my siblings and I would take turns grating potatoes for hours on end in anticipation of getting to sink our teeth into one of our favorite treats. When it came time for my mother to cook the pancakes, I would often ask her to fry mine a bit longer to make the edges extra crispy. If you love unique pancakes, give our ricotta pancakes or oladi pancakes a try, too!

Note: While you can always grate the potatoes by hand using a cheese grater, we typically use a blender or food processor to speed the process up significantly!

The Difference Between Potato Pancakes & Latkes

Oftentimes latkes and potato pancakes are referred to as the same thing. Although similar, they do have stark differences – especially when it comes to texture.

  • Potato Pancakes: Potato pancakes require you to grate potatoes on the smallest slots of your grater. This is more time-consuming and results in a liquid-like pulp. To speed things up, I use a blender or food processor. You then combine the potato pulp with eggs, onions, and a dash of seasoning. The result is similar to a traditional pancake – round, fluffy, and smooth in texture.
  • Latkes: Latkes require you to grate potatoes on the larger shreds. Typically, latkes are made with the same ingredients as potato pancakes, except for the addition of flour or matzo. The result is an irregularly shaped pancake that is crunchier in texture due to the larger shreds of potatoes.

Choosing the Right Potatoes for Potato Pancakes

Russet potatoes are by far the best potato for making potato pancakes. They have a superior level of potato starch (hello, crispy outer crust) and are incredibly cheap. Typically, you can get a 5-pound bag of russets for just a couple of bucks! In a pinch, you could probably use Yukon gold potatoes, but the starch level just isn’t the same.

Potato Pancakes Video

How to Prepare Authentic Potato Pancakes

Preparing perfect potato pancakes is a very straightforward process – all you have to do is grate the potatoes, season the batter, and fry it in pancakes until golden brown.

  • Prepare the Potatoes: First, skin potatoes and peel the onion. Grate the potatoes with a box grater into a large bowl or quickly grate them with a blender, food processor, or a grinder.
  • Season the Pancake Batter: Next, add the eggs into the bowl with the potatoes and season with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stir until well-combined.
  • Fry the Pancakes: Then, preheat a skillet with oil over medium heat. Using a tablespoon, portion small amounts of the potato mixture into the pan. Fry each side until golden brown and enjoy immediately!

Hot Tip: Add a little garlic powder to the potato mixture if you like it zesty!

Potatoes, egg, peppers and salt
Potato pancakes in a skillet with oil

5 Tips for Making Potato Pancakes

Follow these simple tips to help you get a perfectly crispy potato pancake with a soft silk center.

  • Drain out any excess liquid. After shredding your potatoes into a big bowl, drain the liquid that gathers at the bottom. Too much liquid prevents the pancakes from crisping up and turns them soggy. You can even place the potatoes into a cheesecloth and wring out the excess liquid even more.
  • Adjust the salt to taste. Don’t be afraid to play around with the salt levels until you reach a level that works for you. Some people like to do light salt because they use saltier toppings, while others opt for a dollop of sour cream and a saltier pancake.
  • Test one pancake first. Start by testing one pancake in your oil. This will give you a good idea of whether or not you need to turn the heat up or down on your skillet.
  • Don’t over-flip your pancakes. Try to refrain from over-flipping your pancakes. You want them to develop even crispiness on the outside. Fiddling with them too much will cause them to fall apart and become a mess. Patience is the key!
  • Drain the excess grease on a wire rack. Invest in a drying rack (don’t forget to put a paper towel underneath it!). This will help drain off the extra oil from your pancakes, keeping them crispy, and not soggy.

Serving Suggestions

If you want to be a traditionalist, serve your potato pancakes with a dollop of fresh sour cream or some milk at brunch. You can also top them with pieces of cold smoked salmon, dill sauce, and minced dill or green onion. They also make for a wonderful side dish topped with applesauce and sour cream and served alongside various proteins like air fryer pork chops, Thanksgiving turkey, or spatchcock chicken.

Serving these pancakes to kids? Our boys love them topped with cheddar cheese and bacon bits.

Storing & Make-Ahead Tips

Whether you are celebrating Hanukkah or just making potato pancakes for friends and family, you can make your life easier by preparing them ahead of time.

  • Refrigerator: To keep your potato pancakes on hand for up to a week, keep them stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To do so, fry your pancakes up and let them cool down completely. Then, store the pancakes in an airtight container, separating each layer with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  • Freezer: If you want to freeze your pancakes for later snacking, store them in an airtight container, separating each layer with parchment paper. Freeze them for up to two weeks.

Reheating Potato Pancakes

When you are ready to serve refrigerated pancakes, preheat your oven to 350°F and lay the pancakes on a baking sheet for about 5 minutes or until they return to their deliciously crispy state! To reheat frozen pancakes, bake them in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.

More Tasty Potato Dishes to Try

Recipe

Potato Pancakes Recipe

Grandma’s Potato Pancakes Recipe (Eastern European)

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Servings
5 servings
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
These Eastern European potato pancakes only take a handful of ingredients to make. They turn out crispy and comforting, making a real treat!

Ingredients

  • 5 large potatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 egg
  • 1/2 tbsp salt (to taste)
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • Oil for frying
US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • Skin potatoes and peel onion. Use a large bowl and grate potatoes and onions on small slots. You can also use a blender, food processor or a grinder.
  • Add eggs to the mixture, season with salt & pepper. Whisk to combine everything together.
    Potatoes, egg, peppers and salt
  • Preheat skillet with oil on a medium heat. Place batter with a tablespoon into the skillet.
    Potato pancakes in a skillet with oil
  • Fry each side until it's golden brown.
    Potato Pancakes in a plate with sour-cream
Nutrition Facts
Grandma’s Potato Pancakes Recipe (Eastern European)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 159 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Cholesterol 65mg22%
Sodium 745mg31%
Potassium 936mg27%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 6g24%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 95IU2%
Vitamin C 26mg32%
Calcium 79mg8%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Updated November 28, 2023

About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.