There are all kinds of ways people prefer their latkes: thin and lacy, meaty and crispy, kicked up with horseradish or shredded vegetables, spun from leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes (!!!)…and I know you’re probably expecting me to give you some diehard purist take here, but the truth is, I love them all equally. They are fried potatoes after all. Below is the recipe I use the most often — I realize using onion powder instead of shredded fresh onions might be controversial, but I find it helps reduce the liquid content and liquid = enemy of crispy. I’ve made them for holiday parties (you can fry ahead of time and warm up, covered, in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes), serving them alongside a selection of toppings like smoked salmon and fresh shredded horseradish. We will definitely do this for a complete dinner, too, once Hanukkah starts on Sunday.
Latkes with Fixins
(Click here to watch an old video of them.)
3 large russet potatoes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
vegetable oil (a lot, or at least enough to maintain about 1/4 inch in the pan)
Assorted toppings: smoked salmon, sour cream, chopped fresh dill, capers, freshly grated horseradish, chunky applesauce, minced red onion, caviar
Grate the potatoes in a food processor using the shredding disk. Add to a colander and rinse with cold water. Press down to remove as much liquid as possible, then transfer the potatoes to a dish towel and wrap, squeezing so every last drop of moisture is extracted. Add to a large mixing bowl with the onion powder, egg, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large skillet in about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat, fry 1/4-cup dollops of the potato mixture, flattening with a spoon, for about 4 minutes a side. remove to a paper-towel-lined platter, then place in a baking dish, covered with foil, to keep warm. Serve with various toppings.
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Latke photo: Chelsea Cavanaugh
We made these tonight, delish. The husband preferred them to the usual recipe with shredded onion. Made enough for 4-6 people, will be making again this Hanukkah!
First time I heard of Latkes but you got me on fried potatoes! They turn out great and are also, SUPER easy to make. Very interesting, people love it as it looks very fancy as well. I’m going to try different toppings. Not sure if bacon should be an option here but I’m trying it for sure…
Omg!!! The crispiest latkes ever… Its made me to drool!!! The mashed potatoes with toppings like smoked salmon and fresh shredded horseradish on the top will be mind-blowing!!!
India is the only country with varieties of spices. We, as Indians never lag in satisfying the tongues and stomachs of people all over the world. Likewise, In Salem, Tamil Nadu, known for mangoes, has a name for excellent multi cuisine food and accommodation services, which is known as Hotel Cenney’s gateway, four-star Premium star hotel with luxurious amenities.
Just made these tonight. They were fantastic! Using onion powder vs actual onion is sheer genius- what a gift to avoid crying over grated onions and the oniony aftertaste a not-fully-cooked yellow onion can leave. I also used a spiralizer to turn the potato into strands vs shreds; loved the spaghetti-like loops it yielded. At 35 I feel like I have now perfected my latke method and will use this recipe for years to come. Thank you Jenny and Happy Hanukkah!