These Polish potato pancakes are filling, comforting, and tasty! They are simple to make and can be enjoyed with sour cream on the side. They’re made with potatoes and perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
These savory potato pancakes are known by many names, from Latkes of Jewish cuisine, Draniki in Russia, Kartoffelpuffer in Germany, to Placki Ziemniaczane in Poland. There are some slight differences in the recipes based on the origin, but the main ingredients and the technique are pretty much the same. The potatoes used in the preparation of these pancakes are grated and then mixed with flour, egg, salt, and onion. The mixture is then shaped into patties, which are then fried in butter or oil.
Why make this recipe?
This simple recipe makes crispy pancakes
These pancakes are budget-friendly
Made with just a few ingredients.
Comfort food for kids and adults
Perfect when making a meatless meal
Basic recipe is made under 30 minutes
Key Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes- I use Russet, Yukon, or golden will work too.
Adding sweet onion makes them juicy.
Using flour and eggs as the binders
Flavors: salt, black pepper, more herbs if desired.
The fat options for frying: ghee, olive oil, avocado oil, bacon grease
How to Make Polish Potato Pancakes
Step 1. Peel potatoes, peel the onion. Slice into smaller pieces if using a food processor for grating.
Step 2. Use a food processor or finely grate onion and potatoes by hand.
Step 3. Place grated mixture in the large mixing bowl. Press it tightly with your hands and discard the liquid potato starch. Add eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs to the drained potatoes—mix potato batter to combine.
Step 4. Fry. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat; add a tablespoon of oil once heated. Take a spoonful of mixture and shape it into a pancake. Fry on a hot pan with some neutral oil, each side for about 3 minutes until both sides are golden brown. Use the spatula to flatten pancakes and keep the shape shallow while frying; add more oil if needed. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Step 5. Serve. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Tips for best polish potato pancakes
When making Polish potato pancakes, there are a few tips that can help you make the best ones:
Make sure to use potatoes that are grated and not mashed.
There are different ways to grate potatoes. You can use a box grater or food processor. Grating potatoes by hand are more time-consuming but will deliver the best results.
It’s essential to drain released juice from the potato mixture before adding other ingredients, so the pancakes mixture is not too runny.
One way to drain potatoes when making Polish potato pancakes is to use a colander. Another way is to use a cheesecloth or a dishtowel.
Add an egg and some flour to the mixture to help bind it together.
A good frying pan to use for frying potato pancakes is a cast-iron skillet. Cast iron skillets are great for frying because they distribute heat evenly and prevent sticking.
Drop the batter to the hot skillet to avoid a sticky situation.
Cook pancakes on low-medium heat to give pancakes a chance to cook through without burning.
Use neutral oil; this way, it won’t overpower the flavor.
Lastly, Fry them in hot oil until golden brown and crisp on the outside.
How to serve potato pancakes
Polish potato pancakes can be served with a variety of different toppings. Some popular toppings include sour cream and apple sauce. You could also use smoked salmon, crumbled bacon, or cheese.
Recipe Variations
The Polish potato pancake recipe is a simple dish to make, and there are many variations that you can try. One variation is to add shredded cheese to the batter or grated apple. Another is to add chopped garlic to the batter.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Best potato for potato pancakes?
There is no definitive answer for the best potato for potato pancakes, as it depends on your preference. Some people prefer using russet potatoes, while others prefer using Yukon gold potatoes.
Why do my potato pancakes fall apart?
The reason why potato pancakes cannot hold shape is too much liquid in potato pancakes batter or not enough binding. Make sure to drain potatoes and add eggs with plenty of flour.
What is the difference between a potato pancake and a latke?
A potato pancake is typically thicker than a latke. It is also made with grated potatoes, while a latke is made with shredded potatoes.
What is the best way to make a potato pancake?
There isn’t one definitive answer to this question. Some people prefer to use oil to fry the pancakes, while others prefer to bake them. Experiment with different methods to find what you like best.
How do you keep potato pancakes from getting soggy?
Potato pancakes can get soggy if they’re not stored properly. To avoid this, make sure to place them in an airtight container or bag and store them in the fridge. You can also freeze them for later use.
How to make potato pancakes crispy?
There are a few ways to make potato pancakes crispy. One way is to shallow-fry them in oil until they’re golden brown. Another way is to bake them in the oven at a high temperature until they’re crispy.
These Polish potato pancakes are filling, comforting, and tasty! They are simple to make and can be enjoyed with sour cream on the side. They're made with potatoes and perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Prep potatoes. Peel potatoes, peel the onion. Slice into smaller pieces if using a food processor for grating. Use a food processor or finely grate onion and potatoes by hand.
Combine. Move potato mixture to the large mixing bowl. Before adding the rest of the ingredients, squeeze it tightly with your hands to release all the juice, drain. Add eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs to the drained potatoes—mix potato batter to combine.
Fry. Heat a large pan over medium heat; add a tablespoon of oil once heated. Take a spoonful of mixture and shape it into a pancake. Fry on a hot pan with some neutral oil, each side for about 3 minutes until both sides are golden brown. Use the spatula to flatten pancakes and keep the shape shallow while frying; add more oil if needed. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Notes
This recipe makes 12 pancakes 3 1/2 inches in diameter.It’s essential to drain released juice from the potato mixture before adding other ingredients, so the pancakes mixture is not too runny.Add an egg and flour to the mixture to help bind it together.A good frying pan to use for frying potato pancakes is a cast-iron skillet.Drop the batter once the skillet is hot to avoid a sticky situation.Cook pancakes on medium heat to give pancakes a chance to cook through without burning.Use neutral oil; this way, it won’t overpower the flavor.Fry them in hot oil until golden brown and crisp on the outside.
Natalia is a recipe developer, food photographer, and home cook. She started Flavorful Home to document her recipes and share home cooking tips. She loves creating flavorful and nutritious meals while keeping the cooking process simple and joyful!
This is just how my Polish grandmother made them except she didnt add dill. Perfect! My mother keeps the oven on low and stores them on a sheet till dinner. They arent as crispy as fresh out of the pan but still good. My favorite dinner growing up.
Hi there, I’m Natalia. I’m so glad you stopped by! Here you’ll find the most useful cooking tips and answers to food questions. I focus on creating simple recipes and making sure they are extra flavorful and worthy of your time! Browse our step-by-step recipes and explore new flavors!
Gonna live them!
This is just how my Polish grandmother made them except she didnt add dill. Perfect! My mother keeps the oven on low and stores them on a sheet till dinner. They arent as crispy as fresh out of the pan but still good. My favorite dinner growing up.
Is the ghee added to the potato mixture?
Mary, you will need ghee for frying only. Thank you for your question!
It’s not only polish potato pancakes Ukraine Russian make them also