Potato Pancakes
Try these savory potato pancakes. They’re packed with flavor and easy to make with grated potatoes, onions, garlic, and chives. Fry to crispy perfection!
These potato pancakes are savory cakes with loads of flavor. Garlic, onions, and chives add flavor to the potatoes. The recipe is easy—just grate the potatoes and onions together, add eggs, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, and chives, and fry them to crispy perfection. I recommend a food processor to make prep quick and easy, but a box grater would also work.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Classic comfort food. These are nostalgic and crowd-pleasing, perfect for brunch or holiday meals.
Easy ingredients. Made with pantry staples—just potatoes, onion, eggs, and a few simple add-ins.
Versatile toppings. Dress them up with smoked salmon and crème fraîche or keep it classic with sour cream or applesauce.
Crispy and golden. Shredded potatoes fry up into irresistible, lacy-edged cakes.
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: Use starchy varieties like Russet or Yukon Gold for best texture and crispness.
- Onion: Grated along with the potatoes for integrated flavor.
- Breadcrumbs: Fine dry breadcrumbs help bind the mixture and keep it crispy.
- Milk or cream: Adds moisture and richness to the batter.
- Garlic and chives: Freshly minced for a boost of savory, aromatic flavor.
- Eggs: Act as a binder to hold the pancakes together.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil like vegetable oil for frying.
Steps to Make Potato Pancakes
- Grate the potatoes and onion using a food processor or box grater, then squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or a tea towel.
- Combine the grated potatoes and onion with beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, milk or cream, chives or parsley, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until well blended. If the mixture is too loose, add a bit more breadcrumbs.
- Shape into 6 to 8 pancakes.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the pancakes in batches, without crowding, for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden and crisp.
- Transfer cooked pancakes to a paper towel–lined plate to drain while you cook the remaining batches.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings such as sour cream, chives, applesauce, or smoked salmon.
Tips
Drain well. Squeezing out the moisture is crucial—wet potatoes will make soggy pancakes.
Test the seasoning. Cook a small test pancake first to adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Fry in batches. Don’t crowd the skillet; giving the pancakes room helps them crisp up better.
Keep warm. Hold finished pancakes in a 175°F oven while frying the rest.
Recipe Variations
- Add cheese. Stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or cheddar for extra flavor.
- Make them spicy. Add a pinch of cayenne or a teaspoon of hot sauce to the mixture.
- Use sweet potatoes. For a different twist, substitute all or part of the potatoes with shredded sweet potato.
- Try herbs. Swap the chives for dill, thyme, or green onions.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with sour cream and chopped chives or parsley.
- Add a dollop of applesauce for a sweet-savory contrast.
- Pair with smoked salmon and crème fraîche for a brunch-worthy dish.
- Top with a fried egg and hot sauce for breakfast.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Store leftover potato pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Lay them in a single layer on a tray to freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat directly from frozen.
To Reheat: Warm in a 375°F oven or air fryer until hot and crispy again. Avoid microwaving, which softens them.
Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes, Russet, about 2 pounds
- 1 small onion
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 4 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons milk, or cream
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped chives or parsley
- 1 small clove garlic , crushed and finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Grate the potatoes and onion in a food processor with a fine shredding/grating disc.
- After grating, it’s crucial to remove as much moisture as possible from the potatoes and onions. This step ensures the perfect texture for your pancakes.
- Transfer the grated potatoes and onions to a large bowl; add the eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, chives or parsley, and garlic. Mix to blend. If the mixture is too loose, add more breadcrumbs.
- Shape the batter into 6 to 8 pancakes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking.
- Add a few pancakes to the hot oil without crowding and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.
- Transfer the pancakes to paper towels to drain while cooking the next batch.
- Serve hot with sour cream, chives, applesauce, or your favorite toppings.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
