Skillet Latke Recipe - Pamela Salzman (2024)

You don’t have to celebrate Hanukkah to love latkes, also known as potato pancakes. What could be better than lacy potatoes and onions made crispy in oil? I think they’re as delicious as the next person but I do not love standing over the stove making them. They’re pretty labor-intensive and they make the house (and my hair) smell like fried food. I have a solution – The Skillet Latke!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• no oil splattering all over your stovetop;
• no flipping individual potato pancakes all night;
• quick and easy so the mixture doesn’t get soggy;
• few ingredients and super easy to make!

Ingredients

• Potatoes – I prefer to use Yukon gold potatoes because I like the flavor, and I also like Russet potatoes (shown above).
• Onion – you’ll need about 1/2 an onion, peeled and halved.
• Egg – I use one egg to help bind everything together.
• Breadcrumbs – I like to use panko breadcrumbs or you can use matzo meal or potato starch.
• Oil – You can use olive oil or avocado oil. Only need a little bit to coat the skillet well and more for brushing the top of the latke.

How to make it?

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F degrees.
2. Shred potatoes and onions in a food processor with the grating attachment. Place a nut milk bag or clean kitchen towel over a large bowl. Transfer potatoes and onion into the bag or towel and squeeze out as much moisture as you can into the bowl. Discard the liquid that makes it into the bowl, but don’t rinse it. You want to keep the white starchy residue (potato starch) that sticks to the bottom of the bowl.
3. Add the squeezed potato and onion mixture to the bowl. Add the egg, panko, salt and pepper. Mix well until ingredients are combined.
4. Heat 3 Tablespoons of oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. You can test the oil by adding a pinch of the latke mixture. If it sizzles upon contact, the skillet is ready. Add the potato mixture to the skillet and pat it firmly into a single even layer. Brush the top with the remaining ½ Tablespoon of oil and transfer to the oven.
5. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the edges look crisp. The top may not be golden yet. Remove from the oven, flip the latke over and cook for 5 minutes on the stovetop over medium heat, until the underside is golden. Another option is to set the broiler to HI before flipping the latke and broil for 1 minute or until the top starts to turn golden. Be careful not to let the edges burn. Remove from the broiler and flip latke over. It should flip easily. Serve straight out of the skillet (be careful as it will be hot!) or transfer to a platter. Serve immediately.

Tips

• Squeeze out as much moisture out of potatoes after grating them. This is key for a crisp latke. I like to use a nut milk bag for this.
• Wear gloves when you squeeze out the potatoes and onion if you don’t want your hands to smell like onion afterwards.
• I prefer using a cast-iron skillet because it provides a nice crust. Make sure your skillet is preheated before adding the potato mixture.
• It can be challenging to flip a large latke over. To help you flip it easier, place a large plate or sheet pan over the latke. Invert the latke onto the plate/sheet pan and then slide it into the skillet. If you don’t want to bother flipping the latke over, you can toast the top under the broiler.

Substitutions

• Yukon gold potatoes – Russet potatoes, or you can swap in some shredded root vegetables for part of the potatoes (e.g. parsnips, carrot, sweet potatoes)
• Onion – shallots
• Panko breadcrumbs – matzo meal or potato starch or GF breadcrumbs
• Olive oil– avocado oil, or (even though I don’t keep these in my pantry) grapeseed oil or organic canola oil.

Other latke recipes and alternatives:

*Brussels sprout latkes
*Zucchini latkes
*Cauliflower fritters
*Homemade No-Added-Sugar Applesauce

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzmanso I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time toleave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes, updates and things I’m loving lately. If you enjoy this recipe, I taught it last year in my online class! Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!