Hanukkah Latkes Recipes

Last Updated on December 9, 2021

Latkes, latkes and more latkes!

What are latkes?

Latkes (לאַטקע) are a type of potato pancake of Ashkenazi Jewish origin that are traditionally prepared to celebrate, and are eaten during the festival of Hanukkah.

The Hebrew word for latkes is לביבות levivot (plural) or לביבה leviva (singular).  Free Hanukkah word sheet: Hebrew, English & transliterations

Reference is made to levivot in the Torah and was originally used to describe a fried lentil pancake made in ancient Israel.

Some sources say that the lentil pancake was the traditional food for Hanukkah.  Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern Europe enjoyed  cheese latkes.  Eventually economic hardships combined with Jewish kosher dietary laws and food availability led to an adaptation of the recipe.  Ultimately potato latkes reigned supreme and will probably continue to do so.

Classic potato latkes recipe

Latkes today are traditionally made with potatoes although other vegetables are also sometimes used (we love to add onion, sweet potato or carrots). Potato remains the most popular variety of latke. You can make you potato latkes in two different ways; 1) made with grated potato and 2) made with puréed or mashed potato (like the Swiss rosti).

The Hanukkah tradition is to eat fried foods and fritters fit that bill. A fritter is a dish made by deep-frying food coated in batter.  Once you cross over into the fritter realm, the recipe selection is endless.

Vegan latkes; you will need to add an egg substitute and use according to the package instructions.

How to make latkes?

The best way to identify a good potato latke is to eat a bad one.  Hard to believe that a recipe with so few ingredients can backfire in any way but, there is nothing more disappointing than a under-cooked, half raw, potato latke.  Whether you pile on sour cream, apple sauce or cinnamon and sugar, there is no hiding a bad potato latke.

There is no such thing as a healthy, tasty potato latke either.  All those recipes for oven baked, oil and cholesterol free, lowcal latkes need to be tossed into the garbage.  Treat yourself once a year to a couple of golden, crispy, sweet and delightful potato latkes.

• Banana fritters make an interesting Hanukkah dessert
• Apple fritters – the ultimate home made treat
• Herbs and spices of the Israeli and Mediterranean kitchen

Latkes, Swiss rosti & hash browns

Swiss rosti and hash browns are everything that potato latkes are not.  They are similar but different.

Rösti is made with coarsely grated potato, either cooked or raw. The potatoes are either parboiled or grated raw. Depending on the frying technique, oil, butter or another fat may be used. It is also common to fry the grated potato without additional fats. The grated potatoes are shaped into large rounds and pan-fried -the rosti taking up the entire size of the frying pan. Although basic rösti consists of nothing but potato, a number of  ingredients are sometimes added, such as onion, cheese or fresh herbs.  Non kosher versions might have bits of bacon too.

Hash browns are grated/shredded potatoes (a spiralizer does the job) that are often combined with shredded onion, formed into patties and fried.  Once you add eggs or flour to bind, you have crossed over into the latke realm.  Experts say that pepper sauce (like Tabasco) and ketchup go well with hash browns.

• Zucchini Fritters
• Sweet Potato Fritters
• Sweetcorn Fritters

Easy latkes recipe

Ingredients

• 4 medium sized, well-scrubbed potatoes, grated (no need to peel, nothing wrong with eating potato skins and saves a load of time)
• 2 medium sized onions, grated
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 tsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• salt and pepper
• oil for frying

Optional additions

• Substitute half the potatoes with the same amount of grated sweet potato.
• Substitute half the potatoes with the same amount of grated carrots.

Directions

1. Grate potatoes on a hand grater or better still with the grater attachment on you food processor
2. Place inside a strainer and allow the liquid and potato starch to drain.  Drain off the liquid and keep the starch to add back into the mixture.  
3. Grate the onions in the same way.
4. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients including the potato starch (that was left behind) and mix well. 
5. Heat a oil in a large frying pan
6. Shape the potato latkes and fry in deep oil until golden.
7. Remove from pan. Drain on paper towel.
8. Serve hot with sour cream, apple sauce or cinnamon and sugar

Chef’s tips

• Potato latkes are a very personal dish and you will have to gauge the amount of flour according to your personal preference and the variety of potatoes you use in the recipe.
• If you add carrots or sweet potatoes you might have to adjust the amount of egg and flour mentioned in the recipe, accordingly as they have a different water content.
• The carotenoids in the carrots and the sweet potato will turn your oil slightly yellow.
• Watch your pan for overheating and adjust the heat accordingly.  Sweet potato latkes need more attention, their high sugar content means that they can caramelize and burn fairly easily.

A few more recipes

• Cauliflower Fritters
• Bhajia Indian Onion Fritter
• Tempura