Description
These Great Grandmother’s Potato Pancakes are crispy, golden, and full of comforting flavor. Made with grated russet potatoes and onions, bound with egg and a touch of flour, then fried to perfection in a butter and vegetable oil blend. Served warm, these pancakes pair wonderfully with classic toppings like applesauce, maple syrup, fresh herbs, or sour cream. Perfect for a cozy brunch or a satisfying side dish.
Ingredients
Potato Pancakes
- 4 large russet potatoes (about 3 lbs.), peeled
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Butter and vegetable oil, for frying (approximately 4 tablespoons each, divided)
Optional for Serving
- Warm applesauce
- Maple syrup
- Chopped fresh chives, herbs, or green onions
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C). Place two nonstick baking sheets inside the oven to keep the cooked pancakes warm and crispy after frying.
- Grate the onion: Using a box grater or a food processor fitted with a grating disc, coarsely grate the peeled onion. Transfer the grated onion to a colander and set it in the sink to allow excess moisture to drain.
- Grate the potatoes: Similarly, coarsely grate the peeled potatoes using your grater or food processor. Add the grated potatoes to the same colander with the onion and let drain for a few minutes to remove excess liquid.
- Mix wet ingredients and seasonings: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and baking powder until combined.
- Remove excess moisture: Using a clean dish towel, gently squeeze the grated potatoes and onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Then add the drained mixture to the bowl with the egg and flour. Use your hands to gently combine everything into a uniform batter.
- Heat the skillet and prepare to fry: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering.
- Form and fry the pancakes: Scoop about ¼ cup of the potato mixture at a time and place it carefully into the hot skillet. Use a spatula to gently flatten each scoop into a pancake shape. Fry each pancake for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and crisp.
- Drain and keep warm: Remove cooked pancakes with a spatula and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil. Then transfer them to the warm baking sheets in the preheated oven to keep warm while frying the remaining pancakes.
- Repeat frying in batches: Between batches, carefully wipe the skillet with paper towels to remove any leftover residue. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter for each new batch. Fry 3 to 4 pancakes at a time until all mixture is used.
- Serve: Serve the potato pancakes warm accompanied by your choice of warm applesauce, maple syrup, chopped fresh chives, herbs, or sour cream for a traditional touch.
Notes
- Draining the grated potatoes and onion thoroughly is key to achieving crispy pancakes.
- Using a mixture of butter and vegetable oil helps to achieve a rich flavor and high smoke point for frying.
- If you prefer a thinner or thicker pancake, adjust the amount of potato mixture per pancake when frying.
- These pancakes can be made ahead and kept warm in the oven, but they are best enjoyed fresh and hot.
- For a gluten-free variation, substitute the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
