The perfect latke is crispy on the outside while hot, soft and fluffy in the center. Savory latkes should be aromatic and salty, oniony and delectable. A well made latke is nearly impossible to resist. In the 15 years I have been making latkes, none have turned out more delicious than these Crispy Panko Potato Latkes. The secret? It’s a combination of using the proper preparation method along with light, airy panko breadcrumbs.
During Hanukkah, it is Jewish tradition to eat foods that are deep fried in oil (learn more here). Once a year, we are given guilt-free rein to enjoy fried foods like potato latkes. Over the past several years I have made hundreds and hundreds of latkes for the holidays. During that time I have managed to learn quite a bit about what works and what doesn’t in a latke recipe. Forget the calories and fat. If you’re going to make latkes, indulge yourself and make them the way they were meant to be enjoyed… fried, salted and devoured.
When it comes to making a hot, crispy, fluffy, delicious latke, there are many schools of thought. Some folks like to fry their latkes in olive oil. Others use “liquid gold,” schmaltz– aka chicken fat– to fry the latkes. There are those who say that you must add garlic and seasonings to give the latkes flavor. Others believe in the basics– onion, salt and pepper. Then there is the question of size– some like large, flat latkes and some prefer small, crisp, hash brown-style treats. Some use matzo meal to bind the latkes, others use flour. And then of course, there are the toppings… applesauce or sour cream? Some will even top their latkes with ketchup– blasphemy! Don’t worry, I won’t judge you. Whatever floats your latke boat. It’s all good!
I generally use grapeseed or peanut oil for frying– each has a high smoke point, making them ideal for deep frying. Sometimes I’ll add a few tablespoons of schmaltz to the oil to give it a schmaltzy flavor. I use fine potato shreds, rather than large ones, which helps the latkes to hold together better. I squeeze the heck out of the potato and onion shreds to remove as much liquid as possible. I also add some potato starch to the mix, which helps bind the latkes without making them gummy. And I always drain them on a wire cooling rack… this keeps them from sitting in their own oil and getting soggy.
Recently, I decided to use Japanese panko-style breadcrumbs as a binder for the latkes, instead of matzo meal or flour. I loved the resulting latkes– they were golden brown and super crispy, while perfectly light and fluffy inside. Panko has the ideal texture for holding these bad boys together. Follow the steps in the recipe carefully, and you are sure to end up with a seriously delicious plate of latkes. Chag Sameach!
Need more latke tips? Check out this post which covers all of my latke advice in-depth. Looking for a gluten free potato latke recipe? Click here. What is your favorite way to make latkes? Are you an applesauce or sour cream aficionado? Share your own tips in the comments below!
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Crispy Panko Potato Latkes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 whole large onion
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon dry potato starch optional
- Salt and pepper
- Grapeseed or peanut oil for frying
NOTES
Instructions
- Before you begin making the latkes, place your wire cooling rack close to the area where you will be frying the latkes. Place a layer of paper towels below the cooling rack to catch excess oil.Peel the potatoes, then grate them using a hand grater or food processor shredding attachment with fine holes (small shreds). I really recommend using the food processor, it saves a ton of time and will help you avoid onion tears when grating the onion.
- Place grated potato into a bowl and immediately cover with cold water.
- Meanwhile, grate the onion using the same grater or attachment you used for the potatoes (fine holes for small shreds).
- Drain the potato shreds in a colander. Rinse and dry the bowl used to soak the shreds and set aside.
- Place drained potato shreds and grated onion in the center of a clean tea towel or multiple layers of cheesecloth.
- Wrap the shreds up in the cloth, twisting the cloth to secure the bundle, and squeeze firmly to remove excess liquid from the shreds.
- Pour potato and onion into the clean, dry bowl. Stir the shreds with a fork to make sure the grated onion is evenly mixed throughout the potato shreds.
- Pour oil into skillet to a depth of 1/8 inch. Heat slowly over medium to about 365 degrees F. While oil is heating, use the fork to stir the panko breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, dry potato starch (optional), salt and pepper into the potato shreds. The dry potato starch helps to hold the latkes together, but it's not required. Add salt and pepper to taste. I add about 3/4 tsp of salt and a 1/4 tsp of pepper. You can sprinkle on more salt to taste after cooking, if desired. Take care to make sure the egg and seasonings are fully mixed throughout the potato shreds.Scoop up 3 tablespoons of the potato mixture. I do this by using a 1/4 cup measuring cup and filling it 3/4 of the way full.
- Squeeze the mixture firmly in your palm over an empty dish to remove any excess liquid (if you squeezed the potatoes out thoroughly in the cloth, you may not have much excess liquid to squeeze out).
- Shape the potato mixture into a tightly compacted disk.
- Place the disk carefully into the hot oil. Latkes can break apart at this point, they're very delicate. If you can get them into the hot oil in one piece, chances are they will stick together--frying them is like the "glue" that holds them together. It takes a gentle touch, and it may take you some practice to get the "feel" for it.
- The oil should sizzle but not pop when the latke hits it; if the oil jumps wildly or smokes, it is too hot. If it only bubbles weakly, the oil is not hot enough. Use the first latke to test the oil temperature, and don't fry a whole batch until the temperature is right.
- Continue shaping the latkes in this way, using 3 tablespoons of potato mixture for each latke. Fry in batches of 4-5 latkes at a time (no more than that-- don't crowd the pan) for 2-3 minutes per side till brown and crispy. Note: If your latkes aren't holding together, stir more potato starch into the mixture, 2 teaspoons at a time, till the batter "holds." You can also add another egg to the mixture and more panko, if needed.
- Remove the latkes from the pan using metal spatula and place them on wire cooling rack to drain.
- I recommend serving latkes fresh within 10 minutes of frying them, if your cooking schedule permits. If you need to make them ahead, fry them 4 hours or less before serving. After letting the latkes drain on the wire cooling rack, place them on an ungreased, unlined cookie sheet. Leave them at room temperature till ready to reheat. Place in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes (7 if using a convection oven), until heated through, just prior to serving. Serve latkes with applesauce and/or sour cream, if desired.
Nutrition
Awesome…thank you.
WOW! This recipe is fantastic! I used Aleia brand gluten free panko, was perfect! I also used a 1/4 cup scoop instead of 3 Tbs, so mine were one Tbs bigger than called for but still fried up nice crisp pillows. I shaped them like I do for crab cakes so they were about 1 1/2 inces thick. Delicious. Now my go to latke recipe!
Glad to hear it!
Had to add a third egg and an extra 1/4 cup of panko because I didn’t use potato starch, but YUM.
A salad spinner quickly spins
out the excess water from the grated potatoes
You’re a genius! Thx for that tip. Worked perfectly! The latkes were crisp and mouthwatering!
Oh so yummy! A former boyfriend’s mother, Shelia, made these for me ages ago & I was not able to duplicate them.
This recipe is it! You brought back wonderful memories!
Crispy outside tender inside.
My latke aren’t as round, but the shreds up crisp extra so it was a treat.
I used my food processor.
Didn’t have potato starch, so I used half potato flakes half corn starch.
I did have to add another egg & a bit more Panko. It does take a gentle touch. I’m so glad I read though all of the recipe & tips.
I make panko from matzo. Crumble the matzo and add to food processor. Just a few pulses to make the matzo like original panko and presto, you have panko.
Love this recipe! Because we like to eat at the same time as our family, we prepare the latkas a few weeks in advance. We have made what we think are improvements. First, we buy already shredded hash browns in the frig section of the market. We shred them a tich more using the food processor. Follow the rest of the directions as written. Second, as soon as the latkes have cooled on the wire racks, freeze them. Do not layer them. Once frozen you can stack and store them like cookies. When we are ready to feast, we heat the oven to about 425. We reheat and recrisp the latkes on wire racks, over sheet pans till sizzling hot. No need to turn them. Can’t remember how long it takes but you’ll know. I “stand by” for the first batch. In my double oven, I can serve up 36 latkes at a time. Everybody is happy! Last summer I found a batch in my freezer. I promise you, they were just as good.
Tori,
I am Belle, and I am studying Judaism at school. We get to make a traditional Jewish recipe, write about the culture behind it, and also about the science. So far, your website has been so helpful with the two first aspects. Thank you so much! I would love to make these latkes-they look really good! Since we have a time limit of 1 and a half hours, I was wondering how long it would take to grate the potatoes for 50 latkes (It’s for a cultural fair) by hand.
It would also be really helpful if you could tell me about some toppings I could put on the latkes (Jewish traditional/Kosher). Is grated cheddar ok? What about grilled salmon (I can’t have them smoked) for traditional Jewish food? What about bacon? (I really love baked potatoes….)
Thank you so much! This website is such a blessing! 🙂
As a side note, what are the differences between the Crispy Latkes and the classic ones? Which one do you recommend?
Hi Belle, what a cool project. Grating by hand can take a lot of time, so I suggest getting some helpers to grate along with you if going this route. As for toppings, the most traditional would be sour cream, applesauce, chives, and/or smoked salmon (not grilled). Never bacon, as pork is not kosher. Also you would only use sour cream in latkes made without chicken fat (schmaltz), as kosher law prohibits mixing milk and meat together. The Crispy Panko Potato Latkes use panko breadcrumbs, which are a modern adaptation – panko is Japanese, but it works really well in these latkes to make them light and crisp. For a more “traditional” Jewish latke, the classic ones are the way to go… but both are delicious. 🙂 Enjoy!