Latkes (Stovetop & Oven Method)
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Make your Hanukkah celebration extra special with golden crispy latkes. You can make them on the stove or in the oven — your choice!
Latkes, or crisp onion-scented potato pancakes, are traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, when it is customary to eat foods fried in oil. At any Hanukkah party, you’ll likely find an apron-clad Jewish mother standing at the stove frying and serving up these savory treats. This tradition can be fun, but it can also be messy and hectic with hot oil splattering all over the stove and children running underfoot. That’s why I was thrilled to discover that potato latkes can also be fried in the oven!
This recipe offers the option of using either the traditional stovetop method or the oven method. The stovetop method is faster, but requires cooking the latkes in batches. The oven method takes longer, but allows all the latkes to be cooked at the same time and is less messy. The latkes are delicious either way. Serve them warm with sour cream and applesauce. Now that you’ve got latkes covered, check out my other Hanukkah recipes to round out your holiday celebration.
Table of Contents
“These were brilliant!! I used the oven method which resulted in the perfect crispy brown result I was looking for without having the mess from the frying pan.”
What You’ll Need To Make Potato Latkes
- Russet Potatoes: These starchy potatoes are perfect for latkes, giving them a crispy exterior and fluffy interior.
- Yellow Onion: Adds a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Eggs: Help bind the ingredients together, ensuring the latkes hold their shape when frying.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the potatoes and onions, making the latkes more flavorful.
- Baking Powder: Adds a touch of lift, making the latkes light and crisp.
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps absorb moisture and adds structure to the latke batter.
- Vegetable Oil: Used for frying, it creates a golden, crispy crust.
- Sour Cream and Applesauce: Classic, tangy and sweet accompaniments to balance the taste of the savory latkes.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
If using the oven method, you’ll need two heavy nonstick rimmed baking sheets. Be sure they are truly nonstick and in good shape, otherwise the latkes may stick.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Batter
Peel the potatoes, then coarsely grate them with the onion together using a food processor or by hand, using a box grater.
Place the potato and onion mixture in a fine sieve over the sink or a large bowl and press down firmly with a wad of paper towels or a clean dishcloth to wring out excess moisture. Stir and repeat a few times with fresh paper towels until the liquid is mostly drained.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the potato and onion mixture, salt, baking powder, and flour.
Mix until evenly combined.
Fry the Latkes: Stovetop Method
In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat about ¼ cup of oil. Once the oil is hot, drop mounds of batter into the hot pan. Flatten the mounds slightly with a spatula and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the bottom of the latkes are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
Flip and cook until the second side is golden, another 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining batter.
Fry the Latkes: Oven Method
Preheat oven to 425°F and put 2 oven racks in the centermost positions. Fill two heavy nonstick rimmed baking sheets with ½ cup oil each.
Place the pans in the oven for 10 minutes to heat the oil. Wearing oven mitts, very carefully remove the pans from the oven. Drop mounds of batter onto the baking sheets, spacing the latkes about 1½ inches apart. Using the back of a spoon, press down on the latkes to flatten just slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are crisp and golden. Carefully remove the pans from oven.
Flip the latkes (tongs are the best tool as a spatula may cause oil to splatter).
Place the pans back in the oven and cook until the latkes are crisp and golden brown all over, about 10 minutes more.
Drain the Latkes
After cooking on the stovetop or in the oven, transfer the latkes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.
Serve the latkes with sour cream and applesauce.
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Latkes (Stovetop & Oven Method)
Make your Hanukkah celebration extra special with golden crispy latkes. You can make them on the stove or in the oven — your choice!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes (2 to 3 potatoes)
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled (about the size of a baseball)
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Sour cream and applesauce, for serving
Instructions
- If using the oven method, preheat the oven to 425°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.
- Make the Batter: Peel the potatoes, then coarsely grate them with the onion together using a food processor fitted with the steel blade or by hand, using a box grater. Place the potato and onion mixture in a fine sieve over the sink or a large bowl and press down firmly with a wad of paper towels or a clean dishcloth to wring out excess moisture. Stir and repeat a few times with fresh paper towels until the liquid is mostly drained. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the potato and onion mixture, salt, baking powder, and flour. Mix until evenly combined.
- Stovetop Method: In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat about ¼ cup of oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, drop mounds of batter (about 3 tablespoons) into the hot pan (the batter should sizzle when you drop it in). Flatten the mounds slightly with a spatula. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the bottom of the latkes are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden, another 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary. Transfer the latkes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil as necessary.
- Oven Method: Fill two heavy nonstick rimmed baking sheets with ½ cup oil each (see note). Place the pans in the oven for 10 minutes to heat the oil. Wearing oven mitts, very carefully remove the pans from the oven. Drop mounds of batter (about 3 tablespoons) onto the baking sheets, spacing the latkes about 1½ inches apart. Using the back of a spoon, press down on the latkes to flatten just slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are crisp and golden. Carefully remove the pans from oven and flip the latkes (tongs are the best tool as a spatula may cause oil to splatter). Place the pans back in the oven and cook until the latkes are crisp and golden brown all over, about 10 minutes more. Remove the pans from the oven and transfer the latkes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
- Serve the latkes warm with sour cream and applesauce.
- Note: If using the oven method, you'll need two heavy nonstick rimmed baking sheets. Be sure they are truly nonstick and in good shape, otherwise the latkes will stick.
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately 2 tablespoons of the oil is absorbed into the latkes when frying.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer Friendly Instructions: Latkes are best served fresh from the skillet or oven, but they reheat well. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 375°F-oven for about 10 minutes, or until hot. They can also be frozen for up to three months; reheat directly from the freezer; allow a few extra minutes in the oven.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (18 servings)
- Serving size: 1 latke
- Calories: 71
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 153 mg
- Cholesterol: 21 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I was so excited to make these for my stepdaughter–who has proclaimed on multiple occasions how much she loves latkes. She was so happy to see a tray of latkes awaiting her in the kitchen this morning! I thought I was somewhat conservative with the salt this go ’round, but I’ll be even more so next time. Also, I used 3 potatoes and doled out what I thought were reasonable portions, but I only ended up with about 9-10 latkes. The latkes—though salty—were great and easy to make!
Hi Jenn,
As you know Hanukkah starts Thanksgiving… I am trying to combine both traditions with out over shadowing turkey day. What are your thoughts on sweet potato latkes?? Should I change anything? I am thinking if making them as an app with some kinds of spice nut garnish. Thoughts, suggestions… Comments! and yes I am already obsessing over Thanksgiving
Hi Candi, You can use this recipe for sweet potato latkes (minus the spices if you want to make them kid-friendly, although they are incredible as is):
https://www.onceuponachef.com/2010/12/curried-sweet-potato-pancakes.html
But you can use the oven frying technique used in this recipe. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
I did something wrong I bought russet potatoes shredded them and they turned gray and tasted awful. Not sure what I did wrong.
Hi Mary, That is very strange. It could be how they were stored or the type of pan you used. Did they turn gray before or after you cooked them?
If potatoes sit out too long before they are fried or baked they turn grey. Grating them alternately with the onion helps. If you are not going to cook them right away you have to keep them soaking in water and when ready to mix in other ingredients, drain really well. Squeeze out the water with your hands. Mix in other ingredients and oven or pan fry.
I used to live in Bnei Brak which is a very religious area. I’m not. Anyway I’d popped into a neighbor and she was making latkas that were like little pancakes. She put the potatoes onion egg flour salt and pepper into the blender. Then spoonfuls put into the oil. They were delicious. The only problem was by the end I was left with cold ones or over fried from the oil but the kids loved them. Yours look like I want to eat them right now at 2.30am in bed. With 2 cats watching me!
Loved these for the Holidays! Perfect that you don’t need to fry them, great option and just as delicious!
I made these with cornstarch instead of flour to make them gluten free and they turned out great! I love potato latkes but usually can’t eat them out in restaurants so this is perfect to make at home. Thanks!
I’m always looking for new breakfast brunch dishes, but so many of them are on the sweet side. Not my thing. These latkes are delicious and quite easy to make. I garnished some with a little sour cream and chives, and others with a little smoked salmon and dill.
Perfect way to make Latkas without getting grease all over the kitchen! Thanks for great recipe idea.
Using the oven is genius! I love latkes but can never make them fast enough. Delish!
Pinned this recipe a while back and finally got around to making it today to bring to Rosh Hashanah dinner. I had 14 potatoes so since the original recipe called for 3 potatoes I multiplied the recipe by 4… not a great idea :^( I thought that 8ish teaspoons of salt was an awful lot so I reduced it to 5 teaspoons. They came out WAY too salty. On a positive note, I loved the oven frying method and will definitely make this recipe again… albeit with much less salt! Thanks for the recipe :^)
Also, I used nonstick pans as the recipe states but I still had a bit of sticking… I think that next time I will use non-stick Reynolds aluminum foil because nothing sticks to that! I love that stuff :^)
Did using non-stick Reynolds wrap work for oven frying the latkes? Did you use any oil with that?
Ruth, you do not need non-stick foil for this. I pulled this from the recipe to help: You’ll need two non-stick rimmed baking sheets. Pour 1/2 cup of oil on each one. Don’t be tempted to line the pans with foil to save time on clean-up; I’ve tried it and the latkes stick. With the non-stick pans, the pancakes slide right off and clean up is a breeze. (I cannot emphasize enough the importance of non-stick pans for this recipe; if you don’t use them, the latkes will stick.) Hope that helps!