The title says it all! This is THE crispy latke recipe. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. These are what latke dreams are made of…

I have very vague childhood memories of my mother making the latkes in our house, since I quickly took over the job. Making latkes is a long, tedious, messy job that no one wants to do, but I happily did it every single year, sometimes several times over Chanukah. But even though it was my “place of honor,” as I stood over the frying pan, I would sometimes ask myself why I was doing it. Couldn’t I just make roasted potatoes or oven-baked fries instead? But then I would remind myself of how unbelievably delicious fresh, hot latkes are and the oohs and ahhhs from guests and family members as they bit into the hot, crispy treat, and I would keep on frying.

But this year, I learned another reason to make latkes. I recently went to a shiur and the speaker was discussing how much kedushah the oil on Chanukah has. The more we fry, and the more we share with family and friends, the bigger our yeshuos (salvations) can be. So this year, as I’m standing over the oil, instead of wishing I could just make the batter into an easy potato kugel, I will be davening to Hashem and thanking Him for giving me yet another opportunity to pour out my heart to Him.

Now, since I’ve been making latkes for so many years, I have tried every trick and hack, and this beautiful recipe here is what works for the most amazing crispy latke. Using potato kugel batter does not work for me. Pre-shredded potatoes are also a no. This simple, easy recipe is what will get you the best latkes.

Now, here’s where you can play around: You can swap for a gluten-free matzah meal. You can use different amounts of salt and pepper. And that’s about it!

But this recipe isn’t at all complex! I’ve heard people insist on hand-grated potatoes, but no way am I doing that! Honestly, I’ve never noticed a big enough difference and I love using my food processor. With my method, you get the perfect crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside latke, which is an amazing base for fun and creative toppings.

Speaking of toppings, I like my latkes plain. I never understood the accompaniment of applesauce or sour cream and certainly not making latkes into something they are not. I once tried to make pastrami-stuffed latkes, thinking it would be a perfect combination but, ehh, we didn’t go for it. That doesn’t mean I haven’t tried my fair share of fun toppings. Where making latkes for supper, I’ve done shawarma toppings and chili toppings. My family went nuts over them but, to be honest, I ate my latke plain and the shawarma part separately. Also, it’s got to be potato and potato only. I’ve seen sweet potato latkes and carrot cake latkes — sure, those are yummy, but on Chanukah I need my latkes made out of plain old potatoes.

When getting ready to fry, I squeeze out the excess liquid from the batter, either with a tea towel or a sieve – that’s one of the secrets for the perfect crispy latke. I like to use a big stainless-steel frying pan — I got rid of my non-stick pans years ago. Heat the oil well and you won’t have to worry about anything sticking.

I used to think that latkes need to be served as they’re coming out of the pan. Yes, of course, there’s nothing like hot oil dripping off a latke and that super-duper fresh-out-of-the-frying-pan crunch, but when making a Chanukah party or preparing supper, it doesn’t always work to be standing over the stove at the last minute. You can make them earlier in the day and reheat them in the oven uncovered on a cookie sheet at 200°F. Delicious, crispy latkes for the family, unfrazzled mom — win-win!!

The Only Latke Recipe You’ll Ever Need

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside – what latke dreams are made of!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

8 potatoes, peeled
1 medium onion, peeled
1/2 cup matzah meal
2 eggs
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp pepper
Oil for frying

Instructions

Place onion in a food processor fitted with the s-blade. Add matzah meal, eggs, salt and pepper and pulse until smooth.
Leaving the onion mixture in the food processor, switch to the small-hole grater blade and grate potatoes.
Remove batter from food processor and place in a bowl. Squeeze out liquid. The drier the batter, the crispier your latkes will be!
Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium-high flame and add about 2 inches of oil. Wait until it's hot, about 5-7 minutes. I always test it by dropping a tiny bit of potato into it. If it starts sizzling right away, it's ready. Form patties with your hands, squeezing out any extra liquid as you shape them, and gently place in the oil.
Fry until golden brown on both sides.