German Potato Pancakes (Printer-Friendly)

Golden crispy potato pancakes, traditional German comfort food. Serve warm with applesauce or sour cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs starchy potatoes, peeled
02 - 1 small onion, peeled

→ Binding & Seasoning

03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
05 - 1 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

→ Cooking

08 - 1/2 cup neutral oil (sunflower or canola) for frying

# How-To Steps:

01 - Grate the potatoes and onion using the coarse side of a box grater or a food processor until finely shredded.
02 - Place the grated mixture in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to ensure crispy pancakes.
03 - Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg (if using). Mix thoroughly until well combined.
04 - Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
05 - Drop heaping tablespoons of the potato mixture into the hot oil, flattening gently with a spatula to form pancakes about 1/2 inch thick.
06 - Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
07 - Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven while repeating with remaining batter.
08 - Serve hot with applesauce or sour cream as a traditional accompaniment.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These pancakes achieve that perfect contrast between shatteringly crispy edges and impossibly tender centers that restaurant versions rarely capture
  • The recipe comes together with ingredients you probably already have, yet tastes like something special enough for brunch guests
02 -
  • Squeezing every last drop of moisture from the grated potatoes is the difference between disappointingly soggy pancakes and ones that shatter beautifully when you bite into them
  • Do not crowd the pan—cooking too many at once lowers the oil temperature and results in greasy, limp pancakes that never achieve proper crispiness
03 -
  • Grate the potatoes lengthwise rather than across to create longer strands that interlock and hold together better during frying
  • Let the oil return to temperature between batches, or the first pancakes in each batch will be superior to the later ones

Go Back