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Depending on who it’s for, the perfect latke can mean a classic, unadorned potato pancake or a fried treat piled with interesting garnishes and condiments. For Hanukkah and beyond, we have crispy, savory, delicious latke recipes, plus tips for achieving the perfect texture and toppings — including advice from TV host and prolific cookbook author Joan Nathan about how to best tackle making latkes with kids.
Best-Ever Potato Latkes
Diana Chistruga
Niki Russ Federman of Russ & Daughters makes the tastiest, crispiest latkes with scallions and onion. The shredded potatoes and onion are first drained and then mixed with reserved starchy paste, scallions, matzo meal, eggs, and more to form the batter. That batter is then fried in batches until golden latkes form.
Potato Pancakes
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Amelia Rampe
The trick to a crispy potato pancake that holds together well is to use russet potatoes, which have a high starch content. You can grate the potatoes on a box grater or shred them with a food processor, which makes this recipe especially fast and easy.
Scallion Potato Pancakes
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
These crispy, savory fritters from chef Evan Bloom of Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen in San Francisco combine traditional Jewish latkes with crispy Chinese scallion pancakes to create the perfect festive fried food.
Latke Breakfast Hash
Pastry chef Caroline Schiff, who loves to fry up latkes the way her great-grandmother did, uses a dash of pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika to give extra depth to the dish.
Savory Latke Babka
Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors-Hall / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
This savory babka channels the spirit of classic Hanukkah latkes by layering crisp, deeply browned shredded potatoes and sweet caramelized onions inside a tender enriched dough.
Killer Potato Latkes
Stephanie Meyer
“Every year at our house, we have a Hanukkah night when we invite the neighbors and stand around the kitchen shoving these hot, crispy little beauties into our mouths,” says chef Andrew Zimmern. “These Jewish potato pancakes are so good that posting the recipe alone is a mitzvah (blessing) of the highest order.”
Kate’s Supercrispy Potato Latkes
Hector Sanchez
Former F&W editor Kate Heddings uses an unlikely piece of equipment to make her lacy, ultra-crispy Hanukkah latkes: a Benriner turning vegetable slicer, which produces continuous thin curls of potato that fry up beautifully.
Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon, Caviar, and Dill Cream
Maura McEvoy
Star chef Wolfgang Puck loves this trio of toppings with his exceptionally crispy potato pancakes, a dish he makes frequently when cooking at home. The three garnishes are wonderfully decadent together.
Scallops with Potato Pancakes and Caviar Sauce
John Kernick
Chef Vinny Dotolo found inspiration for this elegant dish by thinking about New Year’s Eve classics. Both Champagne and caviar flavor the butter sauce that he spoons over seared scallops set on mini potato pancakes.
Celery Root–Potato Pancakes with Green Apple Sour Cream
Tina Rupp
Top golden, crisp, plant-based pancakes with tart and fruity sour cream and a picture-perfect garnish to match.
Crispy Summer Squash Pancakes
Nicole Franzen
OK, OK, there are no potatoes here. But Kay Chun’s take on latkes pairs grated yellow squash with scallions and jalapeño for light, crisp pancakes with gentle heat. Served with lemon wedges and sour cream, they make an easy, bright alternative to classic potato versions.
