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Crispy Potato Pancakes: A Golden Homemade Comfort Food Recipe

Crispy Potato Pancakes are one of the simplest and most satisfying potato recipes you can make at home. They are golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and tender inside, and full of savory flavor. Made with grated potatoes, onion, egg, flour, and basic seasoning, these pancakes are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack with sour cream, applesauce, or your favorite dipping sauce.

This dish is popular in many cultures under different names, but the idea is always the same: shredded potatoes are mixed into a light batter, shaped into small patties, and fried until beautifully crisp. The secret to perfect potato pancakes is removing as much moisture as possible from the potatoes before cooking. Less moisture means crispier edges, better browning, and a pancake that holds together well.

Ingredients

For the Potato Pancakes

4 medium potatoes, peeled
1 small onion
2 large eggs
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika, optional
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional
Vegetable oil or canola oil for frying

For Serving

Sour cream
Applesauce
Garlic sauce
Ranch dressing
Greek yogurt
Chopped green onions
Extra parsley

Step 1: Choose the Right Potatoes

For the crispiest potato pancakes, use starchy potatoes such as russet potatoes. They have less moisture and more starch, which helps the pancakes become golden and crisp.

Yukon gold potatoes can also be used if you want a softer, creamier inside. Avoid very waxy potatoes because they may not crisp as well.

Step 2: Peel and Grate the Potatoes

Peel the potatoes and rinse them under cold water.

Using a box grater, grate the potatoes on the large holes. You can also use a food processor with a shredding attachment to make the process faster.

Grate the onion as well. Onion adds flavor and a little sweetness, which balances the earthy taste of the potatoes.

Place the grated potatoes and onion into a large bowl.

Step 3: Remove the Extra Moisture

This is the most important step.

Transfer the grated potato and onion mixture into a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or fine strainer. Squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible.

The mixture should feel much drier after squeezing. If the potatoes stay wet, the pancakes can become soft, greasy, or fall apart while frying.

After squeezing, place the dry potato mixture back into the bowl.