Potato Pancakes
Old fashioned potato pancakes are a budget-friendly side dish that tastes better than hash browns. These golden cakes are easy to make ahead and crisp up beautifully in the oven or air fryer for a quick meal. The texture balances a shatteringly crisp exterior with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth potato filling.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder optional
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt plus more to finish
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
- ⅓ to ½ cup neutral oil for frying as needed
Instructions
- Grate the potatoes and onion.
- Squeeze the mixture in a clean kitchen towel until very dry. Reserve the potato starch from the drained liquid (let it settle, pour off water, keep the white starch).
- In a large bowl, combine potatoes, onion, eggs, flour, baking powder (optional), salt, pepper, garlic powder (optional), and reserved potato starch.
- Heat 2–3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
- Scoop about ¼ cup mixture per pancake, flatten, and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp.
- Transfer to a wire rack and season with a pinch of salt. Repeat with remaining batter, adding oil as needed.
Notes
For best results, reheat on a wire rack at 425°F for 8–12 minutes, flipping once.
If the mixture looks wet, squeeze again. If it looks dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Don’t crowd the pan—cook in batches for the crispiest results.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!