Potato Pancakes

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These potato pancakes are delicious and easy to make with or without leftover mashed potatoes! It only takes 8 ingredients to make the best potato pancakes!

6 Potato Pancakes on a plate with sour cream and chives


One day, the craving for potato pancakes struck me and I couldn’t shake it. So I scoured the internet to try to find a recipe for potato pancakes that didn’t require leftover mashed potatoes, and had no luck!

So created this potato pancake recipe and it’s so delicious!

I’ll walk through through how to make potato pancakes from scratch without leftover mashed potatoes. Of course, you can use leftover mashed potatoes if you have them, but just in case you don’t I have you covered.

a stack of 3 Potato Pancakes garnished with sour cream and chives.

Potato Pancakes: Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead view of the labeled ingredients in this Potato Pancakes recipe
  • Yukon gold/russet potatoes. You can also use red potatoes, or even sweet potatoes, but Yukon & Russets are the best.
  • Eggs. there is no substitute for eggs in this recipe.
  • All-purpose flour. You can easily substitute 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make this potato pancake recipe gluten-free.
  • Garlic/onion powder. You can use minced garlic and finely diced onions in place of the powders, you will just need to sauté them together with a little bit of olive oil until the onions are soft, then add them to the riced potatoes.
  • Cheddar Cheese. Use your favorite cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, goat cheese, feta, Parmesan, etc.
a stack of 3 Potato Pancakes, the top one has a bite taken out of it. Garnished with sour cream and chives.

How to Make Potato Pancakes

Let’s walk through this potato pancakes recipe together step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video. You can make these with fresh potatoes, or with leftover mashed potatoes.

Prepare the Potatoes

If you’re making this potato pancake recipe without leftover mashed potatoes, begin by cooking the potatoes. To do this, peel 1 lb. potatoes cut them into halves or quarters (depending on the size of the potatoes).

How To Make Potato Pancakes - potatoes peeled and cut in a bowl

Place them in a 3-quart pot and cover them with cold water by 2 inches, then add about ½ tsp sea salt to the water.

Then, bring water to a boil, then boil for 15-25 minutes until fork tender.

Strain the cooked potatoes in a colander to remove any excess water, let cool in the colander until they reach room temperature.

How To Make Potato Pancakes - potatoes cooking in water in a pot

Once the potatoes are cooled, rice them into a large mixing bowl using a potato ricer.

How To Make Potato Pancakes - potatoes riced into a bowl

To Use Mashed Potatoes

Substitute about 2 ½ cups of leftover mashed potatoes for the potatoes in the recipe. Then,  skip the steps under “prepare the potatoes” and proceed to “Making the Potato Pancake Mixture.” 

Make the Potato Pancake Mixture

In a large bowl add the eggs to the riced potatoes or to leftover mashed potatoes, and stir to combine.

Then, add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and pepper and stir until evenly distributed.

NOTE. If using mashed potatoes that are already flavored well then omit salt and other seasonings.

Stir in cheddar cheese until it’s evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Cook the Potato Pancakes

Next, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted.

Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to measure out portions of the potato pancake mixture and drop it onto the skillet. Flatten the mixture into a round circle about ½” thick. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or until the bottom is golden-brown.

How To Make Potato Pancakes - cooking potato pancakes on the first side in an oiled skillet

Then, flip and cook an additional 5 minutes until golden-brown.

How To Make Potato Pancakes - cooking potato pancakes on the second side in an oiled skillet

Serve

Top with flaky sea salt and serve warm with sour cream, chives, etc. I suggest serving these as a great side along with this turkey cranberry sandwich, balsamic pot roast, or with a delicious kale salad or brussel sprout salad.

Store/Freeze

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop to restore the outer crispiness, or in the microwave.

6 Potato Pancakes on a plate garnished with sour cream and chives

Potato Pancakes Recipe FAQs

How do you keep potato pancakes from falling apart?

The egg and flour in this recipe help bind the potato pancakes and keep them from falling apart. Also, make sure they are fully cooked on one side before trying to flip them over.

What ingredient keeps pancakes from falling apart?

The eggs keep the mixture moist while the flour helps bind everything together.

What’s the difference between potato pancakes and latkes?

Potato pancakes use cooked and mashed potato while latkes use grated raw potatoes. Also latkes use matzo meal while potato pancakes use flour.

a stack of 3 Potato Pancakes, the top one has a bite taken out of it. Garnished with sour cream and chives.

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Potato Pancakes Recipe

Laura
These potato pancakes are delicious and easy to make with or without leftover mashed potatoes! It only takes 8 ingredients to make the best potato pancakes!
5 from 5 votes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 pancakes
Calories 97
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Boiling Potatoes*

  • 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes (or Russet potatoes)
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • water

Potato Pancakes

Frying Potato Pancakes

Instructions 

Prepare the Potatoes*

  • Peel 1 pound potatoes and cut them into halves or quarters (depending on the size of the potatoes).
  • Place them in a 3-quart pot and cover them with cold water by 2 inches, then add sea salt to the water.
  • Bring water to a boil, then boil for 15-25 minutes until fork tender.
  • Strain potatoes in a colander to remove any excess water, let cool in the colander until they reach room temperature.
  • Once they are cooled, rice the potatoes into a large mixing bowl using a potato ricer.

Make the Potato Pancakes

  • Add eggs either to the riced potatoes or to leftover mashed potatoes if that was what you’re using and stir until combined.
  • Add flour, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and pepper and stir until evenly distributed.
  • Add cheddar cheese and stir to combine.

Frying Potato Pancakes

  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted.
  • Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to measure out portions of the potato pancake mixture and drop it onto the skillet. Flatten the mixture into a round circle about ½” thick. Repeat with remaining mixture.
  • Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or until the bottom is golden-brown.
  • Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes until golden-brown.

Serve

  • Top with flaky sea salt and serve warm with sour cream, chives, etc..

Video

Notes

*To Use mashed potatoes:
Substitute about 2 ½ cups of leftover mashed potatoes for the potatoes in the recipe. Then,  skip the steps under “boiling the potatoes” and proceed to “Making the Potato Pancakes.” 
If your mashed potatoes are heavily seasoned or salted, you may need to cut back the salt/seasonings in the recipe.  
Ingredient Substitutions
  • Yukon gold/russet potatoes. You can also use red potatoes, or even sweet potatoes, but Yukon & Russets are the best.
  • Eggs. there is no substitute for eggs in this recipe.
  • All-purpose flour. You can easily substitute 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make this potato pancake recipe gluten-free.
  • Garlic/onion powder. You can use minced garlic and finely diced onions in place of the powders, you will just need to sauté them together with a little bit of olive oil until the onions are soft, then add them to the riced potatoes.
  • Cheddar Cheese. Use your favorite cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, goat cheese, feta, Parmesan, etc.
Store/Freeze
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat on the stovetop to restore the outer crispiness, or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 potato pancake | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Laura, I just wanted to tell you every time I want to try to make something new I check to see if you have a recipe first! I’ve probably made over a hundred of your chocolate chip cookies, your oatmeal cookies, and blondies by now. Several other dishes as well. Yours are always a hit and my favorite to make. ☺️ As always, these were 10/10!

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious recipe/outline. In my family we use potato starch instead of ap flour which binds incredibly well. We add a small amt. of finely grated white onion that softens instantly and white cheddar. New to your IG and w-site, I’m enjoying them! Thxs for the prep boost!

  3. Hi, I was wondering if there is a way to make these if you don’t have a potato ricer. your recipe sounds so easy to do I would like to try them. By the way, I made several of your cookies & bars for a cookie exchange at church, and they were a hit. I made the Double Chocolate Chip and the peanut butter bars, thumbprints (I used homemade seedless raspberry and strawberry Jam. ) The Best Chocolate Chip and peanut butter bars, Millionaire Shortbread, Raspberry Crumb Bars, and my favorite the Pumpkin Pie Bars, and also the Lemon and Raspberry bars. They all were a big hit. Thanks so much, Your recipes so far have been really good I’m going to try some of your savory dishes soon, 🙂