Description
German Potato Pancakes, also known as Kartoffelpuffer, are crispy, golden fried potato cakes that make a perfect side dish or appetizer. Made with simple ingredients like grated potatoes, onion, eggs, and flour, these pancakes are fried to perfection and traditionally served with applesauce or sour cream for a delicious and comforting treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Potato Pancakes
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and grated
- 1 small onion, grated
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
For Serving
- Applesauce or sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes and onion: Grate the potatoes and onion using a box grater or food processor. Place the grated mixture in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to ensure crispy pancakes.
- Mix the batter: Transfer the grated and drained potatoes and onion to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the eggs, all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly combined.
- Heat the oil: Pour about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot enough for frying.
- Fry the pancakes: Drop spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, gently flattening them with a spatula to form pancakes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Drain excess oil: Remove the pancakes from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Keep them warm in a 200°F oven if preparing in batches.
- Serve: Serve the German Potato Pancakes hot with applesauce or sour cream on the side for a traditional and delicious accompaniment.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, remove as much moisture as possible from the grated potatoes before frying.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in a 200°F oven while frying the remaining batter to serve them hot.
- Russet potatoes work best for a fluffy interior and crisp exterior.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with other neutral oils like canola or peanut oil for frying.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pancake
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
