Crispy German Potato Pancakes (Printable)

Golden and crispy potato pancakes made with grated potatoes, onion, and seasoning. Perfect comfort food served with applesauce or sour cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs starchy potatoes, peeled
02 - 1 small onion, peeled

→ Binding & Seasoning

03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
05 - 1 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

→ Cooking

08 - 1/2 cup neutral oil (sunflower or canola) for frying

# How-To Steps:

01 - Grate the potatoes and onion using the coarse side of a box grater or a food processor until finely shredded.
02 - Place the grated mixture in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to ensure crispiness.
03 - Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
04 - Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
05 - Drop heaping tablespoons of the potato mixture into the hot oil, flattening gently with a spatula to form pancakes about 1/2 inch thick.
06 - Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy, adjusting heat as needed to prevent burning.
07 - Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven while repeating with remaining batter. Serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between shatteringly crisp edges and pillowy soft centers is absolutely addictive
  • These come together with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen right now
  • They're incredibly versatile—perfect as a snack, side dish, or even a light vegetarian dinner
02 -
  • Squeezing out every drop of liquid from the grated potatoes is absolutely crucial—if you skip this step, your pancakes will be soggy and greasy instead of crisp and light
  • Don't overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop too much, resulting in limp, oily pancakes instead of crispy ones
  • These don't reheat well, so it's better to cook only what you'll eat immediately or keep finished ones warm in a low oven
03 -
  • Use the coarse side of your box grater rather than the fine side—the larger shreds create better texture and don't release as much moisture
  • Let your oil come back to temperature between batches—this ensures each pancake fries evenly and stays perfectly crisp

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