🥔 Crispy Golden Potato Pancakes

These Crispy Golden Potato Pancakes are the kind of old-fashioned comfort food that brings everyone to the kitchen. Golden and crunchy on the outside, tender and flavorful in the center, they’re incredibly simple to make and perfect for a cozy Sunday breakfast, brunch, or even a savory side dish.

Made with freshly grated potatoes, onion, eggs, and a few simple seasonings, these pancakes develop beautifully crisp edges while staying soft and delicious in the middle. Serve them hot with sour cream, applesauce, or your favorite dipping sauce for a meal everyone will love.

🥣 Ingredients

4 large russet potatoes, peeled
1 small yellow onion
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
3–4 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
1 tablespoon butter, optional, for extra flavor

For Serving

Sour cream
Fresh parsley or chives
Applesauce, optional
Green onions, thinly sliced
Your favorite hot sauce, optional

👩‍🍳 Directions

1. Prepare the potatoes

Peel the potatoes and rinse them well. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the potatoes into a large bowl.

Grate the onion as well and add it to the potatoes. The onion adds wonderful flavor and also helps keep the potatoes from tasting bland.

2. Remove excess moisture

This step is very important if you want beautifully crispy potato pancakes.

Transfer the grated potato and onion mixture to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels. Gather the towel around the mixture and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible.

The drier the potatoes are, the crispier your pancakes will become.

3. Make the batter

Place the squeezed potato mixture into a clean bowl. Add the eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and fresh parsley.

If you want a richer, cheesier version, add the shredded cheddar cheese.

Mix everything thoroughly until the ingredients are evenly combined. The mixture should hold together when pressed with a spoon.

4. Heat the pan

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom.

For extra flavor, add a small amount of butter to the oil once the pan is hot.

Test the oil by dropping a tiny amount of the potato mixture into the skillet. If it begins sizzling immediately, the pan is ready.

5. Form the pancakes

Scoop approximately 2–3 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the hot skillet for each pancake.

Gently flatten each portion with the back of a spoon, creating a round pancake about ½ inch thick.

Avoid overcrowding the pan because the pancakes need enough space to crisp properly.

6. Cook until golden

Cook the pancakes for approximately 3–5 minutes on the first side, or until the bottoms are deep golden brown and crispy.

Carefully flip them using a spatula and cook for another 3–4 minutes on the other side.

Continue cooking in batches, adding a little more oil between batches when necessary.

7. Keep them crispy

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

If you’re making a large batch, place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep them in a warm oven at about 200°F (95°C). This helps prevent them from becoming soggy.

8. Serve

Serve the potato pancakes immediately while they’re hot and crispy.

Top them with a spoonful of sour cream, chopped chives, or fresh parsley. For a sweet-and-savory combination, serve them with applesauce on the side.

⏱️ Preparation Time

20 minutes

🍳 Cooking Time

25 minutes

⏰ Total Time

45 minutes

🍴 Servings

4–6 servings

🔥 Calories

Approximately 210 calories per serving, depending on the amount of oil used and optional cheese.

💡 Chef’s Tips

For extra crispy pancakes: Make sure you squeeze as much moisture as possible from the grated potatoes before mixing the batter.

For more flavor: Add a little grated Parmesan, fresh chives, or a pinch of smoked paprika to the mixture.

For meal prep: Cook the pancakes completely, allow them to cool, and refrigerate them in an airtight container. Reheat them in a skillet, oven, or air fryer to bring back their crispy texture.

For the best texture: Avoid making the pancakes too thick. A slightly thinner pancake will cook more evenly and develop those irresistible crispy golden edges.