My Polish great grandmother’s potato pancakes recipe is an old-fashioned family favorite! Serve them with sour cream or applesauce for a comforting side dish or light dinner.
These potato pancakes are golden brown with crispy edges and a tender middle. They’re the kind of comfort food that brings generations together around the table. You’ll especially appreciate how easy, affordable, and versatile they are!
Table of Contents
Polish Potato Pancakes
Most European cultures have their own version of potato pancakes that have been enjoyed for generations. Whether you’re German, Irish, Polish, or Russian, it’s very likely that these shallow-fried pancakes are a part of your family’s heritage.
This particular version comes from my Polish great grandmother. My grandmother was the first to actually write down the potato pancake recipe, which she prepared for our family every time she came to visit. I recently found my mom’s handwritten recipe on a 30-year-old piece of paper…and I knew that I needed to share it here!
Before You Get Started
- Russet potatoes are a must (don’t sub with red or yellow potatoes), since the russets’ high starch content yields crispier pancakes and helps bind the ingredients.
- Salt is essential for bringing out the natural potato flavor. Adjust the amount to suit your taste. I use 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, which is specified in my great grandmother’s recipe. Some folks find that too salty, so you may like to reduce the amount.
- Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. The butter adds flavor!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! They turned out just like those my (Polish) Mother and Grandmother used to make. Until now, I was going by memory and guessing about the ratio of ingredients, so, thank you again for sharing your Great Grandmother’s wonderful recipe.
– Emily
Step-by-Step How to Make Potato Pancakes
Step 1: Prep the Vegetables
Peel and coarsely grate the onion and potatoes with a box grater or food processor. My grandmother always insisted on grating the potatoes by hand (no matter how many pancakes she was making!), but the food processor is a great shortcut.
Remove the moisture by draining for a few minutes in a colander after grating. Then, just before combining with the rest of the ingredients, squeeze out as much liquid as you can with a dish towel.
**Pro Tip: The dryer the potato mixture, the crispier the pancakes on the outside and more tender on the inside!
Step 2: Stir Together the Ingredients
Combine the grated potatoes and onion in a large mixing bowl with the egg, flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder.
Step 3: Fry the Pancakes
Scoop about ¼-cup of the potato pancake mixture into a hot skillet that’s coated with butter and oil.
**Get it Hot! Make sure that your pan is hot enough so that the potatoes sizzle in the skillet (you’ll know it’s ready when the butter foams and the pan shimmers).
Fry each pancake for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Work in batches so that you don’t over-crowd the pan.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the warm potato pancakes as an entrée for dinner, along with light toppings and sides such as sour cream or plain yogurt, old-fashioned applesauce or fried apples, chives or green onions, maple syrup, fresh berries, sautéed mushrooms or buttery ranch crockpot mushrooms, smoked salmon, Mom’s marinated cucumbers, or fried cabbage.
The pancakes are also a great side dish that goes well with just about any meat. Try them with roast chicken and vegetables, pan fried pork chops, grilled salmon, or Aunt Bee’s Swedish meatballs.
Make-Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
- Prep Ahead: Grate potatoes and onion up to 24 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge. They may discolor a bit, but will still cook up golden and crisp.
- Make Ahead: Cook pancakes, drain on paper towels, then wrap tightly and store in a single layer in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheated pancakes are a little heavier than fresh ones, so cooking right before serving is best when possible.
- Storage: Freeze cooked pancakes for up to 2 months. Cool completely, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container.
- Reheating: Place pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, about 7-10 minutes from the fridge or 15-20 minutes from frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between potato pancakes and potato latkes? Latkes are potato pancakes that Ashkenazi Jews have prepared as part of Hanukkah celebrations since the mid-1800s, based on an older dish that dates back to at least the Middle Ages. They’re not always made with potatoes, and instead might be made with vegetables, cheeses, or legumes. Latkes are typically a bit thicker than potato pancakes, too.
- Are potato pancakes the same as hash browns? While similar, potato pancakes and hash browns are not exactly the same. Potato pancakes are typically held together with egg and flour, while hash browns are usually just shredded potatoes mixed with seasoning and sometimes onion.
- Why are my potato pancakes soggy? If you find that your potato pancakes are soggy rather than crispy, it’s likely because your skillet and oil are not hot enough. The oil and pancakes should sizzle when they hit the pan. Also, do not overcrowd the pan by trying to cook too many pancakes at once. Work in batches. If you put too many pancakes in the skillet at the same time, it brings down the temperature of the oil and the pancakes tend to steam rather than fry. Finally, remove as much moisture as possible from the potatoes and onions before frying. The extra step of straining off the liquid creates crispy potato pancakes!
Possible Variations
- Mix in cheddar cheese for a twist on the classic.
- Add extra seasoning, such as garlic powder or paprika. If you like the pancakes spicy, try a dash of cayenne.
- Scale the recipe up or down to suit the size of your family. For instance, cut the ingredients in half for fewer pancakes, or double or triple the recipe to feed a larger group.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Great Grandmother’s Potato Pancakes
Equipment
- Large skillet (I own and love this Smithey Ironware Co. cast iron skillet)
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes (about 3 lbs.), peeled
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt, to taste (I use 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per my grandmother's recipe, but some folks find that too salty, so adjust according to your taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Butter and vegetable oil, for frying
- Optional, for serving: warm applesauce; maple syrup; chopped fresh chives other fresh herbs or green onions; sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F. Place 2 nonstick baking sheets in oven.
- Using a box grater or a food processor fitted with a grating disc, coarsely grate the onion. Transfer the grated onion to a colander and set the colander in a sink to drain.
- Next, use the grater or food processor to coarsely grate the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the colander with the onion, and leave the colander in the sink to drain for a few minutes.
- In large bowl, whisk together egg, flour, salt, pepper and baking powder.
- Using a dish towel, gently squeeze excess liquid from the potatoes and onion. Add potato mixture to the bowl with the egg. Use your hands to gently combine the ingredients.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Scoop about ¼ cup of the potato mixture at a time, and place it in the skillet. Use a spatula to gently flatten the potato mixture into a pancake. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.
- Fry the potato pancakes until golden brown on each side (about 3-4 minutes per side). Then use a spatula to remove the pancakes from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Once drained, place the pancakes on the warm baking sheets in the oven to keep them warm while you finish frying the rest of the pancakes in batches.
- Use paper towels to carefully wipe out the skillet in between each batch of pancakes, adding 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet with each new batch. Continue frying 3-4 pancakes at a time until you have used all of the potato mixture.
- Serve the pancakes warm with applesauce, maple syrup or sour cream.
Notes
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- The potatoes and onions should be coarsely grated. My grandmother always used the largest holes on a box grater, so that’s what I do! You can also use a food processor to make the job quicker and easier if you prefer.
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- Russet potatoes work best in this recipe because they have a high starch content, which helps to bind the pancakes together. I do not recommend substituting with red or Yukon gold potatoes.
Nutrition
I was searching for a potato pancake recipe, to use up some potatoes & found your blog. These were wonderful-whole family loved them & my husband said they tasted like they were from a restaurant. So glad I found your blog!
– Renee
A Note on Nutrition
Made with just a few simple ingredients and lightly pan-fried in a small amount of oil and butter, this potato pancakes recipe can be a nutritious addition to just about any diet. Nutrition facts will vary depending on the ingredients that you use (this is just an estimate). Each 2-pancake serving includes about 175 calories, 1 gram of fat, 5 grams of protein and 39 grams of carbohydrates. This does not include the oil or butter that is absorbed in each pancake as it cooks. This particular potato pancakes recipe is not vegan, gluten-free, Keto-friendly, or low-carb.
Origin of Potato Pancakes Around the World
Potato pancakes are the national dish of Belarus and Slovakia. In Germany, potato pancakes are a very common menu item at outdoor markets and festivals. You might recognize potato pancakes from these other cultures as well:
- Switzerland: called rösti, this variation never contains egg or flour.
- Germany: German potato pancakes are called kartoffelpuffer. They’re very similar to this Polish recipe, and commonly enjoyed at home or as a popular street food at Volksfests and holiday events like Fasching, Karneval, and Christmas markets.
- United Kingdom: the British potato cake consists of flour, eggs, shredded potatoes, and onions. Some people add tomato or cheese to the mix as well.
- Ireland: called boxti, these pancakes are similar to those served in Britain, with more starch and often with buttermilk and baking soda.
- Korea: called gamja-jeon, the Korean potato pancake is made by pan-frying grated potato and potato starch in oil. The potato mixture is sometimes mixed with onion, chili, and perilla leaf, and is often seasoned with salt and served with soy sauce.
- United States: hash browns are similar to these traditional potato pancakes, and are a classic breakfast food in this country.
More Potato Recipes to Try
Crispy Seasoned Roasted Potatoes
40 minutes mins
Easy Potato Casserole (3 Ingredients!)
1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Baked Potato Wedges
1 hour hr
If you’re looking for even more potato recipes, be sure to try these easy red skin mashed potatoes, seasoned potatoes, crispy baked potato wedges, a Southern potato salad, a pan of party potatoes, and these scalloped potatoes and ham, too!
Originally published in February, 2020, this post was updated in August, 2025.
I’ve been thinking about making my own grandmother’s potato pancakes recipe for a little while now and this post is encouraging me to do so! My grandmother’s recipe is similar although she didn’t add onions but she did add creamed corn! I will add the onion this time which I have been considering. Just haven’t made it in so long! Thanks for all your recipe posts, I’ve been trying some out and makes dinner suggestions easy!
Thank you, Linda! I’m so glad that you’re going to make your grandmother’s recipe (with a few tweaks). Food that brings back good memories is always the tastiest. 🙂 Have a wonderful week, and thanks for taking the time to leave me a note!
I am going to make these today! This recipe is just like my grandmother’s except she left out the onions. We ate them with applesauce or peaches! They were so yummy! Most other recipes I have come across do not have baking powder in the ingredients.
That’s great, Dawn. I hope you enjoy them and think of your grandmother! 🙂
Creamed Corn….REALLY? Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
Excellent recipe, I prepared them for lunch and the family asked for them again on the same day for dinner! Thank you so much for sharing it, you’re a great cook 🙂
Yay! So glad that you love them as much as we do, Lubna. Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note!
My mom made my grandmother’s potato pancakes exactly like your recipe, for our family in the 1950’s! We sat at the table eating them as fast as she made them! Wonderful potato pancakes…wonderful memories!
THANK YOU!
That’s wonderful! Family recipes (and the memories associated with them) are always the best. Enjoy!
Perfect in every way. Just like my mom makes, and I also make them this way.
Thank you, Angelina! Mom always knows best! 🙂
One TABLESPOON of salt?! These would’ve been perfection, but the salt was overwhelming.
Simple and yummy! My Slovak grandma made potato pancakes when I was little, but I don’t recall her having a recipe. I forgot to add the baking powder so mine were a little flatter, but they were still very good and I remember my grandma’s being rather flat anyhow. Thank you for the recipe!
That’s awesome, Charissa! I’m so glad to know that they remind you of your grandmother. 🙂
I used 2Tbl Salt for double recipe. Way too much Salt. Had to throw away.
Great base recipe, I used red skin potatoes because thats what I had in the pantry already and boy I was surprised how much liquid I was able to squeeze out of them when shredded. It did seem to take a bit longer of a cook time for a nice deep brown crisp but thats just our families preference. Thank you for the traditional recipe, im sure your grandmother would be proud to know how you carried on her delicious legacy.
Thank you so much, Tina! 🙂
This is almost the same exact recipe that my grandfather used only thing different is no salt or pepper that we added afterwards and we add half of a carrot finely grated. I want to say that this is a local recipe from a small Polish town in Pennsylvania.
That’s so cool! My Polish grandmother was raised in Chicago, so not the same town — but definitely the same great taste. 😉
I’ve been attempting and failing at making my dad’s potato pancakes for years. His recipe is so vague and inexact, it’s nearly impossible to replicate. This time, I decided to consult the internet for help — and came across your recipe. Thanks to you, I’ve made my most successful batch ever! I’ll never tell my dad I cheated on his recipe, but this one is definitely bookmarked. Thank you so much!
That’s amazing, Ali! Such a compliment! So glad that you can now enjoy your “dad’s” potato pancakes in your own house. 🙂
I make these regularly. I top them with brown gravy and my home grown oyster mushrooms.
Oh, yum. That sounds amazing, Mark!
I prefer mine savory, as well. They’re a staple around here with brisket and gravy.
Made these and they were delish
REMEMBER the recipe calls for 1T Of Kosher salt but i figured it was a misprint so changed it to 1 teaspoon and tasted it and added a little bit more
I was searching for a potato pancake recipe, to use up some potatoes & found your blog. These were wonderful-whole family loved them & my husband said they tasted like they were from a restaurant. So glad I found your blog!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that, Renee. Thank you for taking the time to come back here and leave me a note. 🙂
My husband loves potato pancakes. I made these as a treat for Father’s Day and he said they are some of the best he has ever had and couldn’t stop eating them. Easy to make and so delicious. Thank you for sharing!
That’s so good to hear, Melissa! They’re on my list to make soon, too. I’m glad that your husband approves! 🙂
I don’t have a food processor. What do you suggest in cutting up the potatos?
I have a small veggie chopper, would that work ?
Hi, Anita! I always use a regular grater and grate the potatoes by hand — just like my grandmother used to. It’s the same grater that you’d use for a block of cheese. Hope you enjoy!
I make potato pancakes like I learned growing up. I’m also Polish, but never used baking powder and grated the potatoes on the fine side of the grater, never used shredded potatoes. Never had a recipe either. I use potatoes, onion, eggs, flour, salt, and pepper. Fry them in bacon grease, if available, otherwise oil.
The only thing I do differently is put grated potatoes, onions in strainer over bowl. Push down with spoon or hands to get liquid out. Pour of clear liquid in bowl and then mix in starchy residue in potato mixture. Learned this from Jenny Can Cook.
That’s a great tip, Eileen. Thank you!
I’ve yet to make these but in the past when grating onions they always ended up with a bitter taste. Has anyone else had this problem?
Hi, Marsha! I haven’t had that issue, so I’m interested to see if others might weigh in. 🙂
Where does it sY how to make pancakes potato
Hi Georgia!
You can find the complete recipe for any post in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
No problem here with the onions . . .
I made this for Easter brunch and it was very popular. Next time I’ll use a finer shredder for the potatoes, but this worked as written.
Thank you!
Delicious! This is a keeper recipe! Made exactly as directed. It was, however, a lot for a family of four. And it took forever to grate 3lbs of potatoes and an onion. Next time, I’ll halve the recipe since I didn’t need or want any leftovers. This recipe made about 8-10 pancakes that were approx 4-in wide.
Thank you, Janelle!
How do you half recipe with one egg?
Hi Christine!
The best way to do this is to whisk the egg in a separate bowl, and use just half (roughly 2 Tablespoons) of the mixture. 🙂
These are fabulous and easy! Great served with Swedish meatballs and pea soup.
Sounds like a delicious meal, Margaret! Thank you!