Sweet Potato Pancakes (Hanukkah Latkes)
In my family, latkes are one of the best parts of celebrating Hanukkah. This modern version of the potato pancakes have a terrific blend of flavors and a nice crunchy texture without all the oil. If you make the batter ahead of time, refrigerate it until you are ready to cook them, and drain the excess liquid from the bowl before frying them. If you don't mind extra calories, extra oil will make them extra-crispy. Or, if you are looking for a fry-free preparation, see below for an oven-cooked technique as well!
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato or use 2 extra white or russet potatoes
- 1 pounds large white potato about 2 pounds of potatoes total, including sweet potatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup flour (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper optional
- 6 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil divided
- 1 cup low fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (or use any variety)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce for serving
Instructions
- Using a hand grater or the grating insert in a food processor, coarsely grate the potatoes and finely dice or grate the onion.
- Drain the vegetables then wrap them in a clean dish towel for a minute or two to get the excess water out.
- Transfer the grated vegetables to a large bowl. Stir in the beaten eggs.
- Thoroughly mix in the flour, salt and cayenne pepper (optional).
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium to medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, scoop in spoonfuls of the potato pancake mixture and flatten them with the spoon or a spatula.
- Cook the pancakes for several minutes per side until they are browned. After each batch, add 1 - 2 Tbsp. oil to the pan and let it heat for a minute or two, to keep the pancakes browning nicely. If they start to get too browned on the outside before the middle is cooked, reduce the heat.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to the baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while the rest cook.
- Serve them topped with the sour cream and applesauce (or dipped in ketchup, as our kids like them!), refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Oven Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 and brush your baking sheet with oil.
- Scoop up spoonfuls of the mixture, and lay them out on the baking sheets. Gently press them down until they are about 3 inches in diameter and ¼-inch thick. The latkes will not expand, so you can put them close together.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden, flip, and then bake for another 10 minutes.
- Serve as described above.
Notes
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add 1/2 tsp. chili powder for a smokey, spicy kick!
Tip: If you want to save time, you can use your food processor to grate the potatoes and onions. Some people say the consistency is better when grated by hand, but I have never really tasted a difference.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 300, Total Fat: 16g, 26%; Saturated Fat: 2g, 10%; Cholesterol: 110mg, 36%; Sodium: 620mg, 26%; Total Carbohydrate: 32g, 10%; Dietary Fiber: 4g, 12%; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 8g
Like this recipe? Check out The Scramble's family-friendly meal plans to see just how simple getting dinner on the table can be!
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