During Hanukkah, it’s customary to have latkes and sour cream at the dinner table.
The word Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew, and this holiday is a celebration of the Temple of Jerusalem’s rededication to the Jews after the Maccabean Revolt in which Jews rose up to against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the 2nd century BCE. The Jews sought to light the Temple’s menorah, but they were only able to find enough oil to light it for one night. In a miraculous turn of events, the oil ended up lasting for eight days. In order to commemorate this miracle, Hanukkah, also knows as the Jewish Festival of Lights, was introduced. You can read more about the history behind the holiday here.
Due to the Hanukkah miracle involving oil, it has become tradition to eat fried foods during this holiday. The most popular foods to eat are potato pancakes know at latkes and jelly-filled donuts called sufganya (singular) or sufganiyot (plural).
Typically, latkes require a few simple ingredients. Potatoes, flour or breadcrumbs, onions, an egg, frying oil, and salt and pepper. Since this recipe is gluten free, the flour will be omitted and replaced with cornstarch.
The most common latke toppings are applesauce and sour cream, but my family tends to stick to sour cream only. My favorite dairy-free/vegan sour cream option is the Kite Hill Sour Cream Alternative.
If you Google “latkes recipe” you’ll find a variety of different methods to make this dish, and most of them are bound to be good. Latkes are basically just fried potatoes, after all. I consider my recipe to be pretty simple, so if it’s your first time making latkes, this is definitely a great place to start.
This recipe involves shredding potatoes, squeezing the liquid out of them, and then mixing in an egg, cornstarch, and seasonings. A cheesecloth or clean dish towel may be helpful when draining the potatoes, but I squeeze as much liquid as I can out with my hands and it works just as well!
Crispy Gluten Free Latkes
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet or Regular Pan
- Wooden Mixing Spoon
- Mixing Bowl
- Food Processor with Shredding Blade or a Boxed Grater
- Cheesecloth or Clean Kitchen Towel
- Paper Towels
- Potato Peeler
Ingredients
Latke Ingredients
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes sub Russet potatoes
- 1/2 Medium White Onion
- 2-3 cloves Garlic
- 5-6 tbsps Cornstarch sub 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 Egg
- 1 cup Frying Oil of Choice I used sunflower oil
Toppings
- Sour Cream
- Flaky Salt
- Applesauce optional
- Parsley optional
- Wild Salmon Roe/Salmon Caviar optional
Instructions
- Wash and scrub potatoes well then peel them.
- Use a food processor with a shredding blade to shred the potatoes and the white onion. If you don't have a food processor, shred the ingredients using a box grater. Set the shredded mixture into a bowl.
- Finely chop or mince the garlic and add it to the same bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, mix it well, and let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
- Place the mixture into a cheese cloth or a clean dish towel and drain the liquid from it. If you don't have either of these materials, squeeze as much of the liquid as you can out with your hands over a sink.
- Place drained mixture in a bowl, add an egg, and cornstarch. Mix together well with a wooden spoon.
- Heat your pan and oil to get it ready for frying. Use a large spoon or a 1/4 cup sized measuring cup to scoop the shredded potato mixture into the pan. Flatten the scoop a bit once you place it onto the pan. (There should be enough for 8-10 latkes.)
- Fry each side for about 3 mins on medium high heat or until both sides become golden brown.
- Transfer the cooked latkes to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
- Serve immediately with sour cream and a sprinkle of flaky salt or any other toppings of your choosing.
