Kartoffelpuffer Recipe (German Potato Pancakes)
Perfectly crisp edges with soft and fluffy insides, this Kartoffelpuffer Recipe, also known as German potato pancakes, is super easy to make at home with minimal ingredients. Serve this beloved German comfort food with a side of homemade applesauce for an easy snack or as a side dish with your favorite main course recipes.
Servings: 8 pancakes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs whisked
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes shredded using the medium holes of a box grater
- 1 white or yellow onion shredded
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine the flour, eggs, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Add the shredded potatoes and onion to the bowl. Mix everything until the potatoes and onion are evenly coated with the flour mixture.
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat and add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Scoop ¼-⅓ cup of the potato mixture into the pan and flatten it slightly with the back of a spatula. Carefully place the flattened mixture into the hot oil. Repeat this step 2-3 more times to add more pancakes, leaving some space between each of them in the pan.
- Cook the pancakes for about 6-8 minutes on each side or until they turn golden brown and crispy. (You may need to adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the pancakes.)
- Once cooked, transfer the pancakes to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining potato mixture until it is all used.
- Serve with apple sauce and freshly chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Note: Starchy potatoes - like Russets - will quickly turn brownish orange after being shredded or sliced. To prevent this, add them to a bowl filled with cold water as you prepare the remaining ingredients. You'll notice that the water turns cloudy white. The cloudiness is from the potato starch washed from the potatoes. In the case of German potato pancakes, we want that potato starch!! To reserve as much as possible, scoop the shredded potatoes from the bowl of water with a slotted spoon allowing as much water to drip back into the bowl as possible before drying thoroughly. Next, allow the starchy water to sit for a minute or two- the denser starch molecules will settle on the bottom of the bowl. Carefully pour out the water that's now on top of the potato starch then use a spoon to scoop out the potato starch, adding it to the shredded potato and flour mixture.
Nutrition
Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
