Martha Stewart puts beer in her potato pancakes, and that was the first thing I noticed when I read this recipe. A quarter cup of light beer goes into the batter alongside the potatoes, eggs, and flour, and it keeps the latkes light and crispy in a way that plain batter never does.
The bubbles in the beer work the same way seltzer does in fish fry batter: they create tiny air pockets inside the pancake while the outside fries up golden and crunchy. But the beer isn’t even the cleverest part of this potato pancake recipe.
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The Starch Trick That Holds Everything Together
The cleverest part is what Martha does with the potato water: you grate the potatoes into ice water, squeeze them dry, and most people throw that water away. Martha lets it sit for 10 minutes so the starch settles to the bottom, pours off the liquid, and keeps that white residue.
That saved starch goes back into the bowl as a natural binder, so the latkes hold together without loading them up with flour. I skipped this step once and the pancakes came out heavy and doughy, so now I do it Martha’s way every time.
Martha Stewart Potato Pancake Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
- 1 small white onion, finely grated
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup light beer or lager
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Applesauce and sour cream for serving
How To Make Martha Stewart Potato Pancakes
- Preheat the oven: Set it to 200°F so you can keep the first batch warm while you fry the rest.
- Grate the potatoes: Using a box grater, grate the potatoes in long strips into a large bowl of ice water. This keeps them from turning brown.
- Squeeze dry: Transfer the potatoes to a clean kitchen towel using a strainer, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Set the potato water aside for 10 minutes.
- Save the starch: After 10 minutes, carefully pour off the liquid from the potato water bowl but keep the white starch that settled at the bottom. Put the squeezed potatoes back into this bowl with the starch.
- Mix the batter: Add the grated onion, eggs, beer, flour, salt, and pepper to the potato mixture and stir to combine.
- Fry: Heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy nonstick skillet. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mixture per pancake into the oil and flatten slightly. Fry a few at a time without crowding the pan.
- Keep warm: Transfer cooked latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.
Squeeze Harder Than You Think
The biggest mistake I made my first time was not getting enough water out of the grated potatoes. If the batter is still wet, the latkes steam instead of fry and you end up with a soft, pale pancake instead of a golden crispy one.
Wrap the potatoes in the towel and twist it tight over the sink, because you’ll be surprised how much liquid comes out even after you think you’re done. That extra squeeze is the difference between latkes that shatter when you bite them and ones that bend.
What Goes on the Plate
Sour cream and applesauce is the traditional pairing, and Martha serves both. I like a spoonful of each on every bite, which my husband thinks is chaotic but I think is correct.
These are traditionally a Hanukkah side dish, but I make them year round as a snack or with fried eggs for brunch. If you want to try a different kind of potato pancake altogether, Martha has two other versions worth knowing about.
Mashed Potato and Sweet Potato Versions
Martha also has a recipe for mashed potato pancakes, which use leftover mashed potatoes pressed into thick patties and fried. They’re softer and creamier inside, more like a potato cake than a crispy latke, and they’re a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.
Her sweet potato pancakes swap in grated raw sweet potato for the russet, and the flavor is sweeter so they pair better with savory toppings like a fried egg or crumbled bacon. I haven’t tried those yet, but they’re next on my list after I finish working through her old fashioned pancakes.
Leftovers and Reheating
Latkes lose their crunch in the fridge, so don’t expect them to stay crispy overnight. But if you reheat them in a 400°F oven for about 8 minutes, they crisp back up almost as well as fresh.
I’ve had them the next morning with a fried egg on top and honestly enjoyed them more than the night before. Skip the microwave though, because it turns them into sad, floppy discs.
Potato Pancakes Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Sugar: 2g
Estimated per serving, based on 6 servings without toppings.
The carbonation in beer creates tiny bubbles in the batter that keep the latkes light and airy inside. It works the same way seltzer does in fish fry batter. Use any light beer or lager, and if you don’t drink alcohol, plain seltzer water is a fine substitute.
Russet potatoes, because they’re high in starch and low in moisture. Starchy potatoes fry up crispier and hold together better than waxy varieties like Yukon Gold, which release more water and make the latkes soggy.
You can fry them up to a day ahead and reheat at 400°F for about 8 minutes. They won’t be quite as crispy as fresh, but they’re still good. Don’t try to freeze the raw batter because the potatoes will turn gray and watery once thawed.
Yes. Latke is the Yiddish word for potato pancake. Martha’s recipe here is a traditional latke made for Hanukkah, but there’s nothing stopping you from making them any time of year. They work as a side dish, an appetizer, or a snack.
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Martha Stewart Potato Pancakes Recipe
Description
Martha Stewart’s potato pancakes are traditional latkes made with grated russet potatoes, onion, eggs, and a splash of beer that keeps them light and crisp. They’re fried in oil until golden on both sides and served with sour cream and applesauce.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set it to 200°F so you can keep the first batch warm while you fry the rest.
- Grate the potatoes: Using a box grater, grate the potatoes in long strips into a large bowl of ice water. This keeps them from turning brown.
- Squeeze dry: Transfer the potatoes to a clean kitchen towel using a strainer, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Set the potato water aside for 10 minutes.
- Save the starch: After 10 minutes, carefully pour off the liquid from the potato water bowl but keep the white starch that settled at the bottom. Put the squeezed potatoes back into this bowl with the starch.
- Mix the batter: Add the grated onion, eggs, beer, flour, salt, and pepper to the potato mixture and stir to combine.
- Fry: Heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy nonstick skillet. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mixture per pancake into the oil and flatten slightly. Fry a few at a time without crowding the pan.
- Keep warm: Transfer cooked latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.