Make Ahead Latkes (2024)

FAQs

Can latkes be prepared ahead of time? ›

Or, you can grate the potatoes hours ahead and store them submerged in water in the refrigerator. Drain them well and make the batter up to two hours ahead. (It doesn't matter if it discolors– when you fry them the latkes turn a beautiful golden brown). Fry the latkes no more than an hour or two ahead of serving.

When ready to reheat, place in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes (7 if using a convection oven) until heated through just prior to serving. A convection oven setting will produce a more crispy result.

To keep a consistent deep golden brown on all the latkes while cooking, adjust the heat to maintain the oil temperature and avoid the latkes browning too quickly. After frying, place latkes on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack and transfer to a 200°F oven to keep warm until ready to serve.

If the latke mixture starts to get soggy, give it a squeeze before adding it to the pan. Place the latkes on a rack set over a baking sheet to keep them crispy.

Refrigerate covered to avoid exposure to air. Sometimes I'll use a clean kitchen towel, moisten and cover the potato mixture directly. Don't cover with foil, it can also turn the potatoes dark or gray so use clear plastic wrap instead.

When peeled, potatoes begin immediately to oxidizeand turn brown. One of the tricks to reduce discoloration is squeezing out all of the potato water (See tip #7). Another trick is grinding the potatoes with onions; they help keep the potato mixture white. More onions are added later for flavor.

Here's how I do this at home: I preheat my oven to 350˚F and lay out my pancakes on a baking pan in a single layer. Cover the pancakes with foil and pop them in the oven for about four minutes.

Fry in an oil with a high smoke point

Vegetable oil or canola oil is usually best, because of its high smoking point. Latkes were traditionally made with schmaltz, or chicken fat, so if you have access to it, you should certainly add it in, because it does contribute to the flavor.

How to Store Potato Pancakes. Store your leftover potato pancakes in an airtight container (lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil) in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat in the oven or in the air fryer.

Peel the potatoes and then cut them into cubes. As you cube them place the cubes in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening. In a food processor, grate the potatoes and the onion.

Do cooked latkes need to be refrigerated? ›

Rule # 1. Don't refrigerate latkes. You'll end up with gummy-tasting latkes. If you want to prepare lakes ahead of time but not freeze them, you can fry them (about 2-3 hours before) and leave them at room temperature.

If you don't drain the moisture, they won't crisp as easily and that may be why your potato pancakes are gummy. Feel the Heat. Sufficiently heating oil in the pan prior to placing the patty in the pan is the key to a properly crispy pancake.

You might also be crowding your latkes when you cook them — you want to use a large pan and make sure your latkes don't touch when they're cooking (otherwise they'll steam instead of crisping up). Additionally, your oil might not be hot enough.

How to Reheat the Latkes. When you're ready to reheat them and serve, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the latkes on a large baking pan in a single layer with some space around each pancakes so the air can circulate. Cook them for 5 minutes or so until they are heated through and crispy on both sides.

Shred potatoes with the grating disk of a food processor. After every 2 or 3 potatoes, wrap shreds in cheesecloth that has been folded over twice. Tie corners around the handle of a wooden spoon and twist bundle until water flows out. Collect water in a bowl and squeeze all potatoes until dry.

If you're here, you'll probably be glad to know that yes, you can peel and cut potatoes the day before you plan to serve them — and that it's super easy! All you have to do is submerge the bare potato pieces in water and refrigerate (more on that later).

Prep Potatoes in Advance:

Wash and dice potatoes at home and store them in airtight containers or resealable bags to keep them fresh during transit. Consider pre-cooking certain potato dishes, such as mashed potatoes or parboiled potatoes, to reduce cooking time at the campsite.

Prep your veg the night before

Peel potatoes, carrots, parsnips and any other veg you're having and leave them in pans of cold water overnight. This will save you a lot of faff and additional mess on Christmas morning.

Storing and Freezing Latkes

Latkes will keep in the fridge for 5 days. Just wrap them in foil and reheat in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet, uncovered, in a 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Latkes will freeze well for one month, wrapped in foil and tucked inside a ziptop freezer bag.