Delicious baked latkes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. And baking is much easier than frying!
Why make baked latkes? what’s wrong with normal pan-fried latkes? Well. Hanukkah is by far my favorite holiday, simply because of the food. Potato latkes and jelly doughnuts – could it possibly get any better? 😀
Of course, a holiday celebrated by eating fried foods to commemorate an ancient oil-related miracle is not exactly a health-friendly (or a waistline-friendly) holiday.
Can you bake latkes in the oven?
So I was curious to see if I could take my potato latkes recipe, the foolproof one that I’ve developed over the years, and make it in the oven.
The short answer: yes, it can definitely be done, and the results are delicious! They are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and very flavorful. They are almost as good as fried latkes. If fried get a 10, baked get a 9.5.
Why should you bake latkes instead of frying them?
I’m not so sure about any health benefits or even lower calories. To ensure the potato pancakes are amazing, I spray them with quite a bit of oil.
Their big advantage, I think, is that baking is so much easier than frying. So now that my family has announced that these are “just as good” as fried latkes (I still think they are almost as good), I make them almost exclusively.
The ingredients needed for this recipe
You’ll only need a few ingredients to make these tasty latkes (the exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):
- Avocado oil spray
- Yukon Gold potatoes
- Onion
- Egg
- salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Coconut flour
How do you make potato pancakes in the oven?
It’s super easy! The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
- Mix shredded, well-drained potatoes and onions with an egg, spices, and just a little flour. I use coconut flour to keep this recipe gluten-free, but you can use all-purpose flour if you don’t mind gluten.
- Press mounds of the mixture into a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Spray liberally with oil.
- Bake until crispy, about 15 minutes per side.
Note that the recipe calls for parchment paper. In the past I used foil, and while the latkes brown more uniformly when baked on foil, they also tend to stick to the foil.
If you use unbleached parchment paper, it should do fine in high heat baking, but to be on the safe side, look for one that specifically says you can use it in high heat baking, such as this one. Another option is to use nonstick foil.
By the way, after you grate the potatoes, they will quickly change their color and darken. Don’t worry about it – this does not affect the taste or texture of the latkes.
Can I make these baked potato latkes ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely. I usually make them an hour ahead of time, then keep them in a warm (150 degrees F) oven until it’s time to serve them. You can even make an extra batch and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheat them very gently, in a 200 degrees F oven. They won’t be as good as fresh, but very close.
Is this a healthy recipe?
Like so many other foods, it depends on your definition of “healthy.” Their biggest disadvantage is that they are very starchy.
On the other hand, for those who can handle the carbs, potatoes do seem to offer some health benefits. If you use coconut flour, these baked latkes are gluten-free. And I cook them in healthy avocado oil.
If you prefer a low carb alternative, these spinach pancakes are very good.
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Baked Latkes
INGREDIENTS
- Avocado oil spray
- 1 lb. peeled Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 small onion (2.5 oz)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour, or 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper marked as safe for high heat baking. Spray the parchment paper with oil.
- Grate the potatoes using your food processor’s grating attachment. Wipe the food processor clean with a paper towel, and use the food processor’s standard blade to chop the onion.
- Place the shredded potatoes and the chopped onion in a colander over a bowl and press firmly with your hands, repeatedly, to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Empty the bowl from the liquid, wipe with a paper towel, and transfer the potato/onion mixture to the bowl.
- In another small bowl, beat the egg with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Add the egg mixture to the potato mixture and stir, then add the flour and stir to combine.
- Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the prepared baking sheet, forming 12 very thin pancakes- press with your hands to flatten the patties as much as you can, while keeping their shape.
- Generously spray the latkes with oil – I used avocado oil.
- Bake the latkes for 15 minutes, until crisp and deep golden brown on the bottom. Remove pan from oven, flip the latkes to the other side, spray again with oil, and bake 10-15 more minutes, until crisp and deep golden brown on the second side.
- Serve immediately, with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
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NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
