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Vegetarian, Classics and bistro fare

Crispy potato pancakes with green salad

Crispy potato pancakes are a vegetarian dish for 4 people, ready in 35 minutes, rated easy, for about €1.30 per person. The trick is squeezing the grated potatoes hard in a kitchen towel to remove their water, which is what makes the pancakes crispy instead of soggy.

Crispy potato pancakes, a spoonful of sour cream on top, and the salad so you can pretend you're being reasonable.

Crispy potato pancakes with green salad
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.30
Calories per person
460 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

The texture is what makes this dish, a golden crackly crust around a soft, melting potato center. Sour cream on top adds freshness, chives bring a little green bite, and the vinegared green salad balances out a dish that stays, admittedly, generous with cooking oil.

This is the kind of recipe you pull out on a weeknight when you have potatoes sitting around, but it also works for a slower Sunday evening, pancakes browning one batch at a time while the table gets set. Kids usually love it, especially if you let them flatten the little mounds of batter with a fork.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 900 g
  • Onion 1
  • Chives 6 sprigs
  • Green salad 1

Dairy

  • Eggs 2
  • Heavy sour cream 15 cl

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Apple cider vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Lactose, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel and grate the potatoes and onion, then squeeze them very hard in a kitchen towel.

    Let the squeezed out liquid sit so the starch settles, but don't use it.

  2. Mix with the eggs, flour, salt, and pepper.

    Work quickly, potato darkens when exposed to air.

  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet, drop small mounds of batter and flatten them.

    The oil needs to be hot, a small piece of batter should sizzle as soon as it touches it.

  4. Brown the pancakes over medium heat, flipping them only once. 10 min

    Don't move them until the underside is deeply golden, or they'll fall apart.

  5. Serve with the sour cream sprinkled with chives and the salad dressed with vinegar and a little oil.

    Rest the pancakes on paper towels for a minute to drain excess oil.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a starchy potato variety like russet, it releases less water and holds together better while cooking.
  • Don't crowd the skillet, three or four pancakes at a time is enough to keep the oil hot and the crust crispy.
  • If the batter still feels wet after squeezing, stir in an extra tablespoon of flour rather than lowering the heat.

The variations

  • Swap part of the potatoes for grated carrots for more colorful, slightly sweet pancakes.
  • For a richer version, stir 50g of grated Gruyère into the batter before cooking.
  • For a quicker version with impatient kids, shape smaller pancakes, they cook faster on each side.

What to serve it with

  • A slice of smoked salmon
  • A fried egg on top
  • Homemade applesauce

Storage

Cooked pancakes keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. They freeze well once cooled, reheat them straight from frozen in a skillet so they stay crispy.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the batter ahead of time?

It's best made right before cooking, since grated potato darkens and releases water while it sits. You can peel and grate a few hours ahead, but squeeze and mix at the last minute.

Why do my potato pancakes turn out soggy?

It's almost always because the potatoes weren't squeezed dry enough before cooking. Wring them out hard in a kitchen towel until barely any water comes out.

Can you substitute the sour cream?

You can use thick plain yogurt or Greek yogurt for a lighter texture. The flavor will be a bit more tangy but still works well with the chives.

How do you adapt this recipe for young kids?

Make mini pancakes, which are easier for small hands to hold, and serve the salad on the side so they can eat the pancakes plain. You can also leave out the chives if they're not fans of herbs.

How long does it take to make crispy grated potato pancakes with a green salad?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in crispy grated potato pancakes with a green salad?

About 460 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does crispy grated potato pancakes with a green salad cost?

About €1.30 per serving, or €5.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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