Potato Fritters

Potato fritters are a fast and easy way to make fried potatoes. Pan fry some perfectly crisp and delicious potato pancakes or latkes on the stove in just about 15 minutes. These are a great side dish or vegetarian entree for any night of the week.

I grew up eating and loving potato fritters. Not only are they fun to eat, but they're just so easy to make. I also like them because they're a budget-friendly option that uses simple and affordable ingredients.

And let's face it. Fried potatoes just have an unbeatable flavor! The more that you make them, the more that you want them. And the more that you want them, the more that you're going to make them. It's a vicious yet delicious cycle.

Everyone loves to eat potato pancakes or potato latkes in their own way. Some prefer topping with sour cream and chives, while others just want some hot sauce or ketchup. I say eat them however you'd like because there really isn't a wrong way to eat them.

Be sure to check out my Traeger Baked Potatoes, Smoked Mashed Potatoes, and Cajun Potato Salad for other delicious potato recipes. More potato recipes are never a bad idea.

Ingredients

Oil - You can use whatever oil you'd like to fry them up. Vegetable oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil are all just fine. 

Shredded red potato - Make sure that you peel them before you shred them. (and clean them well!) 

Complete pancake mix - This is what helps to add the texture that fries into the perfectly brown goodness that we all love and crave. 

Egg - Needed to bind together the pancake mix and the shredded potato. 

Chopped onion - You can dice up onions or chives for this option. 

Salt and pepper - To taste. 

How to make Potato Fritters

The steps are super simple to do. Just gather up your needed ingredients to make these crispy potato pancakes and get started!

Step One: Preheat the oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.

Step Two: Stir together all the remaining ingredients.

Step Three: Drop heaping tablespoons of the potato mixture into the hot pan.

Expert Tip: Make sure to stir the batter again before you fry the second batch of potato fritters. Some excess liquid can separate and you want that mixed back in.

Step Four: Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until deep golden brown. If the potato pancakes seem to be browning too quickly turn the skillet down to medium heat.

Variations

Use a different potato - Red potatoes are my favorite, but you can change things up and use Russet potatoes or sweet potatoes as well.

Add varied onions - Red onions and yellow onions are great, but scallions or green onions would be really good, too.

Add shredded cheese - A little bit of cheese can be a super fun addition as well. Just add to the mixture when you're stirring it up together.

Herbs - Fresh rosemary, basil, thyme, or sage are all amazing chopped and added to the batter.

Garlic - Is added garlic ever a bad decision? We like adding garlic powder and shredded cheddar cheese.

Common Questions

Can I use flour instead of pancake mix?

I really love the flavor and texture of potato pancakes made with pancake mix, but flour is an option, too. I can't say that you'd be following the same recipe exactly if you just used flour, though.

You would probably need to add in more egg and milk to help with the texture as well as a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder.

Can I use leftover potatoes to make this recipe?

In a way, yes! I've actually used leftover mashed potatoes and fresh herbs to create potato fritters. They don't have the same texture, but they fry up just the same.

Can I make potato fritters in the oven?

Yes. If you prefer you can bake these. They won't get as golden brown and crispy as pan frying but they are still tasty.

Will the potato fritters be greasy?

There may be excess moisture that you'll need to soak up after cooking them on medium-high heat. The best way to do this is to lay them on a clean paper towel after they're completely done frying.

What is the best way to eat potato latkes?

These are an excellent side dish! You can add them to any meal or enjoy them on their own! We like them with these Healthy Sloppy Joes.

Potato pancakes are also really great as leftovers and are super simple to store and warm up. To store them in the fridge, just put them in an airtight container. Eat within 3 days.

You can also freeze them as well if you need to. They may not unthaw with entirely the same texture, but you can actually pop them in the air fryer for a short amount of time to crisp them up if you'd like.

What are some toppings to add to fried potato pancakes?

The sky is the limit to the toppings that you can add! You can add some toppings like hot sauce or even add a teaspoon of garlic powder shaken on top.

Fresh parsley and shredded cheddar cheese are always delicious as well. If you want to keep it simple, a little bit of kosher salt and pepper on top is great, too. Just remember that adding toppings is adding calories if you're counting them!