This Genius Latke Hack Changes Everything

Whether you pronounce them lot-key or lot-kuh, it's hard to deny the likability of these delicious, crispy, potato fritters. Any French fry fanatic worth their salt will gladly tell you there is no better combo than potatoes and oil, and this is precisely what makes latkes a front-and-center, fried-in-oil dish perfect for celebrating the Festival of Lights. The latke is so popular, in fact, everyone from Russians to Grecians to Italians to Ashkenazi Jews has had their hand in perfecting the snack we know and love today. Needless to say, the latke has earned its well-deserved spot at the Hanukkah table (via My Jewish Learning). 

Besides likability, the latke also has versatility going for it. Classic latkes are often served accompanied by sweet applesauce or tangy sour cream, but like all good things, people have made them even better. According to Brit + Co, now there are Waffle-Iron Latkes, Cilantro Jalapeno Latkes, and the incredibly-tempting sounding Sweet Potato Latkes with Spiked Applesauce. But, before you try to achieve these next-level latkes on your own, let's get the basics down.

During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, you may find yourself wishing you had just a little more time to relax. Luckily, when it comes to making latkes, you don't have to be Zack Morris to put a couple of minutes back on the clock. According to Kveller, buying frozen, pre-shredded hashbrown potatoes in the freezer section of your local grocery store will save you the time and energy it would have taken to both grate the potatoes and clean the food processor.

The Spruce Eats recommends thawing your frozen hashbrowns and advises that less water makes for crispier latkes, so it's important to do a good job of draining them. Besides frozen hashbrowns, you'll only need grated onion, eggs, flour, salt, and, of course, oil. All the ingredients except the oil are combined in a bowl. Once the oil is heated in a heavy skillet, spoonfuls of the potatoes mixture are cooked in the oil over medium-high heat, browned on both sides, drained, and served, to the delight of your guests, while still hot. Experts agree: it's not cheating if you don't get caught (using frozen ingredients, that is).