Pickle Latkes

Name: Pickle Latkes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 10 to 12 latkes
Ingredients: 3 medium russet potatoes (2 pounds); 1 medium yellow onion; 12 small kosher dill pickles (1 pound); 3/4 to 1 cup bread crumbs or matzo meal; 2 large eggs; 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne; 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper; Kosher salt; Sunflower seed oil, vegetable oil or grapeseed oil, for frying; Sour cream, dill and applesauce, for serving

By Carolina Gelen

Published Dec. 2, 2025

Pickle Latkes — Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth.

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

Crispy on the outside and tender in the center, these potato latkes are laced with julienned pickles, their thin slivers adding salty, sour flavors for a perfectly balanced bite. The potato, onion and pickle mixture is formed into patties with loose, wispy edges ready to get extra crispy when gently lowered into sizzling hot oil. Maintaining a consistent heat is the key to prevent the latkes from burning on the outside before they cook through in the middle. The contrast between sour pickles and buttery fried potatoes is excellent, especially when topped with applesauce and sour cream. Don’t let that leftover pickle brine go to waste: Use it in pickle lemonade or pickle brine margaritas to enjoy with these latkes.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 latkes

3medium russet potatoes (2 pounds)
1medium yellow onion
12small kosher dill pickles (1 pound)
¾ to 1cup bread crumbs or matzo meal
2large eggs
½teaspoon ground cayenne
2teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
Kosher salt
Sunflower seed oil, vegetable oil or grapeseed oil, for frying
Sour cream, dill and applesauce, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Place a clean kitchen towel over a large mixing bowl. Using the coarse side of your grater, grate the potatoes and onion over the towel in the bowl. Wrap the towel around the grated vegetables, twist the top and squeeze all the liquid out. Discard the liquid, and place the grated onion and potatoes in the bowl.
Step 2
Quarter each pickle lengthwise, then slice each piece into ⅛- to ¼-inch-thick matchsticks. (You don’t want to slice them too thin; if you do, you won’t be able to taste the pickles in the latkes.) Aim for a variety of sizes, so some get nice and crunchy and some stay more sour. Add the pickles to the bowl with the potatoes and onion.
Step 3
Add the bread crumbs, eggs, cayenne, black pepper and a pinch of salt. Mix to combine.
Step 4
Heat up about 1 inch of oil in a shallow pan over medium heat.
Step 5
Test to see if the oil is hot enough by adding a bit of the latke mixture to the oil. If it sizzles, it’s ready. Grab a handful of the latke mixture and squeeze it in your palms to remove any excess liquid. After pressing, roughly shape the mixture into a patty that’s not as thick as a diner burger patty and not as thin as a smashed burger; keep it somewhere in between. Don’t press it too tightly. It doesn’t have to be a perfectly round shape: Embrace any wispy edges, as they’ll get extra crispy in the oil.
Step 6
Place 3 to 4 latkes at a time in the oil and fry until golden brown on one side, then flip and fry on the other side until golden brown. You’re looking at 4 to 5 minutes of frying per side. As always, focus more on the visual cues. Lower the heat as needed.
Step 7
Place a paper towel over a plate or cooling rack. Place the fried latkes on the paper towel to drain any excess oil. Season with salt.
Step 8
Serve right away, with sour cream, dill, applesauce or any other toppings.