The smell of potatoes hitting a hot buttered skillet is what gets everyone out of the kitchen and into it — in the best way. My whole house knows something good is happening when that sizzle starts.
These are Reibekuchen — German potato pancakes — and I've been making them for a few years now after a German colleague of my husband's brought a batch to a dinner party and I couldn't stop eating them. My version isn't strictly traditional: I use a mix of butter and oil for frying (pure butter burns before the pancakes finish cooking, I learned that the hard way), and I add a little baking powder to the batter to keep the inside from getting too dense. They come out crispy at the edges, tender in the middle, and deeply savory in the best possible way.
My husband eats these with sour cream and won't hear of anything else. My kids want applesauce. I usually put both on the table and let everyone sort themselves out. If you're cooking for a crowd, I'd suggest making a double batch because a single batch of these disappears faster than almost anything else I make — faster than my Dill Pickle Cheese Balls, which is saying something.
One important thing before you start: squeeze the water out of your grated potatoes properly. Not a quick press, but a real, committed squeeze using a kitchen towel. The first time I made these I was impatient and skipped this step, and the pancakes steamed in the pan instead of crisping up. Soggy potato pancakes are a sad thing. Give them a proper squeeze and they'll reward you with those lacy, golden edges you're after.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Crispy edges, tender middle: The outside gets genuinely crunchy — not just golden, but that satisfying crispy texture where you can hear it when you bite in. Inside is soft and almost fluffy. Getting both textures in one pancake is the whole point, and this recipe does it consistently once you've properly dried out the grated potato.
- Five real ingredients: Potatoes, onion, egg, flour, butter — that's essentially it. Everything on this list is already in your kitchen. I've made these on a Tuesday night when I had no dinner plan and very little time, and they always come together in under 30 minutes.
- Works as a side or a main: In Germany these are often served as a side dish alongside meat or salad, but at my table they regularly become dinner on their own. Put out sour cream, applesauce, maybe some smoked salmon if you're feeling fancy, and nobody misses the rest of the meal.
- Freezes and reheats well: I make a full batch, eat half, and freeze the rest in a single layer on a sheet pan before transferring to a bag. Reheated in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 10 minutes, they come back remarkably crispy. It's one of the more reliable freezer-to-table options I have.
- No special equipment: A box grater, a heavy skillet, and a kitchen towel. That's it. I use a cast iron skillet when I have it out, but a regular nonstick or stainless skillet works perfectly fine here.
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and grated (Russet or Yukon Gold)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped or grated
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter (for frying)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
- Applesauce or sour cream, for serving (optional but really recommended)
Directions
- Squeeze out the moisture: Grate your potatoes into a large bowl, then transfer them in batches to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly over the sink. You'll be surprised how much water comes out — this step is what separates crispy pancakes from soggy ones. Once squeezed, place the dry grated potato back in the bowl.
- Make the batter: Add the chopped onion, egg, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the potatoes. Stir everything together until evenly combined. The batter will be thick and loose at the same time — that's correct.
- Heat the pan: In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil. The oil keeps the butter from burning while still giving you that buttery flavor. Wait until the butter foams and the foam starts to subside before adding the batter — that tells you the pan is hot enough.
- Fry the pancakes: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the skillet per pancake and gently press flat with the back of your spoon. Don't crowd the pan — I do about 3 at a time. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden and crispy. Add more butter and oil between batches as needed.
- Drain and serve: Transfer cooked pancakes to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately while they're hot — these are at their best right out of the pan.
Tips for Success
- Use Russet potatoes: Russets are starchier than waxy potatoes like red or new potatoes, and that starch is what helps the pancakes hold together and crisp up properly. I've tried Yukon Gold and they work, but Russets give you the crispiest result. I usually grab the big bag from Costco or Walmart — the plain budget Russets are perfect here.
- Don't skip the squeeze: I know I already said this in the intro but it genuinely matters enough to say twice. The first three times I made these, I was impatient about wringing out the potato moisture. The results were pale, floppy, sad pancakes. A thorough squeeze takes one extra minute and completely changes the outcome.
- Fry in batches, don't crowd: When pancakes overlap or touch in the pan, they steam each other instead of frying. I do 3 small pancakes per batch in my 10-inch skillet, wipe the pan between batches if it's getting too dark, and add fresh butter and oil each time. Yes, it takes longer, but it's the difference between crispy and soggy.
- Keep fried pancakes warm in the oven: If you're making a big batch and want to serve them all at once, set your oven to 200°F (95°C) and keep the finished pancakes on a wire rack on a sheet pan inside. This keeps them hot and actually helps them stay crisper than stacking them on a plate under foil, which traps steam.
- Press them thin: The flatter you press the batter in the pan, the crispier the edges get. I aim for about ¼ inch thick. Thicker pancakes take longer to cook through and the edges never get as lacy and crisp as the thin ones do.
Variations
- Sweet potato version: Replace half the Russet potato with grated sweet potato. The pancakes come out slightly sweeter and a deeper orange color. My kids actually prefer this version — Zainab calls them "the orange ones" and asks for them specifically. The frying time stays the same.
- Herbed pancakes: Stir in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley or dill before frying. Dill is especially nice if you're serving these with smoked salmon on top. Fresh chives also work well. I've also tried dried dill in a pinch — use about 1 teaspoon and it's a reasonable substitute.
- Cheesy version: Mix ¼ cup of shredded sharp cheddar or Gruyère into the batter. The cheese melts into the pancake as it fries and creates these crispy browned edges that are genuinely impossible to stop eating. This is my husband's preferred version.
- Vegan version: Use a flax egg instead of a regular egg: stir together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water, let it sit for 5 minutes until it thickens, then use it just like an egg. Fry in oil only instead of butter. The texture is slightly less rich but the pancakes still crisp up nicely.
- Spicy version: Add a pinch of cayenne or a teaspoon of finely diced jalapeño to the batter. This isn't traditional at all, but I've served these alongside Mexican Lasagna for a dinner where I wanted a potato side, and the spiced version fit the table perfectly.
Serving and Storage
Serving
Serve these hot, right out of the pan. The classic accompaniments are applesauce and sour cream — put both on the table and let people choose. For something more substantial, top them with a slice of smoked salmon and a small spoon of sour cream. They also work as a side dish next to roasted chicken or alongside BBQ Chicken Drumsticks if you want something more casual. In Germany these are often street food — served in a paper cone with applesauce — and honestly that's still my favorite way to eat them.
Storage
Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 10 minutes on a wire rack — the rack matters here, otherwise the bottom goes soggy. Don't reheat in the microwave if you care about the texture; it makes them soft and limp. To freeze, lay cooled pancakes in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-lock bag. Reheat directly from frozen in the oven at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
Yes — you can mix the batter and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. One thing to know: the potato will start to oxidize and turn a slightly pinkish-gray color, which looks alarming but doesn't affect the taste. Give it a good stir before frying and it'll be fine. I do this when I'm prepping for a weekend brunch the night before.
Why aren't my pancakes getting crispy?
Almost always, the answer is moisture. If you didn't squeeze the grated potatoes thoroughly, or if the pan wasn't hot enough before you added the batter, the pancakes will steam instead of fry. Make sure your butter-oil mixture is hot and shimmering before spooning in the batter, and do not skip the towel-squeeze step.
Can I freeze these pancakes?
Yes, and they freeze really well. Let the cooked pancakes cool completely, freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan first (so they don't stick together), then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes. They come back surprisingly crispy.
What type of potato works best?
Starchy potatoes give you the best result. Russets are my first choice — they're widely available, cheap, and have the right starch content to hold the pancake together and crisp up at the edges. Yukon Gold works too, but avoid waxy potatoes like red potatoes or fingerlings, which don't bind as well and tend to produce a denser pancake.
Do I have to use both butter and oil?
You don't have to, but it helps. Butter alone burns easily at the temperature you need to get crispy edges — I ruined a batch that way once. The oil raises the smoke point, so the butter can do its flavor job without scorching. If you want a dairy-free version, just use all vegetable oil and it still works fine.
BUTTERY GERMAN POTATO PANCAKES
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes peeled and grated
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter for frying
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
- Applesauce or sour cream optional, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Potatoes: Grate the potatoes and place them in a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze out excess moisture to ensure the pancakes crisp up nicely.
- Make the Batter: In a large bowl, combine the grated potatoes, chopped onion, egg, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until well mixed.
- Fry the Pancakes: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the skillet and flatten it slightly to form a pancake. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more butter and oil as needed.
- Serve: Serve the pancakes hot with applesauce or sour cream on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the batter in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Fry the pancakes when ready to serve.
- Customizing the Flavor: Add fresh herbs like parsley or dill to the batter for extra flavor. For a spicier version, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve these pancakes with a dollop of applesauce or sour cream for an authentic touch. They also pair wonderfully with roast meats or a side salad.
- Storage Tips: Leftover pancakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or a skillet to keep them crispy.
There are recipes I make because I have to feed people and there are recipes I make because I genuinely want to eat them. These Reibekuchen fall squarely in the second category. They're one of those dishes that's technically simple — grated potato, an egg, some flour — but gets something deeply right about the combination of crispy outside and soft inside that's just satisfying in a way I can't entirely explain.
I've made these on Friday nights as a snack, on Sunday mornings as a late breakfast, and more than once as a last-minute side dish when I had nothing else planned. They're the kind of recipe you make once and then find yourself coming back to without really planning to. If you want something to round out a bigger spread, they sit comfortably next to a plate of BBQ Chicken Drumsticks or honestly just a simple green salad.
If you try these, the one thing I'd ask you to remember is the squeeze. Everything else is forgiving — you can adjust the seasoning, swap in sweet potato, add cheese, forget the garlic powder entirely — but the moisture removal is non-negotiable. Do that right and you'll get those golden, lacy edges every time. 🥔✨
If you liked this, here are a few other recipes from my kitchen you might enjoy:
Comments
No Comments