Oma's Quick & Easy German Potato Pancake (Kartoffelpuffer)

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

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Easy & Quick German Potato Pancake Recipe - Oma’s Kartoffelpuffer

Oma's easy German potato pancake recipe is just that. Super quick and easy Kartoffelpuffer. Blend that traditional and authentic taste with a method that only takes minutes. Wunderbar lecker!

This German potato pancake recipe originated in my kitchen after I had scraped my knuckles grating potatoes. Everyone loved the pancakes, but I had to find easier (and safer) potato pancake recipes. 

Out came the blender ... the following recipe developed. Best of all, no more scraped knuckles using a blender! No blender? Check out my Mutti's recipe, the traditional way of making these.

Mutti's original pancakes have 'shreds' of potatoes. To duplicate this with the blender, do not take potato pancake batter to a 'smoothie' consistency.

So either by grating or by carefully using the blender, you'll get potato pancakes that are a German comfort food, just when you need it.

In Germany, these pancakes are readily available at outdoor markets and festivals. One of the reasons is that it's easier and doesn't smell up the kitchen with the "frying smells".

Never-the-less, fresh, made-at-home potato pancakes are a treat!

Oma's fun fact

Did you know that during Hanukkah, the Jews have a potato latke recipe that is very similar to the German potato pancake recipe.

Theirs, however, are fried in oil because the oil is in keeping with the story of the flame that miraculously stayed lit.

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5 Tips on making German Potato Pancakes

1. Please use butter. Oil will work, but you can't beat the butter flavor. You can add a bit of oil to the butter to increase the point at which it would burn.
2. The quantities for this recipe need not be exact and can be changed according to your tastes. Onions are optional. Amount of flour is dependent on how moist the potatoes are.  Add just enough until the consistency of the batter is not too runny.
3. If the potatoes are too dry, you may need to add an extra egg so that the blender will mix properly.
4. You may need to practice this a few times to decide at what point to stop blending. You don't want a puree! The practice is worth it, though. These pancakes taste that good!
5. Mutti's traditional German recipe calls for peeling the potatoes. Keeping the skin on, though, is healthier. Do whichever you like. I opt for keeping the skin on if they are new potatoes -- not only healthier, but easier too!

Why serve Them With Applesauce?

Applesauce is a wunderbar accompaniment to so many foods! You'll quite often see potato pancakes are served with it as well.

Why is this so popular you may ask? Well, the applesauce actually helps get rid of the oiliness of the potato! 

While adding sour cream can be a yummy alternative too, it can make your potato pancakes heavier in texture and taste, and the best part of potato pancake is the lightness of it. Wow, food can be so fascinating!

It is all up to personal preference, but if you want to accentuate that delicious potato flavor, then some sweet applesauce will do the trick!

But if you like a nice creamy taste and texture, sour cream just might be more your style.

Do You Want TRADITIONAL potato pancakes

Go to traditional recipe >

Make these traditionally hand-grated potato pancakes ... easier ... like I often do now, since I've purchased an electric slicer and grater. It makes this so much easier and safer!

What is the difference Between Potato Pancakes and Latkes?

The main difference between the two is that potato pancakes are quite a bit thinner than potato latkes. 

When making potato pancakes, they need to be shredded much smaller than the potato used in latkes as well. Though they are made using very similar ingredients, potato pancakes are softer in their texture. But when it comes to their taste, they could be hard to tell apart, they're both just that good! 

Due to the smaller shredding of the potato in the potato pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer) you can notice by looking at them that they are more round shaped than latkes.

If you compare the two side-by-side then you can see pieces of potato sticking out of the latkes because of their bigger shreds.

Overall, both similar to make, similar in appearance and best of all, similar in taste ... delicious!

Ready to make Oma's easy potato pancakes?

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Print Recipe

Quick & Easy German Potato Pancake Recipe – Oma’s Kartoffelpuffer

This German Potato Pancake Recipe, aka Kartoffelpuffer, originated in my kitchen after I had scraped my knuckles grating potatoes. Everyone loved the pancakes, but I had to find easier (and safer) potato pancake recipes. 

Out came the blender ... the following recipe developed. Best of all, no more scraped knuckles using a blender! (If you're wanting the grated type, check out this Kartoffelpuffer recipe.)

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 or 5 large (1½ pounds) potatoes, peeled
  
• 1 large egg
• about ¼ cup chopped onion
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
  
• about 2 tablespoons flour
  
• butter or oil

Instructions:

1. Turn on oven to 'warm' setting to keep fried pancakes warm.
2. Cut up potatoes (about 4 cups) and put in blender.
3. Add egg, onion, salt, and flour.
4. Blend, stopping frequently to scrape down sides.
5. Heat enough butter or mixture of butter and oil to coat bottom of fry pan. Keep on medium-high heat.
6. Drop spoonfuls of batter into pan, pressing down lightly with back of spoon to flatten pancake.
7. Fry until brown (about 3 to 4 minutes), flip over, and continue frying until cooked through and crispy brown (about 3 to 4 minutes).
8. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any fat and then transfer to the oven to keep warm. 
9. Continue frying till all batter is used, adding more butter (or oil) as needed.
10. Best served immediately.

Notes/Hints:

• Please use butter or a butter/oil mix. Just oil will work, but you can't beat the butter flavor!
• The quantities for this recipe need not be exact and can be changed according to your tastes. Onions are optional. Amount of flour is dependent on how moist the potatoes are.  Add just enough until the consistency of the batter is not too runny.
• If the potatoes are too dry, you may need to add an extra egg so that the blender will mix properly.
• You may need to practice this a few times to decide at what point to stop blending. The practice is worth it, though. These pancakes taste that good!
• Mutti's traditional German recipe calls for peeling the potatoes. Keeping the skin on, though, is healthier. 
• Do whichever you like. I opt for keeping the skin on if they are new potatoes -- not only healthier, but easier too!
• Serve these with applesauce, sugar, or sour cream. They can also be used as a side dish.
• If you're wanting the traditional grated pancakes, check out these German potato pancakes.

*  *  *  *  *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

07.19.2021 revision update

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Quick & Easy German Potato Pancake Recipe – Oma’s Kartoffelpuffer

By Oma Gerhild Fulson

Oma's easy German potato pancake recipe is just that. Super quick and easy Kartoffelpuffer. Blend that traditional and authentic taste with a method that only takes minutes.

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: potatoes, egg, onion, flour, salt, butter/oil,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.