This easy family recipe is ready in about 25 minutes and can be served in many different ways. In Poland, some people enjoy them with sour cream, while others like them with a little sugar. They are also delicious topped with rich Polish goulash for a filling meal.
In this recipe, I’ll show you the simple tricks that help make potato pancakes extra crispy every time, including how to remove extra moisture and use the natural potato starch for the best texture.
What Are Placki Ziemniaczane?
Placki ziemniaczane (pronounced PLAHTS-kee zhem-nyah-CHAH-neh) are traditional Polish potato pancakes made from grated raw potatoes, egg, flour, and salt. Many families also add grated onion and a little black pepper for extra flavor, while others leave them out if the pancakes will be served with sugar.
These crispy potato pancakes have been enjoyed in Poland for generations. They are often served as a simple lunch, a meatless Friday meal, or as a side dish with hearty stews. You can find them in homes, restaurants, and traditional Polish milk bars all over the country.
Every family has its own favorite way to make placki ziemniaczane. Some like them extra crispy, while others prefer them a little softer in the middle. No matter how they are made, they are always best served hot, fresh from the pan.
Why I Love This Recipe
This simple recipe for Polish Potato Pancakes are my family’s favorite side dish. Traditional Placki Ziemniaczane can be eaten as a savory and sweet meal. Starting with russet potatoes and onions (that I recommend not adding if you want to eat them sweet :D), this simple mix turns into something magical. The secret to their crispy edges and tender insides lies in frying them in hot oil until they’re golden brown.
They also bring out strong opinions (and fun debates!). Sweet or savory? With onions or without? Topped with goulash or a sprinkle of sugar? However you serve them, placki ziemniaczane are always a crowd-pleaser.
Another thing I love about this recipe is how easy it is to change. You can keep it simple with sour cream, enjoy it with sugar for a sweet treat, or serve it with Polish goulash for a hearty meal. No matter how you top them, they’re always crispy, comforting, and full of homemade flavor.
Sweet or Savory? Both Are Traditional
One of the best things about Polish potato pancakes is that you can enjoy them in different ways. Some families serve them with sour cream, fresh dill, mushroom sauce, or rich Polish goulash. Others love them with a sprinkle of sugar, just like many grandparents have made them for years.
If you plan to serve your placki ziemniaczane with sugar, it’s best to leave out the onion and black pepper. This gives the pancakes a milder flavor that works perfectly with sweet toppings.
Necessary Equipment
- Box grater or food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Large nonstick or cast iron skillet
- Slotted spatula
- Paper towels for draining
- Spoon for portioning the batter
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Russet Potatoes – Their high starch content makes them perfect for crisp, golden pancakes with a soft center. You can use Yukon Golds in a pinch, though the texture will be slightly different.
Onion – Traditional and flavorful, but totally optional. If you’re planning to serve the pancakes with sugar or sweet toppings, you can skip the onion entirely.
Egg – Helps bind the mixture together so the pancakes hold their shape.
All-Purpose Flour – Just enough to bring everything together. You can use a gluten-free flour blend or a spoonful of potato starch if needed.
Salt & Black Pepper – Season to taste. If you’re leaning sweet with toppings, leave out the pepper and go lighter on the salt.
Vegetable Oil – For frying. Any neutral oil works, or you can use lard for a more traditional flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Potatoes and Onion
Peel and wash the potatoes, then grate them on the fine side of a box grater. You can also use a food processor if you want to save time. If using onion, grate it with the potatoes. Place everything into a large bowl and let it sit for 2–3 minutes.
Now gently press the mixture against the side of the bowl with a spoon or your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Don’t throw the liquid away just yet. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. The potato starch will settle at the bottom of the bowl. Carefully pour off the water, then add the white potato starch back into the grated potatoes. This simple trick helps hold the pancakes together and makes them even crispier.
2. Mix the Batter
Add the egg, flour, salt, and black pepper (if using) to the potatoes. Stir everything together until well combined. The batter should hold together but should not be too wet or runny. If it looks too loose, add a little more flour, one spoonful at a time, until it reaches the right consistency.
3. Heat the Oil
In a large skillet, heat a generous amount of vegetable oil over medium heat. The oil should be hot enough that a small drop of batter sizzles when added — this ensures your pancakes will be crisp and not greasy.
4. Cook the Placki Ziemniaczane
Scoop about 1/4 cup of the batter for each pancake into the hot oil. Flatten it slightly with the back of the spoon to form a round, even pancake, about 1/4 inch thick. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side, or until the edges are golden and the center is cooked through.
(Tip: Work in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan — this helps them cook evenly and stay crispy.)
5. Drain and Serve
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve hot, straight from the pan, with your favorite toppings — whether savory with sour cream or goulash, or sweet with a sprinkle of sugar and a dollop of sour cream.
Tips
- Choose the Right Potatoes: Russet potatoes are ideal for their starchy content, which helps create a crispy exterior.
- Remove Excess Moisture: After grating, press the mixture to squeeze out any liquid. This is crucial for achieving that perfect crispiness.
- Use Hot Oil: Make sure your oil is hot before adding the batter. It should sizzle upon contact. This helps the pancakes start cooking immediately, preventing them from absorbing too much oil and becoming soggy.
- Drain Well: After frying, let them rest on a paper towel-lined plate to remove any excess oil.
- Serve Immediately: Potato pancakes are best enjoyed hot and crispy, right out of the skillet.
- Use a Food Processor: For a quicker prep time, use a food processor with a grating attachment. Just make sure to still remove excess liquid.
- Save the potato starch: After draining the potatoes, let the liquid sit for a few minutes. Pour off the water and stir the white starch left at the bottom back into the batter. This is an old Polish trick that helps make the pancakes crispier.
Serving Suggestions
These crispy potato pancakes are delicious served with sour cream and fresh dill. For a more filling meal, top them with Polish pork goulash or a creamy mushroom sauce. If you like sweet flavors, try them with a sprinkle of sugar, applesauce, or sour cream with a little honey.
To make a complete Polish meal, serve them with Mizeria (Polish cucumber salad), a bowl of Gulasz, or another traditional Polish dish. They also pair well with roasted meats and sausages.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: Potato pancake batter is best used right after you make it. As it sits, the potatoes can turn gray and release more liquid. If you need to prep ahead, grate the potatoes shortly before cooking and keep the batter in the fridge for no more than 1–2 hours.
Refrigerator: Store cooked potato pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Let the pancakes cool completely, then place pieces of parchment paper between them so they don’t stick together. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: For the crispiest results, reheat the pancakes in a 375°F (190°C) oven, an air fryer, or a dry skillet until hot and crispy again. Avoid using the microwave if possible, as it makes them soft.
Troubleshooting
My potato pancakes are soft instead of crispy. This usually means there was too much liquid in the potatoes or the oil wasn’t hot enough. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can before mixing the batter.
My pancakes fall apart. The batter may need a little more flour or the natural potato starch from the drained potatoes. Also, wait until the first side is golden before flipping.
My potato pancakes turned gray. This happens because grated potatoes darken when they sit too long. Fry the batter as soon as it’s mixed for the best color.
My pancakes are greasy. The oil wasn’t hot enough when you started frying. The batter should sizzle as soon as it touches the pan.
Common Mistakes
Not draining the potato mixture enough – Too much moisture will make the pancakes fall apart and stay soft.
Adding too much flour – You want just enough to bind, not to make them doughy.
Frying in oil that’s not hot enough – Lukewarm oil leads to greasy pancakes. Wait for that sizzle!
Crowding the pan – Give them space to get that perfect golden crisp.
FAQ
What’s the best potato to use for potato pancakes?
Russet potatoes are the best choice for potato pancakes due to their high starch content, which helps create a crispy exterior and fluffy interior.
Why are my potato pancakes rubbery?
Potato pancakes become rubbery primarily due to excess moisture in the batter. Ensure you thoroughly drain the grated potatoes and onion and remove as much liquid as possible before mixing with the other ingredients.
Why are my potato pancakes gray?
Potato pancakes can turn gray when the grated potatoes are exposed to air for too long before cooking, due to oxidation. To prevent this, cook them immediately after grating or soak the grated potatoes in cold water, adding a bit of lemon juice or vinegar, and then drain well before using.
What’s the difference between Polish potato pancakes and latkes?
Both are made with grated potatoes, but Polish potato pancakes are usually thinner and have crisp, lacy edges. They are also often served as a full meal with sour cream, sugar, or Polish goulash.
Can I make potato pancakes without flour?
Yes. Many Polish cooks use the natural potato starch that settles after draining the potatoes instead of flour. This also makes the pancakes gluten-free.
What is Placki po Węgiersku?
Placki po Węgiersku means “Hungarian-style potato pancakes.” Two large potato pancakes are filled with rich Polish goulash and served with sour cream. It’s a popular dish in many Polish restaurants.
Placki Ziemniaczane (Polish Potato Pancakes)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 20 Pancakes 1x
Description
These delicious traditional Polish Potato Pancakes, also known as Placki Ziemniaczane is a great main dish or side dish to meat and sauces. See how to make the best potato pancakes with our easy recipe for placki ziemniaczane.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes (peeled and washed)
- 1 large Onion ((omit if you want to serve them with sugar))
- 1 large Egg
- 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper (optional)
- Vegetable oil (for frying )
Instructions
- Prepare the Potatoes and Onion: Grate the potatoes and onion on the small holes of a box grater or use a food processor for a quicker method. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then drain any excess liquid by gently pressing the mixture against the side of the bowl with a spoon or your hands.
- Combine Ingredients: To the drained potato and onion mixture, add the egg, flour, salt, and pepper (remember if you want to serve them with sugar and sour cream, to not add so much salt, and to omit black pepper completely). Stir until well combined. The batter should be cohesive but not too runny; if it feels too wet, you can add a little more flour to adjust the consistency.
- Heat the Oil: In a large skillet, heat a generous amount of oil over medium heat. The oil should cover the bottom of the pan and be hot enough that the batter sizzles when it touches the oil.
- Cook the Placki Ziemniaczane: For each pancake, spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet. Flatten it slightly with the back of the spoon to form a pancake about 1/4 inch thick. Cook until the edges are crispy and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Serve Hot: Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve hot, ideally with a sprinkle of salt or with a sprinkle of white sugar with a dollop sour cream for a classic touch.
Notes
Soaking the grated potatoes in cold water for a few minutes before draining can help remove some of the starch, potentially making for a crispier pancake.
Ensure your skillet and oil are properly heated before adding the batter to achieve the desired crispiness.
For an authentic experience, consider serving these pancakes as part of a larger Polish meal or as a standalone treat with your favorite toppings.
Going gluten-free? Swap flour for the natural potato starch you save during draining.
Keep pancakes warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish frying the batch.
For extra crispy edges, make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the batter.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Side Dish
- Cuisine: Polish
Nutrition
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
Nutrition Information
This website offers estimated nutritional details, which may vary depending on the specific ingredients used.
Never use a food processor it will not turn out as it should that’s one thing I don’t agree with
Hey Eugene! I also prefer the method with the grater, because they always come out tasting like from my family home. But sometimes i needed to use the food procesor, and they turned out with a slightly different texture but the taste was still the same :). But of course I recommend everyone use they preferred method! I hope You like the recipe!
My mother made these all the time grading them by hand. I was wondering what setting to use if using a food processor?
How lovely that it brings back memories of your mom! For the food processor, use the coarse grating setting—it gives a texture closest to hand-grated. Hope they turn out just like hers!
I used a blender but cut potatoes into chunks and carefully pulsed so texture is like hash browns.
Cold water rinse after shredding then squeeze out to remove starch – prevents turning dark.
Use matza meal or crushed crackers instead of flour as binder.
Recipe was easy. I loved the cooking tips to ensure they turned out crispy. Tastes like I remembered. Delicious!
You can illuminate the flour which sometimes gives the pancakes a somewhat gummy consistency by using bread crumbs instead. Add enough bread crumbs to produce a mixture that’s on the dry side with no liquid showing.
Tried that and went back to original as it was similar to my old family recipe. Bread crumbs doesn’t taste right.
My mum always added extra flour if the potatoes were runny. She never drained them and said that this way she could make the potatoes go further.
I would suggest using as little to no flour as possible. Drain the potatoes well but keep the liquid in a bowl. The potato starch will settle, then pour off the water and add the starch back in with the potatoes. It’s usually enough. A secret to crispy placki is that after frying, lay them on a paper bag to soak off some of the oil. Better than using paper towels.
These have always been my favorite growing up, and they still are. We would grate five pounds of potatoes. We didn’t have to worry about freezing because there weren’t any leftovers. Now I use a blender much faster and less painful. Next time I plan to use the mushroom topping.
very good I find that adding a couple spoons of cornmeal help soak up any excess liquid and make for a crispier cake
Topped with fresh bacon bits and chopped green onions, along with sour cream. Fried in a little bacon fat.
I’m making these for the first time tonight, can you tell me approximately how many these make? I’m excited to try these!
How exciting! This recipe for placki ziemniaczane typically make about 10-12 pancakes, depending on the size you make them and the recipe you’re using. Enjoy your cooking, and I hope they turn out amazing!
I grate my potatoes with my food processor and then place them in a colander to let them drain.
My Polish side of the family has always served with a side of diced tomatoes sprinkled with some salt and pepper.
Serving potato pancakes has always been a New Years Day tradition we look forward to. Along with pork of some kind, fried sauerkraut, and black eyed peas (we live in the South).
Thank you for sharing your tradition—it sounds absolutely wonderful! Using a food processor and draining the potatoes is such a smart way to save time. Serving them with diced tomatoes is a unique and tasty twist! I love how you’ve combined Polish and Southern traditions for New Year’s Day—it sounds like a feast to look forward to every year. Happy New Year to you and your family!
I love Polish Food, its the best. I was raised on Polish Food.
That’s wonderful to hear! Polish food is truly special—so many delicious flavors and comforting dishes. Thank you for sharing your love for it! 😊
These are fantastic. I take the time to grate the potatoes myself. I normally don’t make them often. A lot during Lent for Friday’s. Great if severed with Kraft Mac n Cheese!! 🙂
So happy you loved them! Grating by hand really gives the best texture. I love that you make them during Lent—and serving them with mac and cheese sounds like a fun combo!
My mother made these all the time. we toped with cottage cheese with a little salt and a lot of pepper!
No sugar and squeeze as much of the liquid as possible. I usually add milk if I need more liquid..sour cream and applesauce and butter for toppings.
That sounds delicious! 😊 Every family seems to have their own special way of making potato pancakes. Adding a little milk if the mixture feels too thick is a great tip, and sour cream, applesauce, and butter are all wonderful traditional toppings. Thank you for sharing how your family enjoys them! 💛
I grew up on these my mom made them all the time. We put butter or margarine on them with salt and pepper. Loved them and still do!!!
That’s such a classic Polish way to enjoy them! 😊 A little butter, salt, and pepper on hot potato pancakes is absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing that memory—it sounds like your mom made them just the way many Polish families did. ❤️🥔
What about the white sauce to dip? That garlic sauce was soo good too
Yes! 😊 The white sauce is simply sour cream. In Poland, potato pancakes are often served with a dollop of sour cream, and many people like to mix in a little garlic, salt, and fresh dill or chives for extra flavor. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🥔❤️
Add just a little lemon juice . Barely a cap full to keep the potatoes from turning brown
That’s a great tip! 😊 A tiny splash of lemon juice can help slow browning if you’re grating the potatoes ahead of time. Just be careful not to add too much—a capful is plenty and won’t affect the flavor. Thanks for sharing your trick! 💛🥔
Mom made these ever since I was a little girl. (Polish family here too) When she was in her 90’s she was always at the stove frying them up when she knew I was stopping at her apartment for a visit. I’m in my 80’s now, and it’s getting hard to grate all those potatoes by hand! But she never complained, so I won’t either. Miss you mom!! ♥♥♥
My mom made the best potato pancakes. They were very crispy on the edges. She also used onion, even tho we would eat them with syrup or mustard. I like them both ways. During Covid I had a taste for potato pancakes. They just didn’t taste the same to me. I always used a blender for the potatoes, I think my taster was off because I had Covid at the time. I’m going to make them again. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hello Ronnie! I think some of the things that your mom could’ve made differently is use a thick cut grater to grate the potatoes, (blender is okay for the onions) and she could fry the pancake on lard, wich now is not so widely used, but if you are looking for more classic outcome its worth to try this way 🙂