Air Fryer Latkes: Frozen To Crispy In Minutes

Latkes are a traditional Jewish dish, often eaten during Hanukkah. They are small, fried potato pancakes, usually made with grated potatoes, flour, and eggs. While they are typically fried on a stovetop, an air fryer is a great alternative to achieve the same crispy texture with less oil. This method is also less messy and time-consuming.

If you're looking to cook frozen latkes in an air fryer, there are a few steps you should follow. First, make sure you have thawed the latkes and removed any excess liquid. Then, preheat your air fryer to around 350-400°F. You can then place the latkes in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded, and spray them with cooking oil. Depending on your air fryer model, you may need to flip the latkes halfway through cooking. For crispy latkes, aim for a total cooking time of around 13-20 minutes.

You can serve these crispy treats with sour cream, applesauce, or chives for a delicious appetizer or side dish!

Preheat the air fryer to 350-400˚F

Preheating your air fryer is essential to achieving the perfect crispiness in your latkes. While different air fryer models may have varying preheating functions, the ideal temperature range for cooking frozen latkes is between 350-400˚F.

For example, one recipe recommends preheating your air fryer to 375˚F, which falls right within the optimal temperature range. This temperature setting will ensure that your latkes attain a desirable golden brown crisp on the outside while remaining warm and fluffy on the inside.

Another recipe suggests preheating your air fryer to 400˚F, which is the higher end of the recommended temperature range. This higher temperature is suitable for achieving a more intense crispiness in your latkes.

It is important to note that the preheating temperature may vary slightly depending on the specific model of your air fryer, so it is always a good idea to refer to the manufacturer's instructions or guidelines.

By preheating your air fryer to the appropriate temperature, you can be sure that your frozen latkes will cook evenly and efficiently, resulting in a delicious and crispy treat.

Prepare the potato and onion mixture

Preparing the potato and onion mixture is a crucial step in making delicious and crispy latkes. Here's a detailed guide to help you through the process:

Step 1: Choosing and Preparing the Potatoes and Onions

Start by selecting the right type of potatoes. Russet potatoes are generally recommended as the "gold standard" for latkes due to their high starch content and dry, mealy texture. This dryness contributes to achieving that desirable crispy texture in your latkes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into halves or slices. For onions, yellow or yellow sweet onions are a good choice, but you can also use white or red onions. Peel and halve the onions.

Step 2: Grating the Potatoes and Onions

Using a food processor with a shredding disc or a box grater, shred the potatoes and onions. If you're using a food processor, cut the potatoes into halves or slices that will fit into the feed tube. The shredding disc will quickly grate the potatoes and onions into a uniform texture. If you're using a box grater, apply gentle pressure and move the potato or onion back and forth until it's completely grated.

Step 3: Removing Excess Moisture

Place the grated potatoes and onions in a cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Gather the corners of the cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is crucial, as removing excess moisture will ensure that your latkes are crispy and not soggy. The drier the mixture, the crispier your latkes will be.

Step 4: Combining the Potato and Onion Mixture

In a large bowl, combine the dried potatoes and onions with the rest of the ingredients. This typically includes eggs, flour or matzo meal, salt, and pepper. You can also add additional spices or herbs like garlic powder, seasoned salt, nutmeg, or cinnamon to enhance the flavor. Mix the ingredients thoroughly until you have a well-combined latke batter.

Step 5: Forming the Latke Patties

Use a measuring cup or your hands to portion out the latke mixture into flat, evenly sized patties. Place them on a parchment-lined surface or a wire rack. This step ensures consistent cooking and promotes even browning when frying.

By following these steps, you'll have a perfectly prepared potato and onion mixture that is ready to be cooked. Remember, the key to successful latkes is taking the time to remove excess moisture from the potatoes and onions, as this will result in a crispier texture.

Form the mixture into patties

To form the mixture into patties, you'll need to start by scooping some of the mixture into your hands. The exact amount will depend on how big you want your latkes to be—some recipes suggest using a 1/3 cup of the mixture for each patty, while others recommend 1/4 cup.

Once you've got your desired amount of mixture, shape it into a flat, round patty, about 3 to 4 inches wide and 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Place the formed patty on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper and repeat this process until you've used up all your mixture.

Some recipes suggest using a spatula to help with the shaping process. You can scoop the mixture onto a spatula and then use your fingers to flatten it into a patty. You can also use a fork to help shape the patties.

After shaping all the patties, you'll want to spray them with cooking spray or oil before placing them in the air fryer. This will help ensure a crispy exterior.

Grease the air fryer and add the latkes

Now that your air fryer is preheated to the desired temperature, it's time to grease the air fryer basket or racks and add the latkes.

Greasing the air fryer surface is an important step as it ensures that your latkes will not stick to the air fryer and helps to achieve that desirable crispy texture. You can use any cooking spray or oil with a high smoking point, such as avocado oil, olive oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, or even sesame oil. Spray or brush the surface of the air fryer basket or racks generously with your chosen cooking spray or oil.

Next, it's time to add the latke mixture. Drop the mixture in dollops of around 2-3 tablespoons each, then flatten the tops to form patties. Make sure you do not crowd the air fryer. Leave enough space between each latke to allow for even cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the latkes in batches.

Once you have added the latkes to the air fryer, spray or brush the tops of the latkes with cooking spray or oil. This step is crucial for achieving the crispy texture and golden-brown colour that latkes are known for.

Now that your air fryer is greased and the latkes are added, you are one step closer to enjoying delicious, crispy latkes!

Cook for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5-6 minutes

Cooking latkes in an air fryer is a great way to make this traditional dish healthier without deep-frying in oil. Air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food, cooking it to perfection with less oil and fewer calories.

When cooking frozen latkes in an air fryer, the process is slightly different from cooking them fresh. Here is a step-by-step guide to cooking frozen latkes in your air fryer for 8 minutes, then flipping and cooking for another 5-6 minutes:

Step 1: Prepare the Latkes

Fully thaw your frozen hash browns or shredded potatoes and remove any excess liquid. Place the potatoes on a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. You can also use paper towels to absorb the liquid. This step is crucial, as removing moisture is the secret to achieving crispy latkes.

Step 2: Make the Latke Mixture

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with the remaining ingredients, such as onions, eggs, matzo meal or breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Step 3: Form the Latkes

Use your hands or a spoon to form the mixture into patties. A standard size is about 1/4 cup or 2-3 tablespoon dollops for each patty. The mixture will be somewhat damp, so be sure to squeeze out any excess liquid as you form the patties.

Step 4: Preheat the Air Fryer and Cook

Preheat your air fryer to 350-400°F. Add parchment paper to the air fryer basket to prevent sticking. Place the latkes in the basket, making sure they are not overcrowded, and spray them lightly with cooking oil.

Step 5: Flip and Cook Again

After 8 minutes, flip the latkes over and spray again with cooking oil. Cook for another 5-6 minutes. This will ensure that your latkes are crispy and golden brown all over.

Step 6: Serve

Remove the latkes from the air fryer and serve immediately. Latkes go well with sour cream, applesauce, chives, smoked salmon, or even pimento cheese. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Results

• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Space out the latkes to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
• Flip the latkes halfway through the cooking process.
• Use an oil sprayer and your oil of choice to give the latkes a beautiful brown color.
• For a more traditional homemade taste, use matzo meal instead of breadcrumbs. It is coarser, so let it absorb the liquid from the potatoes for a few minutes before frying.
• For extra crispiness, add some of the strained potato starch back into the mixture before frying.

Enjoy your delicious, crispy, and healthy frozen latkes!

Frequently asked questions