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Sharing my twist on the classic holiday latke with these Herbed Cheddar Latkes. Shredded potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh herbs, all mixed together and pan-fried into a delicious and crisp potato pancake. Finish these off with a little flaky sea salt for the most addicting and perfect latke, that’s just as good as an appetizer as it is as a side dish.
I’m often asked how I come up with recipes, and what I do when I run out of inspiration. Whenever I need some fresh ideas my first source is always my family. And more often than not, it’s my soon to be sister-in-law, Lyndsie. She’s traveled the world and experienced so many different cultures and foods. Lynds is full of ideas. She prefers veggies, soups, and sides, and is oddly a big fan of lamb. She’s currently begging me to do some kind of holiday lamb roast, but I’m hesitant. What do you guys think?
I was talking to Lynds the other day and she insisted that I needed to make latkes. She was truly appalled that I didn’t have a good latke recipe on HBH already. Honestly, I had other plans for today’s post. But the idea of latkes excited me so much that I decided to rearrange. So, today we’re talking latkes!
I’m very, very excited, and could hardly wait to share this recipe with you. It truly is SO GOOD and great for both Hanukkah (which is very traditional) and Christmas entertaining.
There’s a lot of different versions of potato latkes out in this world. But after researching, I decided I wanted to do something herby and cheesy. No surprise there, I know. Hey, sometimes you just shouldn’t mess with a good thing. My favorite way to do potatoes is with herbs, cheese, and a little sea salt.
If you’ve never made a latke, prepare yourself, they’re EASY! I was actually shocked with how quickly and painlessly these came together.
You’ll need to have grated potatoes, I like to use a box grater for this step.
The batter is a simple mix of shredded potatoes, onion, bread crumbs, eggs, cheese, and herbs. All of which are ingredients you should keep on hand at all times, especially during the holidays.
Mix the potato mixture up and then pan fry in a little olive oil. Pan frying in oil is what gives the latkes that extra crisp outside. And? Because we’re adding cheese, these latkes have a nice soft, cheesy (and herby) center.
My personal favorite way to enjoy these is right off the skillet, while they’re still extra crisp. I sprinkle them with some fresh chives and my favorite flaky sea salt…one of the best indulgences there is. Think about it. Crisp on the outside, cheesy on the inside, filled with delicious fresh herbs, and perfectly salted to your taste.
Melt in your mouth GOOD! And one of those foods that will always excite you.
Of course, if you prefer, you can also enjoy these the more traditional way. With either applesauce (Lyndsie’s personal favorite), or Greek yogurt/sour cream (my mom and dad’s personal favorite).
If you’d like to make these for your next holiday party, you can easily make them in advance and just rewarm the latkes in the oven before serving. They won’t be quite as crisp as they are right out of the skillet, but still delicious, and oh so flavorful.
Honestly, if there was one potato dish to make this week, it’s these latkes. For the longest time I never really wanted to mess around with a latke recipe. But after making this recipe, it’s safe to say that I finally see what all the fuss is about.
Guys, latkes are the best! And yes, I even like them served with applesauce…although at first, I thought that sounded incredibly odd. It’s true what they say, don’t knock it till you try it!
It’s also true that these will become a new holiday tradition for my family. I already know that Lyndsie will be demanding we make a few batches for our family Christmas dinner. We better get an assembly line going…
That would sure make for a great Gerard family photo. Last time I had the brothers in the kitchen, Red rolled out pie dough… and then put it right back in the mixing bowl because he thought that was a pie plate.
Yikes.
If you make these latkes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Herbed Cheddar Latkes
Servings: 16
Calories Per Serving: 765 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 6 medium russet potatoes, grated
- 1 yellow onion, grated
- 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as oregano, thyme, and sage
- kosher salt and black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- flaky salt and fresh chopped chives, for serving
- plain greek yogurt and apple sauce, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Place the potatoes and onion in a large kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess moisture. Add to a large mixing bowl along with the bread crumbs, eggs, cheddar cheese, herbs, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Mix to evenly combine. 2. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, scoop about 1/4 cup of the potato mix and add to the pan, flattening down with a spatula. Work in batches of 3-4 and cook 4-5 minutes per side or until deeply golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and sprinkle with flaky salt.3. Serve immediately with applesauce and/or Greek yogurt.
Notes
- To keep the latkes warm, transfer to a wire cooling rack set inside a baking sheet and place in a 250 degree oven for up to 30 minutes.
Great recipe- made a day a head of time. Warmed them on Cookie sheets and they were a hit!
Hi there! Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! So glad you enjoyed it! xT
Hello!
Could these be roasted on cookie sheets & parchment paper in the oven? I’m hosting my beer club and these sound like they would make excellent noshes.
Thanks!
Hi Marybeth,
So sorry, you definitely want to fry these:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
How long in advance could I prep these?
HI! Up to 3 days, warm in the oven before serving. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and I hope you had Merry Christmas! Sorry my response is a bit late! xTieghan
I really don’t want to jump on this with other commenters, but this is the second time (at least) that you have taken a historically Jewish food and lumped it in with a different religion. I love your blog, but I really dislike my culture being repurposed for the religion that loves to pretend we don’t exist. Please please please recognize these cultural issues in the future.
Hi Gemma! I sincerely apologize for this. I by no means meant to disrespect you or your culture by this, and will look into the history further in the future! I hope you have an amazing week! xTieghan
No need to apologize! The Jews do not own latkes! It crosses many cultural and regional divides and is known as a staple to many outside of the Jewish faith and culture. You have adequately recognized the association with Jewish culture. That is enough.
These look fantastic! And I would love to see your take on some lamb recipes, please.
Thank you Daniel! xTieghan
Making this for supper right now, not sure if any will make it onto the plates! So delicious, thanks!
Thank you so much Mari!
This looks and sounds incredible. This food items at different places are really appealing to attract, our people really love to have spicy and such items for outing.
Thank you so much! I hope you love this recipe!
I made these a few nights ago. It was my first time making latkes and it was very easy. I used 3 large russet potatoes and ended up making about 30 latkes, which took some time to fry up. I added chopped chili peppers to the last half of the batch to get a variety. They were delicious and I’ve been eating the leftovers with an egg and sauteed kale in the morning- headed up all together in cast iron on my stove.
I am so glad you loved these Stephanie! Thank you!
Do use a grater for the onion or grate in a food processor? I want to make these tonight!
I just use a grater, but you could certainly great in the food processor too. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
I’m making these tonight (with mozzarella stuffed meatballs, spaghetti squash, and marinara. But I’m going to use half white potatoes and half sweet potatoes. I love all your cooking! Wish I could afford to buy your cookbook ?
Hi Marpy! I am so glad you love these and I hope they turn out amazing for you!
Tieghan- your commentary on this recipe, both in the paragraphs leading up to the recipe and in the comments, is very upsetting. How do you post about latkes and how there are lots of different latkes in the world and you researched it, without mentioning the story behind them? They are an integral part of Jewish culture, which even I, a Christian from South Carolina, know. Do you not study history in your schools? If you are going to culturally appropriate something, at least learn the background. I expected better from you. I will no longer be following your page and will be telling my fellow chefs to do the same.
In Christ,
Felicity
Hi Felicity, I am sorry you feel this way and sorry to have upset you, that was by no means my intention. I hope you have a great holiday season and enjoy your time with family and friends. Best, Tieghan
I made these tonight and promptly forgot to squeeze the potatoes. Still delicious but not as pretty as yours, but you are a pro after all. I had mine with sour cream and warm jalapeño jelly I happened to have on hand since I made a batch for presents today.
Hi Terri! I am so glad you enjoyed these latkes still! Thank you for trying them!
Yes. Lamb is fantastic. Leg of Lamb – Rack of Lamb. You can’t go wrong. Listen to Lindsie! I like to make lamb meatballs and homemade naan. My favorite lamb recipe is a pesto rubbed leg.
Thank you so much Jennifer!
This is a beautiful recipe, and I agree with the other commenters about the lack of acknowledgement of this being part of Jewish tradition. It is not just a cultural dish, it is meaningful to the lives of the Jewish people because Latkes are made to represent the miracle of the menorah oil lasting for 8 days. It would have been more appropriate to call them potato pancakes rather than using the traditional Yiddish word. With so many people suggesting that they’ll make Latkes on Christmas without any acknowledgment of the origin of the food almost feels like cultural appropriation, clearly taking elements from the minority culture and using them in the dominant culture. Just some food for thought…I only speak up on this post as a Jewish person, but do not dismiss other instances where this may have happened for other cultures on your blog. Thank you for continuing to provide delicious recipes, and I hope this feedback will help you be more mindful in the future!
Hi McKenna! I did not mean to offend anyone by using this term. I am sorry I was not aware of the background of this food, but thank you for letting me know. I will be more mindful in the future and I truly appreciate this comment. I hope you have a great weekend! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing such tasty recipe and please keep sharing!
Thank you so much!