Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)

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Delightfully crispy and flavorful, these authentic German potato pancakes, Kartoffelpuffer, are fun to make and even more delicious to eat!  They can be sweet or savory depending on the toppings you choose or what you serve them with. Made the way my Mutti and Oma made them in authentic German fashion!

A quintessential German treat beloved across every region of Germany, Kartoffelpuffer (German potato pancakes) are not only a favorite dish to serve at home but are also a popular street food found at local Volksfests and holiday events like Fasching, Karneval and Christmas markets.

In particular these German potato pancakes bring back memories of going to my Oma and Opa’s house.  Throughout my childhood and through young adulthood my Oma would regularly make these when we went over to their house.  My brother and I would play cards at kitchen table with my Opa while my Oma stood over the stove with the crackling sounds and smells of frying Kartoffelpuffer filling the air.  Before long, plates of hot Kartoffelpuffer were set out on the table and we helped ourselves to a sprinkle of powdered sugar and generous heaps of applesauce.  My Oma knew to make big batches of these Kartoffelpuffer because my brother and I could rarely get enough of them.

What Are Kartoffelpuffer?

Depending on the region of Germany, Kartoffelpuffer are also known as Reibekuchen, Reibeplätzchen, Reiberdatschi and Grumbeerpannekuche.

You may also be familiar with Swiss Rösti.  But those are something different.  The key difference lies in the size of the grated potatoes:  Rösti are shredded whereas Kartoffelpuffer are finely grated.  Also, with Rösti the potatoes are sometimes grated raw but more often are parboiled whole in their skins for a few minutes so that the center is still hard, then peeled and grated once they’ve cooled down.  Because the potatoes are grated/shredded on the largest setting (in German, “grob geraspelt”) to get large, long strands, parboiling them first prevents the outside of the Rösti from burning before the potatoes are thoroughly cooked through.  Grated onions are usually added and sometimes bacon and cheese, depending on the region.  Rösti are also fried longer until they are light brown and crunchy.

Kartoffelpuffer on the other hand are made from potatoes that are grated raw and grated finely (allowing them to cook quickly and evenly).  The shredded potatoes are wrung out in a clean dish towel and then mixed with egg, finely grated onion and flour and then fried to light golden.  The end result is a crispy exterior and soft interior.

How to Serve German Potato Pancakes

Kartoffelpuffer can be served either sweet or savory.  Most commonly they’re served dusted with powdered sugar and/or some apple sauce or other fruit compote. But in some areas of Germany they are also served with savory toppings such as herbed Quark, yogurt-herb sauce, or smoked salmon. Or served as a side with beef or pork and drizzled with gravy like Rahm Sauce, Mushroom Gravy or Onion Gravy and accompanied by Rotkohl or Sauerkraut. Try your German potato pancakes both sweet and savory style, they’re delicious both ways!

Kartoffelpuffer Recipe

Let’s get started!

Use a grater or food processor to finely grate the potatoes.  You don’t want thick strands.  Either place the grated potatoes in a colander and thoroughly squeeze the liquid out with your hands or place them in a clean dish towel and wring it to squeeze out the liquid.

Place the drained grated potatoes in a bowl along with the grated onion, eggs, flour and salt.  Use your hands to knead the mixture together until you have a thick, tacky mass.  Don’t let this mixture sit for long before frying it.

Heat some oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add 1/3-1/2 cup (depending on size preference) of the potato mixture to the frying pan and flatten it with the back of a spoon to form pancakes.  Fry the Kartoffelpuffer on both sides (about 3-5 minutes) until golden brown.  Place the fried potato pancakes on paper towels to briefly blot them and then immediately serve them while hot.

Serve with applesauce, fruit compote, or powdered sugar or serve it savory-style with some herbed yogurt, quark or creme fraiche or with meat and gravy.

Guten Appetit!

For more authentic German recipes be sure to try my:

• Spaetzle
• Kaesespaetzle
• Schnitzel
• Jagerschnitzel
• German Goulash
• Schweinshaxe
• Currywurst
• Sauerbraten
• Rouladen
• Rotkohl
• Maultaschen
• German Potato Soup
• German Potato Salad
• Semmelknödel
• Königsberger Klopse
• German Potato Dumplings
• Zwiebelkuchen
• German Bread (Vollkornbrot)
• Obatzda

Originally published October 24, 2017