Don’t want to be standing over the frying pan when you should be enjoying Chanukah nights with family and guests? You can prep latkes earlier in the day or in advance and freeze. Here’s how.
Years ago, if you would have told me that I was going to offer tips on “How to Freeze Potato Latkes,” I would have told you, “You must be speaking to the wrong person.” I would have most likely yelled, “NEVER, EVER FREEZE LATKES! Don’t serve them if you can’t make them fresh!”
They say, though, age makes you wiser. People are getting busier and busier and we simply can’t do it all—and that includes frying fresh. So here I am, giving tips on how to freeze lakes. Note that this isn’t my first choice, but even my favorite latke eater didn’t notice that these weren’t freshly fried. They taste like latkes that have been sitting on the counter for an hour. Not fresh, fresh—but fresh out of the pan.
For a basic potato latke recipe click here.
Rule # 1. Don’t refrigerate latkes. You’ll end up with gummy-tasting latkes.
If you want to prepare lakes ahead of time but not freeze them, you can fry them (about 2-3 hours before) and leave them at room temperature. Then place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a hot preheated oven at 400ºF until warm.
How to Freeze Latkes
- Freeze as soon as possible after you fry them. After draining on a paper towel, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Cover with Saran Wrap and place directly in the freezer.
You can also layer them with parchment paper between layers, but then you’ll have to lay them out on separate baking sheets before baking. - Place directly from freezer into a hot preheated oven at 400ºF and bake for 10-14 minutes until hot and crispy. Occasionally (if I have time and remember), I’ll flip them over halfway through. Serve immediately.
Miriam Hammer says
This is awesome!! My husband will thank u ???? He loves latkas and I hardly ever make them because I don’t have time (or patience for frying ????)
Dinah says
Amazing tip! Thank you!
SB says
Game changer! Looking forward to trying these. Just gotta clear out my freezer first!
Trudy Miller says
How long can I leave in freezer before reheating?
Baila says
Just tried making these latkes. Why does the batter stick to the pan. I have to keep scratching them off the frying pan and losing my crust. It can’t be that the oil wasn’t hot enough because it happens by each batch, when the oil is in already for a long time. They also fell apart a little. What did I do wrong????
Stephanie Mauriber says
Just because oil is in the pan a long time ,doesn’t mean it’s hot enough
Anonymous says
It could be the type of pan you’re using. I switched from stainless steel to a cast iron pan and it was a game changer. No more sticking to the bottom!
R says
How to make them earlier in the day and serve best for Friday night? Thx
Moira says
Thank you for this information. My husband fries them, however, as empty nesters one batch is always too many for us to eat all of them when fresh.