Reinventing Leftovers: Delicious Keto Potato Pancakes Recipes

These potato pancakes offer an exciting way to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes, transforming them into savory, crispy delights. By combining mashed potatoes with simple ingredients like eggs, cheese, garlic, onion, and herbs, you can create a brand-new meal that elevates the humble mashed potato to new heights.

Why Potato Pancakes?

While enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers as they are is perfectly acceptable, transforming them into something new can be even more appealing. These potato pancakes achieve just that, turning leftover mashed potatoes into crispy patties bursting with savory flavors. You don't necessarily have to wait for the leftovers! When you want to eat these pancakes on a regular day, just quickly mash some russet potatoes the night before. Then fry them up the next day for an easy side dish or breakfast idea everyone will love - especially the kiddos!

Key Ingredients and Their Roles

This recipe uses a few simple ingredients, which are usually already in the pantry.

• Mashed Potatoes: Cold mashed potatoes are essential for forming the patties, as they provide a more solid consistency than freshly made warm mashed potatoes.
• Egg: One egg acts as a binding agent, holding the pancake mixture together.
• Cheese: Cheese not only adds flavor but also aids in binding the ingredients. Parmesan, Swiss, Pecorino Romano, or Gruyere are excellent choices.
• Almond Flour: As a gluten-free alternative, almond flour works perfectly. However, all-purpose flour can be used if gluten is not a concern.
• Garlic & Onion: This classic combination infuses the pancakes with savory flavor.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Potato Pancakes

Making these potato pancakes is similar to making regular pancakes, with the addition of forming the patties by hand.

1. Make the Pancake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, egg, cheese, almond flour, minced garlic, onion, and herbs (such as chives). Season with salt and pepper. The mixture will not be as smooth as regular pancake batter.
2. Form the Patties: Scoop about 1/4 cup of the mixture and shape it into a small patty. Place the patties on a plate.
3. Fry Them Up: Heat some oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the potato patties to the skillet, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each side for approximately 3 minutes, until golden brown.
4. Serve: Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tips for Perfect Potato Pancakes

• If you want to omit the cheese, you can add another egg as a binder.
• The consistency of the pancakes will vary depending on the type of mashed potatoes used. Leftover mashed potatoes with butter and milk will result in a softer mixture, while plain mashed potatoes will be firmer. The latter may require an extra egg.
• Avoid crowding the pan to ensure even cooking and crisping of the patties.
• Keep the patties to about 1/4 cup in size for optimal cooking.

Serving Suggestions

These potato pancakes can be enjoyed in various ways, making them a versatile addition to any meal.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

• Thanksgiving Style: Serve with leftover roasted vegetables and cranberry sauce for a festive meal.
• Full Breakfast Plate: Pair with fried eggs and crispy bacon for a classic breakfast.
• Light Lunch: Serve as a main course with a side salad, such as massaged kale salad, tomato avocado salad, or wild rice and arugula salad.

Storing and Reheating

While best served fresh, potato pancakes can be stored for later enjoyment.

• Storing: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezing: Freeze the pancakes on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container.
• Reheating: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or on the countertop for 10 minutes. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.

Variations and Substitutions

Keto-Friendly Potato Pancakes

For those following a ketogenic or low-carb diet, traditional potato pancakes can be adapted using alternative ingredients.

• Radish-Based Keto Pancakes: Replace potatoes with grated radishes. Squeeze out the excess moisture from the radishes before combining them with almond flour, Parmesan cheese, green onions, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Fry until golden brown.
• Spaghetti Squash Pancakes: Use cooked spaghetti squash as a base. Combine with minced garlic, salt, pepper, egg, almond flour, and cheddar cheese. Fry until crispy.
• Cauliflower Latkes: Replace potatoes with cauliflower to create a keto-friendly latke. Steam the cauliflower until soft, then press out the excess water. Combine with green and white onion, cheese, beaten egg, and coconut flour. Fry in coconut oil until golden brown.

Gluten-Free Potato Pancakes

For a gluten-free option, almond flour or a gluten-free flour blend can be used in place of all-purpose flour.

Other Variations

• Sweet Potato Pancakes: Substitute mashed sweet potatoes for regular potatoes for a sweeter flavor.
• Zucchini Pancakes: Add shredded zucchini to the mixture for added moisture and nutrients.

A Brief History of Latkes

The idea of creating a keto latke recipe (since we're in the holiday season) or keto potato pancake using the ever popular keto potato substitute, cauliflower. Thinking about this keto recipe for latkes made me wonder if there is a history behind latkes as a popular holiday dish. According to The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food by Gil Marks, there was a Rabbi in Italy that included pancakes in a poem about Hanukkah and in a list of ideal feast foods. Dairy foods are also associated with Hanukkah. Sicilian Jews introduced ricotta cheese pancakes to northern Italian Jews. Potatoes were a plentiful crop in Europe in the mid-1800s so they were cheap and easy to come by. While this keto latke recipe uses cauliflower in place of the more traditional potato, it does still include dairy making it a perfect blend of keto food and Hanukkah tradition.

Low Carb Potato Pancakes:

While a small potato (170g) has 30 grams of carbs and 3.5 grams of fiber, an entire small head of cauliflower (265g) has just 13g of carbohydrate and 5 grams of fiber. Small potato net carbs 26, head of cauliflower 8 net carbs. The next thing to consider when making keto cauliflower fritters is the flour. Although most recipes only call for a tablespoon or two of flour, that would still add around 11 grams per tablespoon. Carbs add up quickly, plus you should really consider avoiding all wheat anyway since it's highly processed an basically devoid of any remaining nutrients.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Recipe for Keto Cauliflower Latkes:

1. Boil water in a large pot or steamer.
2. Place cauliflower in a strainer or in the steamer. Steam for about 5 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.
3. Use a spatula and paper towel to press the water out of the cauliflower. You could also use cheesecloth for this. Get the cauliflower as dry as possible.
4. Combine cauliflower, green and white onion and cheese while cauliflower is still warm. Stir to combine.
5. Add beaten egg to the mixture and stir.
6. Finally add coconut flour, salt and pepper. The mixture should press together well. If your mixture is too wet, add a bit more coconut flour.
7. Using a quarter cup measure, scoop out latke mixture and press into cup. Empty any extra moisture that might come out when pressing.
8. Empty mixture into hand and press into flat pancakes. Make sure you work the mixture so that it is pressed together tightly.
9. Latkes will be about 3 inches in diameter. Let the latkes rest 10 minutes before cooking.
10. While latkes are resting, melt 1/2 cup to a cup of coconut oil depending on the size of your pan. Oil should be a quarter inch or more deep. Oil should be hot enough that it just starts to smoke. If you're unfamiliar with appropriate frying temperature, place a tiny latke into the oil first to test. It should sizzle and create bubbles.
11. Gently lower the latkes one at a time into the oil.
12. Cook approximately 90 seconds per side. You'll know it's time to flip the latke when they shink slightly and edges are brown.
13. Remove the latkes from the oil and place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
14. Top latkes with green onion, sour cream and a pinch of shredded cheese if desired. Nutrition information does not include any oil absorbed in the frying.

Keto Classic Potato Pancakes

Satisfy your crispy cravings with these Keto Classic Potato Pancakes-a low-carb twist on a beloved comfort food! Made with grated radishes as a clever potato substitute, these golden delights boast a flavorful blend of almond flour, Parmesan cheese, and a hint of garlic powder for a perfectly savory bite. Quick to prepare with only 15 minutes of prep time, these keto-friendly pancakes are pan-fried to perfection in a butter-and-olive oil mixture, ensuring a crispy exterior with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior. Serve them piping hot with a dollop of sour cream for a deliciously indulgent yet guilt-free side dish or appetizer. Ideal for those following a ketogenic diet, this creative recipe combines simplicity and taste to deliver a satisfying, crave-worthy addition to your meal plan!

Instructions:

1. Begin by washing and trimming the radishes.
2. Place the grated radishes in a kitchen towel or cheesecloth, and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible.
3. In a large bowl, combine the radishes, almond flour, Parmesan cheese, chopped green onions, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
4. In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly.
5. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until the pancakes are golden brown and crispy.

Gluten-Free Potato Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked spaghetti squash
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 Tablespoons butter or avocado oil

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients, except butter, in a medium sized mixing bowl.
2. Mix together with a spoon until well combined.
3. Take 1/3 cup of the mixture and form a patty.
4. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.
5. When hot, turn heat down to medium and add butter to melt.
6. Add spaghetti squash patties to hot butter and fry 4 minutes on each side.
7. Serve immediately, topped with sour cream.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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