How to Store and Reheat Latkes
Latkes are at their best when served warm and crisp, right out of the pan. To keep them warm as you continue frying, place your fried latkes on a baking sheet and put them in a 200°F oven. They’ll stay warm and crisp until you’re ready to serve.
- Prep Ahead: If you need to prepare these ahead of time, you can shred your potatoes in advance. Store them submerged in a bowl of water in the refrigerator to prevent browning. When you’re ready to prepare your latkes, drain the potatoes and squeeze them dry with a towel, as mentioned in the recipe.
- To Refrigerate: Transfer cooled latkes to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Arrange your fried and cooled latkes in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze overnight. Take the frozen patties, place them into a freezer Ziploc bag, and freeze them for up to 2 weeks. Reheat in the oven or air fryer as described below.
- Reheating: You can quickly reheat leftover refrigerated latkes in a skillet, air fryer, or in the oven at 300°F until crisped and warmed through.
- Grate the potatoes and onions on the large holes of a box grater or on the grating disk of a food processor. Transfer the mixture to a cheesecloth or a clean, lint-free dishtowel and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. You’ll be surprised how much liquid comes out.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper then whisk in the egg. Add in the squeezed dry potatoes and stir until the potatoes are evenly coated in the batter.
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1/4” of oil (enough to generously coat the bottom of the pan). Once the oil shimmers, add the batter to the pan 1 heaping tablespoon at a time (or use a trigger-release ice cream scoop) and immediately press with a spatula to form disks. Fry until the edges are browned, 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Transfer latkes to a paper-towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
- Repeat with the remaining potato mixture adding more oil to the skillet as needed. Serve warm latke with sour cream garnished with chives.
