🥔 German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer / Reibekuchen)
Kartoffelpuffer are crispy fried potato pancakes popular across Germany, especially at markets and festivals. They’re golden on the outside, soft inside, and traditionally served with applesauce or sour cream.
🧾 Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes (starchy works best)
- 1 small onion
- 1 egg
- 2–3 tbsp flour (or potato starch)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Oil for frying (vegetable or sunflower)
👨🍳 Instructions
- Grate the potatoes
Peel and grate them using the coarse side of a grater. - Remove excess moisture
Place grated potatoes in a clean towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This helps them crisp up. - Grate the onion
Add the grated onion to the potatoes. - Mix the batter
Add the egg, flour, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined. - Heat the oil
Add about 3–4 mm of oil to a frying pan and heat over medium-high. - Form pancakes
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of mixture into the pan and flatten slightly. - Fry until golden
Cook about 3–4 minutes per side until crispy and brown. - Drain
Place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
🍽️ Traditional Serving Options
- Sweet: applesauce and a little sugar
- Savory: sour cream or yogurt sauce
- With smoked salmon or herbs for a richer version
💡 Tips for Extra Crispiness
- Use starchy potatoes (Russet-type).
- Squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Fry in hot oil and avoid overcrowding the pan.
If you’d like, I can also show you:
- 🔥 The super-crispy street-market version Germans make
- 🧀 A cheesy variation
- 🥔 Or a 2-ingredient ultra-simple version many German grandmas use.