German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer)

These classic German potato pancakes, known as Kartoffelpuffer or Reibekuchen, are loved by both kids and grown ups! They are gluten free, so tasty and easy to make.

Made with a handful of simple ingredients in just 30 minutes from start to finish.

The potato pancakes are crispy on the outside and moist on the inside and are extremely easy to make. Just grate the peeled potatoes and onion, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a spoon and cook – that’s it!

This pancake recipe makes a great meal on its own if you’re not too hungry or as a snack. Tastes over the top served with homemade apple sauce, German cucumber salad, a blob of sour cream, smoked salmon or dusted with sugar.

What you’ll need to make German pancakes

• 800 g/ 28 oz) potatoes (8 medium potatoes)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium onion
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• a pinch of nutmeg
• Sunflower oil for frying

How to make gluten free Kartoffelpuffer recipe

Making potato pancakes is more simple than you think. Begin by peeling the potatoes and onion.

Cut off dark spots from the potatoes and wash them. Using a hand grater or food processor, grate the potatoes and onion.

If you’re using a box grater like me, you should grate the potatoes and onion on the smaller holes of the box grater into a large bowl.

Using your hands squeeze out as much of the liquid from the grated potatoes and onion as possible. Put the squeezed potatoes and onion into an extra bowl and keep the liquid!!

Let the liquid stand for few minutes. You want the potato starch to settle at the bottom and use it to make the batter.

In the meantime make the batter by adding the egg, salt, ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to the bowl with grated and squeezed potatoes and onion and mix well.

Next, pour off the clear liquid that you previously kept aside leaving the potato starch (whitish staffs) that has settled at the bottom behind. Add potato starch to the potato mixture and combine well.

Fry the potato pancakes

You don’t need a large amount of oil, but enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil in the pan at medium heat.

Now spoon the batter into the pan. Using the back of the spoon, flatten the batter into circles, creating pancakes.

Cook the pancakes until the edges are crispy and nicely golden brown.

With the help of the two slotted spatulas flip over the pancakes and cook on the other side as well. Remove from the pan and place the pancakes on a plate lined with paper towels to remove the excess oil.

Repeat the process with the remaining batter. Enjoy!

More easy and quick vegetarian recipes you’ll like

• Deep fried Camembert cheese
• Ravioli with pistachio cheese sauce
• Namibian spinach stew

Did you make this gluten – free Kartoffelpuffer recipe?  I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it.