Sweet Potato Latkes

Fans of traditional potato pancakes can still enjoy this crisp fried favorite while eating Paleo. All you need to do is swap potatoes with sweet potatoes. Latkes originated in the Mediterranean and were made from cheese and fried in olive oil. However, today’s popular potato latke, whose name in Yiddish means “  little oily,”  comes to us from the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe in the 1800s. To avoid famine after repeated crop failures in the region, Catherine the Great ordered the planting of potatoes instead of grain. In keeping with the tradition of eating oily foods on Hanukkah, the potato latke was born. Our recipe uses healthy coconut oil for frying but chicken fat (schmaltz), duck fat and olive oil all work wonderfully. This Sweet Potato Latkes recipe is made even better when served with homemade applesauce.

Sweet Potato Latkes
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Sweet Potato Latkes

Servings 4

Total Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Information

calories 185

carbohydrate 28g

protein 5g

fat 6g

Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potato(es) peeled and shredded
  • 1/4 medium onion(s) shredded
  • 2 large egg(s)
  • 1 teaspoon(s) sea salt (optional)
  • 2 tablespoon(s) coconut oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Place all the ingredients (except the coconut oil) in a bowl and mix together.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough coconut oil to fully coat the bottom. (Potatoes easily soak up oil, so be generous here.)
  3. When the oil is hot, drop rounded 1/4 cups or handfuls of the potato mixture into the pan and press down slightly with spatula to form pancakes.
  4. Fry on each side until browned and crispy (about 2-4 minutes). Try not to disturb the pancakes while cooking.
  5. Place finished pancakes on paper towels and cover to keep warm.
  6. Repeat steps three, four, and five, adding oil to the pan as needed, until all of the mixture has been fried.
  7. Serve with Paleo Applesauce and enjoy.