Draniki potato pancakes are a traditional Eastern European favourite that transform simple, everyday ingredients into something truly irresistible. With their golden, crispy edges and soft, savoury centres, these pancakes are the perfect combination of texture and flavour. Rooted in Belarusian cuisine but loved across Russia and Poland, this dish is a go-to comfort food that deserves a place in every kitchen.
Why You Should Make Draniki Potato Pancakes
Draniki potato pancakes are one of those comforting dishes that feel like home, no matter where you're from. Their appeal lies in the balance between humble ingredients and bold, satisfying flavour. With a crispy golden crust and a soft, tender centre, they’re the kind of food that brings people to the table—warm, familiar, and deeply satisfying.
What makes this dish even more special is how approachable it is. You don’t need advanced skills or specialist tools to master it. Just a handful of everyday ingredients and a bit of time at the stove. Despite its simplicity, draniki delivers rich flavour and texture that rivals far more complicated recipes. It’s also incredibly budget-friendly, making it perfect for students, families, or anyone looking to cook delicious meals without breaking the bank.
Draniki is versatile too. You can enjoy it as a main meal, a side dish, or a hearty snack. Pair it with something tangy like sour cream, or go all out with toppings like smoked salmon or caramelised onions. However you serve it, these pancakes bring comfort and flavour in equal measure, making them a must-try recipe for cooks of all levels.
Ingredients and Why They Matter
Each ingredient in draniki potato pancakes serves a clear purpose, offering either flavour, structure, or both. The beauty of this dish lies in how well these simple elements come together.
- Potatoes: The star of the dish. Mature, starchy potatoes with rough skin and a yellow or white centre are essential. Their high starch content not only enhances flavour but also helps the pancakes hold together naturally—no flour needed.
- Onion: Adds subtle sweetness and savouriness, while also helping prevent the grated potatoes from oxidising and turning grey.
- Garlic: A little garlic adds warmth and complexity, giving the pancakes a deep savoury profile.
- Egg: Acts as a natural binder, working alongside the potato starch to keep everything intact during frying.
- Salt and pepper: The simplest seasonings, but essential. Salt elevates the flavour of the potatoes, while black pepper adds a hint of heat.
- Dried herbs (like dill and parsley): Dill brings a gentle freshness and earthy aroma, while parsley brightens the overall flavour. You can play around here depending on your taste.
- Natural potato starch: Instead of flour, we use the potato’s own starch. After grating, the potato liquid is squeezed out, and the starch settles at the bottom. This homemade starch is then mixed back in to provide the perfect consistency.
- Oil or salo (lard): Frying in vegetable oil will work well, but traditional recipes use salo—rendered pork fat—for its deep, smoky richness. It adds an authentic touch and a bolder flavour.
I have another recipe for draniki, where we add the sour cream straight into the batter. Yummy!
How to Make Draniki
Making draniki potato pancakes is surprisingly quick and requires no fancy technique. Begin by grating the potatoes finely and adding a pinch of salt. Then, using your hands, squeeze the grated potatoes over a bowl to extract as much liquid as possible. This step is crucial—the drier the potatoes, the crispier the pancakes. Set the bowl of liquid aside for 5 minutes to let the natural starch settle at the bottom.
Meanwhile, grate the onion and garlic, and mix them into the potatoes with the egg, pepper, and herbs. Once the starch has settled, pour off the excess liquid and stir 2–3 tablespoons of the starch into the potato mixture. Heat oil or salo in a pan, form small pancakes, flatten them slightly, and fry until golden on both sides. The result is crispy-edged perfection with a soft, savoury centre—no flour required.
Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions
While the base of draniki potato pancakes is simple and traditional, you can easily customise them to suit your taste. Try using different dried or fresh herbs—chives, tarragon, or coriander can add new dimensions. Shallots or red onions can be used instead of yellow onions for a slightly sweeter or sharper flavour. Want some spice? Add a pinch of smoked paprika or a dash of cayenne. For a vegan variation, you can skip the egg and use a tablespoon of flaxseed mixed with water, or simply increase the potato starch content.
Serving Suggestions
The joy of draniki is in the eating—and how you serve them can take them to the next level. The most traditional way is with a generous spoonful of sour cream, topped with fresh chopped dill or chives. For a more elevated dish, layer on some smoked or salted salmon with a few capers and a drizzle of lemon. Pickled vegetables—like cucumbers, beetroot, or even sauerkraut—cut through the richness with bright acidity. Or top your draniki with sautéed mushrooms in garlic butter, or caramelised onions with crumbled feta. Arrange them on a platter for sharing, or stack them high with your favourite toppings and a fresh herb garnish.
How to Store Draniki Potato Pancakes
If you’ve got leftovers (which is rare), draniki potato pancakes store well. Place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. When you’re ready to reheat, skip the microwave—it’ll make them soggy. Instead, reheat them in a skillet with a tiny bit of oil over medium heat. This revives their crispy texture and keeps them tasting fresh. You can also freeze them: layer between parchment paper and freeze flat. Reheat from frozen in the oven or pan for a quick and easy snack.
The Draniki Potato Pancake Recipe
Draniki, a delicious potato pancakes, offers a burst of rich flavour with every bite. Crafted with minimal ingredients and a straightforward method, these golden treasures are not just incredibly tasty but also are very easy to prepare.
Ingredients
- 5-6 medium sized potatoes
- "Potato water" - when draining grated potatoes, we need to keep this liquids to get the starch out of it.
- 1 onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 egg
- pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, dried herbs: dill, parsley
- oil for frying. Delicious if you find "salo" (lard) for frying.
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Grate the potatoes using a fine grater. For a more uniform consistency, use a fine grater. Put the grated potatoes in a bowl and mix in some salt.Move them to a colander to drain away any extra liquid, but put the colander above a bowl or a cup/glass - we need to keep all the liquids from potatoes, as it would be our starch. Press down on the potatoes to make sure they're as dry as possible. Set aside liquids for 5 minutes and start preparing other ingredients.
- Peel and grate the onion, add to the potatoes and mix. Onions will help maintain the color of the potatoes and prevent them from browning. Add minced or grated garlic, 1 egg, pinch of salt and pepper, dried herbs like dill or parsley.
- Return to potato liquids - the starch should have settled at the bottom of the bowl. Scoop 2-3 full tablespoon and add the starch to the potato-onion mixture. Combine all ingredients together.
- Heat 3 tablespoon of oil in the skillet. How you shape the potato pancakes is entirely your choice. You can mold them into neat and thin ovals (as shown in the photo) or simply scoop them with a spoon and drop them onto the hot pan. Just make sure to flatten them a bit. Don't make the potato pancakes too thick; they will remain raw inside.
- Fry draniki on medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side until they're golden brown, without covering them.
- Once cooked, transfer the pancakes to a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.
- Enjoy the pancakes warm with sour cream. For an added kick, consider mixing the sour cream with finely chopped herbs, garlic, salt, and spices
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