Kartoffelpuffer – Potato Pancakes Recipe is a real treat. This recipe is gluten-free and vegan with only 5 ingredients. The potato pancakes are so yummy that you would think that making them is a culinary science. Guess what, it is not. I like it simple, so simple that anyone could make them.
My version involves a food processor. If you do not have one, you can still make them by using a grater. The Food possessor does the job in seconds. We have used our Brown Food Processor for 25 years and counting. An appliance I would not want to miss, it’s a real must have in the kitchen.
For the kartoffelpuffer – potato pancakes recipe, choose a yellow potato with a buttery flavor. We like the German Butterball potatoes with creamy and waxy golden flesh. The batter will be less watery and the pancakes delicious.
This recipe can be made gluten-free and vegan. To reach that you will need Ground Garbanzo Bean Flour. It is easy to make your own garbanzo beans flour in a high-speed blender. Add the dry chickpeas to the blender and blend/grind till fine. There you have it. Use what you need and store the rest in a dry place for next time. You will need 1-3 tablespoons of the garbanzo bean flour. Why 1-3 you might ask? Because we are working with a natural potato. Some are more watery than others. I find fresh potatoes need more flour to hold together and old potatoes less.
Can you substitute the garbanzo bean flour? Yes, you can if you do not care for it to be gluten-free or vegan. Use 1 tablespoon wheat flour and 1 egg instead.
To make the batter is super easy. Put everything into a food processor and chop until it’s fine. I like it to be a puree if you like small pieces just stop earlier. You can strain the batter if it is absolutely too watery, I never do.
Fry immediately because raw grated potatoes can turn dark and you want them to look golden, not gray.
We love potato pancakes with homemade apple jam.
Enjoy!
- 2-3 good size potatoes
- ¼ - ½ onions, preferably red
- 1-3 tablespoon Garbanzo Bean Flour for a gluten-free and vegan version
- 1-2 tablespoon flour and 1 egg for the regular version
- A pinch of salt
- Black pepper to taste
- Oil for frying, I use coconut oil
- Peel potatoes and onions
- Put everything into a food processor and chop until it’s fine. I like it to be a puree if you like small pieces just stop earlier. You can strain the batter if it is too watery or just ad another tablespoon of flour.
- Fry immediately!
- Grease the pan with oil (I like to use coconut oil)
- Make 3-4 little pancakes per pan, cook over medium heat until golden brown on each side.
- Serve hot.
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Those look yummy!!! And how did you get the neat little “printable” recipe?
For the printable recipe I use the Easyrecipe plugin, it is what the name says, easy and good! Thank you for the rating!
Looks delicious and easy! I can’t wait to try them:)
That is exactly what Kartoffelpuffers are: delicious and easy! Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you again!
This looks awesome! Think I could do it with turnips instead of potatoes?
Why not, I am sure you could replace the potatoes with whatever you want. Except that potatoes are starchy and so the pancakes hold together. Try it, but you might need a bit of starch added. Let me know how it goes.
I don’t have a food processor, so I have to grate my potatoes, but I like the smooth texture of yours! I must make these soon!
You could also use a meat grinder if you have one, it would make the same smooth texture I think, let me know how it turns out.
Wow these look delicious and Simple! Will have to try them sometime!
I never thought to puree them! I bet my kids might eat these this way. We just dug up a bunch of potatoes yesterday too!
Did you use russet potatoes? Does the kind of potato matter? I get confused (and often have to re-look up) on which potatoes are best for baking and which are best for boiling and then when we throw something like this in the mix it’s like “crap. which ones should I use again or does it even matter?”
These look amazingly delicious! I can’t wait to try them out.
No, I used the Noland potatoes we grow. I do not think it matters. I did notice though, that the batter was more watery with the fresh harvested potatoes, than it is with old ones. But I did not strain it anyways, I could. So do not worry, use whatever you have and enjoy!
This looks yummy, Anna! Very similar to what my mom used to make – (lots of German dishes growing up). I have never heard of garbanzo bean flour! I will try this since I have to eat gluten free 🙂 Thanks for the recipe! ~ Renee
Garbanzo Beans flour is flour made from the beans, Bobs Red Mill carries it. You can just click on the link in the recipe ;). It is a great gluten free thickener.
I love this recipe. Any excuse to get out my food processor and I’m happy. My youngest has texture issues so I bet he would like the smoothness of this recipe. I’m going to put this on my mealplan for next week.
I sure hope your youngest likes it!
Looks so yummy! I think I need a food processor! 🙂
I would think so too :). My is 22 years old and still in use regularly.
Can you do this in a high powered blender like a Ninja? Mine tends to puree anything, and I love potato pancakes!
I do not see why not. Try and see how it works. And let us know so others can do it too! Thank you.
Hi Anna, My husband and I enjoy many of the German recipes handed down through generations. We like to eat our potato pancakes for breakfast. Since you add onions to your recipe, do you start the day with onion breath? (just kidding) Or is this a side dish for dinner?
You are funny :). But yes, we prefer them for lunch or as a side dish for dinner.
I have always used a grater to shred the potatoes for pancakes. I like your way so much more. I’m stopping by from the Let’s Get Real Friday link party. That’s so much for linking up and sharing this with us. I hope you’ll join us every Friday
So glad it was helpful, plus this way it is no work at all ;). Thank you Nicky for stopping by!
These look amazing! I don’t have a food processor either like in some of the comments but will try this out with a blender and hopefully it works just as well! 🙂
It should, just make sure to put the egg first, so the blender has some liquid to start with.
are you german?
that look like the real thing and actually delicious!
when I still lived in germany my mom used to make them…but i never learned how, so when I wanted some after moving to the states I just made up my own recipe…which was a fail…
i’m looking forward to trying these and hopefully having success this time!
Hi Jess, we lived in Germany for almost two decades, so I picked up lots of yummy recipes. Hope this works for you and is as yummy as you remember. It sure is easy to make. Let me know how you like them.
I have never thought to do this in my food processor , so much easier. Simple recipe, sometimes we just need something simple. I left the skins on, as my potatoes are homegrown , for added nutrition.
I love simple! Great idea to leave the skin on.
My mom introduced us to these in the Weinachtsmarkt in Mainz and we loved them. She tried to make some once shortly after we returned to the States, but they were not at all the same. My memories are now 16.5 years old, but I just now made these (without the egg because I forgot it) and the result was much more like what I remember! I think food processing instead of grating is the key! I left the potato skins on because they were homegrown. I used yukon golds, but I noticed most of the recipes calling for a mealy potato like a russet or other baking potato.
So glad they were more like you remember. Add the egg, and they will be even better. I usually use the Norland potato, not sure though if the potato variety would make such a big difference.
So, I’m not sure but are the potatoes supposed to be cooked or raw?
This recipe is for raw potatoes. You can make the same recipe with cooked potatoes though, maybe add some cheese and form them by hand, yum.
I have a family member that is allergic to eggs, can I sub the garbanzo bean flour for wheat flour without adding the egg? Thanks.
I would suggest straining the potato mixture to get most of the moisture out. This way you will not need so much flour or maybe none at all and also no eggs.