Skip to Content

Potato Cakes

Old-fashioned Potato Cakes: great as an easy lunch with sour cream!
Jump to Recipe

or scroll for handy tips and a little nostalgia.

potato cakes

These Potato Cakes are simple, tasty and versatile. 

This recipe uses grated raw potatoes, so there’s no need to boil the potatoes before you make the actual Potato Cakes. Too easy!

potato cakes

Potato Cakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Potato Cakes, sometimes called Onion Cakes or Potato Pancakes, can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch or dinner!

They make a bacon and eggs breakfast a little more hearty, and can equally be enjoyed for a quick lunch or easy dinner.

Serve them with sour cream if you want to get a little fancy!

The ingredient list

To make these Potato Cakes you’ll need:

  • potatoes
  • onion
  • eggs
  • plain flour
  • vegetable oil
  • parsley (fresh or dried)
  • salt and pepper.

The precise measurements and method can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

potato cakes ingredioents

A simple but special recipe

I have lovely memories of my Nan Mac, Nana Ling’s daughter, making these Potato Cakes.

It’s such a simple recipe, made with basic ingredients.

But they were always made with warmness, consistency and that magic ingredient only Nanas bring to a recipe.

I found the recipe in a local community cookbook and it prompted me to make up a batch for my family.

Miss Z and hubby loved them, and it was so lovely to see them enjoying these potato treats that I so fondly remember from my childhood.

potato cakes recipe
Nan and Pop McDonald, Nana Ling’s daughter and son-in-law. Recipe from Kurri Kurri community cookbook (keep scrolling for the tested and tweaked recipe below.)

Potato Cakes FAQs

What are the best potatoes for potato cakes?

Ideally, use potatoes that are starchy or floury rather than waxy. The moisture content in waxy potatoes is high, and not ideal for frying.

Avoid Kipfler, Dutch Cream and red potatoes.

Instead, look for Russet, Desiree, Sebago, Golden Delight, Yukon Gold, King Edward and purple potatoes.

How long can I store leftovers?

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a day or two. Re-heat in a frying pan over low heat with a little oil.

You can also freeze potato cakes for up to three months.

Do you have any other simple snack recipes?

Absolutely! Check them out here. And if you love potatoes, check out the Potato Bake and Potato Salad recipes.

potato cakes

Potato Cakes

Old-fashioned Potato Cakes: great as an easy lunch with sour cream!
4.89 from 17 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Australian
Keyword: potato cakes, potato pancakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 cakes
Calories: 85kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 med-large potatoes
  • 1 small onion (or half a large onion)
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
  • salt and pepper for seasoning

Instructions

  • Grate potatoes and squeeze to drain away excess moisture before placing into a mixing bowl. (Squeeze with hands and let excess moisture drain away or place the grated potato into a clean tea towel and squeeze, letting the tea towel absorb the extra moisture).
    potato-cakes-grated-potato
  • Grate onions and add to potatoes.
  • Whisk eggs and add to the grated ingredients. Stir to combine.
  • Add parsley, a little salt and pepper to season, and flour. Stir to combine.
    potato-cakes-batter
  • Heat oil in a large frying pan and add spoonfuls of mixture into the hot oil.
  • Flatten each spoonful to make a larger round cake.
  • Fry until golden and then turn and cook until golden on the reverse side, using a spatula to flatten once again.
  • Serve warm with sour cream or your favourite condiment.

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.