The crispy crunchy edges are the best part.
I was raised on hash browns: crispy potato cakes fried until golden-brown and lacy around the edges. A little salt, maybe a squirt of ketchup—nothing was more delicious to me. I didn’t realize that these hash browns were only one type of a much larger category: the vegetable fritter. Years later in New York, I discovered that many cultures have their own versions of this addictive specialty—latkes, pakoras, rostis—that use all different types of vegetables, from zucchinis and carrots to potatoes and onions and even beets! And that is the inspiration for today’s recipe:
Beet and potato latkes, pan-fried to perfection, topped with dollops of herbed sour cream. Crisp and lacey around the edges, soft and chewy in the middle, these latkes are delicious enough to rival any hash brown cake I’ve ever had. The slight earthiness of the beets is perfectly balanced by the savory potato and sweet onion, while the sharp horseradish and herby dill mingles with the tangy sour cream to create a dipping sauce that is simultaneously light and refreshing and absolutely addictive!
Besides tasting ridiculously delicious, these latkes are also incredibly versatile. The most obvious thing, maybe, is to serve them as a side, but you could also turn them into the base for a great brunch dish by topping them with an egg and maybe even a little smoked salmon! You could also choose to make them mini and serve them as snacks or canapes at your next party . . . and let’s be honest, a tray full of these vibrantly purple fritters, topped with a dollops of white sour cream and sprinklings of dill, would make a stunning presentation!
Whether you’re looking for appetizer ideas for your next (first in a long time!) in-person gathering, or are desperately searching for new lunch ideas, I hope you’ll give these beet latkes a try! Between those crispy, lacey edges and that creamy dipping sauce, they’re sure to please everyone! Even if you don’t typically like beets or think—like I did—that hash browns can’t be topped, I encourage you to just try them. I think you’ll be surprised!
Enjoy!
Beet Latkes with Horseradish Sour Cream and Dill
(Makes 16 latkes)
For the latkes:
1 pound beets, peeled
10 oz russet potatoes, peeled
1 medium yellow onion, peeled
1 ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
For the horseradish sour cream:
½ cup sour cream
2 tbsp chopped dill, plus more for garnish
4 tsp prepared horseradish
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp Diamond crystal kosher salt
Method
For the horseradish sour cream:
Stir together sour cream, horseradish, dill, lemon juice, and salt until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the latkes:
Grate the potatoes, beets, and onions separately on a box grater or using the grater attachment of the food processor. Place in a strainer over a bowl or in the sink, season with ¼ tsp kosher salt, and toss to distribute the salt evenly. Let sit 20-30 minutes.
In batches, remove grated vegetables from the strainer, wrap in paper towels, and squeeze out as much water as possible—the drier the vegetables, the crisper the latkes will be. Add to a large mixing bowl and toss with remaining teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and flour until; add in the beaten eggs and mix until combined.
Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large metal saute pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles when it hits the oil. Use a ¼ cup to scoop 2 mounds of latke mix into the skillet; press out each mound using the back of a fork or a metal spatula to form latkes 3 inches wide. Cook until golden brown and crispy on the bottom, about 3 minutes; flip and cook until golden brown and crispy on the other side, about 2 minutes more. Remove latkes to a wire rack to drain; season with a little salt to finish and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining latke mix, adding more oil as needed so the amount in the pan stays consistent from batch to batch.
Serve latkes with dollops of horseradish sour cream and a sprinkling of dill.
Originally posted April 22, 2021.