Air Fryer Latkes with Simple Homemade Applesauce

These air fryer latkes are incredibly easy, healthy, and absolutely delicious! Just take shredded potatoes and onions, combine them with some breadcrumbs and eggs, throw them in the air fryer, and in no time, you'll have a traditional Hanukkah meal on the table! With less oil, these latkes are better for you and your family, but they still uphold their famous crispy, salty flavor, allowing you to celebrate without missing a beat.

What makes these air fryer latkes so good?!

Not only are these latkes made with minimal oil (so they’re much healthier!), they cook up perfectly golden brown with a crisp exterior and soft potatoey interior. They’re full of wonderful oniony flavor with hints of pepper and salt throughout. And the simple homemade applesauce is the perfect topping to add a deliciously sweet element to the savory potato pancakes.

With only 3 ingredients, the applesauce could not be easier to make. Once you go homemade, you’ll never turn back, as this recipe can outrival nearly any store bought version. With the perfect balance of tartness, sweetness, and warm cinnamon flavor, the applesauce can definitely stand alone as a true winner, but when paired with the crisp potato latkes, it’s a match made in heaven. Mash the sauce to your desired consistency and experiment with different apples to obtain your family’s desired tart to sweet ratio.

***And as an added bonus for those that have made latkes the traditional way for years: there is minimal “frying smell” with this recipe. For those familiar, every year at Hanukkah, the house gets overwhelmed with the smell of fried potatoes and onions. After making a batch of latkes, you can smell it on your clothes, your couch, your dog, LITERALLY ANYTHING IN YOUR HOUSE for days after frying latkes in oil on the stove. But with this air fryer recipe, the smell is fairly contained. Now, I can’t promise that you won’t smell a tiny bit from the crispy potatoes, but it’s definitely a lot less potent than with the traditional cooking method!

What do latkes taste like?

In essence, latkes very closely resemble hashbrowns. However, they offer a bit of added flare with the addition of binders, such as matzo meal, breadcrumbs, or flour, to keep it in patty-form like a pancake, as well as the addition of shredded onions for a boost of flavor. They taste nearly identical to hash browns, but with a salty, oniony taste as well.

Ingredients

For the simple homemade applesauce:

For the air fryer latkes:

A few notes about the ingredients:

1. Russet potatoes are the best for making latkes. Their starch content helps to bind the shredded potato together, keeping your latke from falling apart. I do not recommend using any other kind of potato.
2. You can substitute the breadcrumbs 1:1 for matzo meal, if you prefer.

How do you make air fried latkes and homemade applesauce?

For the simple homemade applesauce:

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Make the applesauce ahead of time, either the day before or a few hours before making the latkes, so it has plenty of time to chill in the refrigerator. 

Peel, core, and chop all of the apples into chunks. Add them to a medium stockpot, along with the water, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir to coat the apples.

Place the pot on the stove over medium heat, cover, and allow it to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the apples soften. Stir intermittently as the apples cook to prevent the bottom from burning.

Once the apples are tender, turn the heat to low and mash them with the back of a heavy spoon or a potato masher until you reach your desired consistency. Slowly add more water if the applesauce gets too thick. Adjust the cinnamon and sugar to your taste.

Let the applesauce cool and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or until you’re ready to serve the latkes. This recipe makes about 2 quarts of applesauce.

For the air fryer latkes:

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Line the bottom of a large bowl with some paper towel. 

Grate the potatoes and onions using the large sized holes of a grater. Add them to the bowl and allow the paper towel to soak up most of the liquid. (The potatoes might get a little orangey-brown as you do this, but that’s okay.)

When you’re done grating, scoop a portion of the potato and onion mixture into a double lined paper towel, dish towel, or cheesecloth and wring out all of the extra moisture. Place the dry, grated potatoes and onions in a separate bowl and continue this step until all of the moisture is wrung out. The drier the mixture, the crispier the latkes will be.

Add the eggs, salt and pepper, breadcrumbs, and flour to the dry potatoes and onions. Gently mix to combine it all. 

Spray the bottom of your air fryer basket or tray with nonstick spray. Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the palm of your hand, roll it into a ball, and flatten it to create one latke. Add the latke to the air fryer and continue with the rest. You might need to cook the latkes in batches. Do not overcrowd them, as the air circulation allows them to get nice and crispy.

Air fry the latkes at 400 degrees F for 7 to 8 minutes, flip them, and cook them for another 7 to 8 minutes. Finish the rest of the batches and serve with the homemade applesauce, sour cream, scallions, and/or greek yogurt. 

This recipe makes about 20 latkes.

Why are my latkes falling apart?

Latkes fall apart when they are either too dry or too wet. If the batter feels too moist, add some additional flour. If the batter feels a bit too dry, add in some more egg.

What is the origin of latkes on Hanukkah?

Traditionally, latkes are made and eaten on Hanukkah to commemorate oil that was thought to only last one day, but lit up the holy temple for 8 days instead. It symbolizes the miracle that happened in biblical times, as well as celebrates the perseverance of the Jewish people. Therefore, on Hanukkah, many traditional foods, such as latkes and sufganiyot (jelly filled donuts), are fried in oil as a symbolic representation. These air fried latkes are a more modern way to represent the miracle that happened with an added healthy bonus.

What is a traditional Hanukkah dinner?

There really isn’t a one size fits all definition of a “traditional Hanukkah dinner.” Instead, Jewish families celebrate by eating latkes, filling their homes with joyous celebrations, and by eating foods that bring them comfort. Since Hanukkah lasts for 8 days, the meals change constantly. For some families, they consume more traditional Jewish foods, such as sweet brisket and matzo ball soup, and others choose to eat a dairy spread composed of bagels, lox, tuna fish, and an assortment of cheeses.

One more tip

• If you have leftover applesauce, or would like to make it even further ahead of time, you can freeze it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To defrost, place it in the refrigerator overnight.

Looking for more healthy Jewish recipes? Try these:

• Matzo Ball Soup
• Cinnamon Apple Noodle Kugel

Share your cooking with me! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know! Tag @yourhomemadehealthy on Instagram or leave a comment with a rating and some feedback at the bottom of this page!

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