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Here’s my plant-based version of potato pancakes, a recipe that traditionally consists of shallow-fried grated potato, flour, and egg. My recipe here is free of the ingredients that damage our arteries. As a plant lover, I prefer dairy-free toppings, such as the traditional applesauce, or nontraditional choices like salsa, guacamole, or hummus.

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By Katie Mae,

Ingredients

  • 2 russet potatoes, grated
  • 1 large zucchini, grated
  • ½ yellow onion, grated
  • ½ cup oat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover two sheet pans with parchment paper.
  • Spread half of the grated vegetables on a clean kitchen towel, then roll and wring the towel to draw out the excess moisture. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining vegetables.
  • In a small bowl, combine the oat flour, baking powder, and pepper. Add to the vegetable bowl, and mix well, using your hands to evenly distribute the flour and baking powder.
  • Scoop about ¼ cup of potato mixture, and hand-shape it into a semi-tight ball. Flatten with your palms, and place the pancake onto the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining mix, spacing the pancakes about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 12 minutes. Flip and bake for another 12 minutes, or to your desired level of crispness. Serve at once. Top with the condiment of your choice.

Comments (39)

(5 from 10 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Ben Zaklikowski

Likely won’t make again. Some things can get away with not being fried, baked falafel is definitely good, baked potato pancakes isn’t.

Barbara

I also would like to know if you can freeze these, and if so, should you do it before cooking? Or if after cooking, how best to reheat them? Thank you!

Lisa, Forks Over Knives Support

Hi Barbara, Yes, you can freeze these—cook them before freezing. To reheat them, defrost them first, then put them in the oven or under the grill for a quick blast, or heat them on the stovetop in a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet for a couple of minutes on each side.

Geri

These were good. although, I did use two egg whites to hold them together. My husband liked them too!

SJW

I don’t have oatmeal or oat flour. What other flours will work best?

Megan Edwards

Hi Sara, You could use whole wheat flour here or any other neutral-tasting flour that you like, the flour is just used as a binding agent for the pancakes. Let us know how it turns out!

Elizabeth Ketchum

Looks like a good recipe but can I use Whole Wheat flour instead of Oat flour. Elizabeth Ketchum

Julie

I wish my mother was still alive, she was always looking for great potato pancake recipes. She would have loved this and I might finally understand what she was after.

Carol

Hard to rate with no time to test it, but sounds wonderful and going to make it

Kay

Siri knows the conversions …..

Trish

Why would you rate something that you have NOT made or tasted??? I will never understand why people do this. Makes zero sense.

polina

Is it possible not to use Farenheit for temperature or cup metrics ? Nobody outside US understands them. Grams and Celsius please!

Sandi

Woohoo! My first recipe that the hub's REALLY liked. It was a definitely a hit. I agree with some of the previous comments about using cups of each of potatoes and zucchini. I actually used the shredded potatoes in a bag you find by the eggs and just used the same amount as the zucchini after I squeezed it. Came out great.

April

Love the ease of the ingredients and simple technique. I made a few tweaks (leftover mashed potatoes, diced jalapeno, Spike, nutritional yeast, cayenne and dill) and served with sauerkraut and a honey-mustard dressing. Wow :)

Kristi

What is Spike?

John Lacroix

How big are the 2 Russett Potatoes? How big is the "Large Zucchini"? A recipe like this is very frustrating. A "Large potato in your part of the world might be quite different from my part of the world. Ditto for the zucchini. The best recipes use weight or (second best) volume. How about 600 grams grated potatoes or 150 grams grated zucchini? Recipes like this are promising but frustrating.

Genie

Can you freeze these? After cooking, I guess. I’m thinking between layers of wax paper or parchment paper. This recipe makes entirely too much for 2 people. Maybe I will just half the recipe….

Elizabeth

The first time I made these, they were a bit bland. The second time I added in Bragg's spices, nutritional yeast and a bit of cayenne pepper. I also cooked them in the copper basket that Forks Over Knives recommended for air baking in the oven. I didn't have to flip them because of the basket.

Nessie Jay

How would you make these in an air fryer?

Penny

For variety you can replace the zucchini with grate carrots. These can also be cooked in sandwich maker or waffle iron.

Alicia

I find it helpful for a zucchini recipe to either list the number of cups or the number of ounces of grated zucchini after squeezing out all of the water. The same goes for the amount of potatoes and onion. I make "regular" potato pancakes using this oven method and they have been great. I can't wait to try this one. My Polish grandmother served potato pancakes drenched in maple syrup and, then, sprinkled with white sugar! These days, I prefer to serve them with apple sauce!

Vicki

Made them tonight and my zucchini probably wasn’t as big as I should have had and I cooked 15 minutes each side by mistake but I still enjoyed them with some unsweetened apple sauce. My spouse is 100% Polish so I have had plenty of potato pancakes in the last 30 years. These are not upsetting my stomach from the oil and there is no oil smell in the house which makes me happy. This is a winner here. Will definitely be making them again and again

KDM

Oh this sounds so good, I’ll come back once I’ve tried, an update taste.

Shayla

My husband is a polish immigrant and grew up eating potato pancakes. He really liked these as is the first time I made them. The second time I made them I told him they are oil free and then he didn't like them all of a sudden. So now I fry them in a little oil to make him happy.

Ray Briffa

Love you guys

Lea

Spice it up a bit if you say it’s “grossest”. Be creative and nice.

Lea

So I e

Katherine

As someone who is highly tolerable of bland food and just eating to survive on a plant based diet, this is the grossest thing I have ever had in my life

Daniel

I'm quite new to this type of eating. This looks like it would be reasonably good, what exactly was so gross about it

Cotton

Sounds like someone who may still get upset at having to eat a no-fat, whole food diet. It takes time for your taste buds to recalibrate. I get it, it's not easy. Or it just tasted bad to them. Taste is subjective.

Paul

As an Irishman I feel attacked. Lol

sam

I doubt that.

Rennie

If you're "just eating to survive" then what is good food? Deep lard fat frozen french fries? Reset your taste buds and eat for delight.

Mandy

Try adding a little onion granules, garlic powder, nutritional yeast for a greater depth of flavour. Maybe you didn’t add enough seasoning… they would taste bland without the right level of seasoning. Try to be a little less rude next time perhaps?

Matt

Great, glad you found out not to eat it again then, cheers!

Jim

the reason you're tolerable of bland food and eating to survive is because you can't tell when you need to add some spices for personal flavor.

Michelle Epstein

What a rude expression of your very subjective take on plant-based foods. Show a little gratitude.

Suzie

You should use different spices and experiment with stuff or you’ll never enjoy your food. Why eat bland food? Live a little or take a forks over knives cooking class.

mar yvette

you had me at oat flour

About the Author

Headshot of Katie Mae

About the Author

Katie Mae

Chef Katie Mae is the founder of The Culinary Gym, an online hub for learning, practicing, and mastering whole-food, plant-based cuisine. Since 2011, she has been teaching at TrueNorth Health Center and Dr. McDougall’s residential health programs. Witnessing patients radically transform their health inspired her to create an in-depth culinary curriculum to help people embrace a whole-food, plant-based diet at home. With a master’s degree in nutrition from Bastyr University and a personal passion for flavor science, Mae teaches how to prepare food that’s both health-promoting and mouthwatering. Find her on Instagram and Facebook.
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