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What would Hanukkah be without latkes (potato pancakes)? Skinny candles, chocolate gelt, driedel gambling and one long Adam Sandler song. In other words, not enough and not satisfying.
Latkes are satisfying. But just because they're essential to this Jewish holiday (and to homes that don't even celebrate Hannukah), doesn't mean you have to make them, at least not from scratch.
We tested various supermarket brands of frozen latkes that are most widely available, rating them on crispiness, potato-onion flavor and the all-important grease factor.
Best Frozen Latkes
by Trisha Thompson
We tested various supermarket brands of frozen latkes that are most widely available, rating them on crispiness, potato-onion flavor, and the all-important grease factor.
Runner-Up: Dr. Praeger's All Natural Potato Pancakes
Crispiness (1-5): 3, fairly crispy
Potato-Onion Flavor (1-5): 4, a good balance of potato and onion
Grease Factor: Low, could use a bit more (if the doctor would let us)
Comments: "Better than expected, given that they're made by a doctor wearing white coat and stethoscope on back. Brand motto: 'Where you recognize all the ingredients.' And we did. Wish these cookie-cutter circles looked a little more like free-form homemade latkes, though."
Runner-Up: Ratner's Traditional Potato Pancakes (Latkes)
Crispiness (1-5): 3, fairly crispy
Potato-Onion Flavor (1-5): 4, very mashed potato-y inside, but it could use more onion
Grease Factor: Not too much, not too little
Comments: "More like a flat knish than a latke, but tasty."
Winner: Trader Joe's Traditional Latkes (Potato Pancakes)
Crispiness (1-5): 4, nicely crisped
Potato-Onion Flavor (1-5): 5, satisfyingly oniony/potato-y
Grease Factor: just right
Comments: "The crispy outside, potato-onion clumpy texture inside makes it taste homemade," said one tester. Good ingredients (nothing scary), and at a good price too. If you're lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe's, you're all set. If not, go to the runners up.
Honorable Mention: An Alternative Latke Trader Joe's Vegetable Bird's Nests
A carrot-onion latke with an Asian name. Swap out the soy dipping sauce for applesauce and sour cream, and you've got a new spin on latkes. Bake these a few minutes longer than the package says to get them crisp.
Next to Worst: Golden Potato Pancakes (Traditional Latkes)
Crispiness (1-5): 2, a notch above gummy
Potato-Onion Flavor (1-5): 2, gluey and floury
Grease Factor: Adequate, but given the other flavor and texture issues, not a save
Comments: "Meal (wheat flour) is listed as the second ingredient, and we think that could be the problem."
Worst Overall: Kineret Potato Latkes
Crispiness (1-5): 2, a notch above gummy
Potato-Onion Flavor (1-5): 1, none whatsoever
Grease Factor: fake tasting fat
Comments: "This is terrible," said several testers. "Chemical-tasting." "Leaves a film on my tongue." Even extra sour cream and applesauce didn't make it more palatable. Perhaps the manufacturer went overboard on the "disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate (to promote color rentention)" listed in the ingredients. Keep away.
