Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, when family and friends gather together, light candles, spin the dreidel, and nibble on latkes, jelly doughnuts, and chocolate gelt. Like most holidays, food takes center stage and is a prominent fixture of this cultural celebration. Most families are bound to a signature latke recipe, which has been passed down through the generations. If you are looking to switch it up and veer away from traditional russet potato latkes, consider this vibrant sweet potato and carrot alternative.
Latkes require flour to help bind them together. For a healthier and gluten-free alternative, I leaned on Bob's Red Mill coconut and oat flours to add fiber and binding ability. Latkes are traditionally fried in oil to represent the oil that lasted for eight days in the story of Hanukkah. This version is made slightlty lighter with a pan fry, resulting in a healthier latke that is still crispy and delicious.
sweet potato and carrot latkes
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and grated – about 5 cups grated (I use the grater attachment on a food processor)
3 large or 1/2 lb carrots peeled and grated
1/2 cup grated yellow onion
3 tablespoons oat flour
3 tablespoon coconut flour (or brown rice flour)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt to taste
2 eggs, beaten
About 6 to 9 tablespoons coconut oil, canola, grape seed, or rice bran oil
Garnishes: chopped chives, plain yogurt, sour cream, caviar, and/or apple sauce.
Combine the grated sweet potatoes, carrots, and onion in a bowl. Transfer to a cheese cloth or towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Transfer to a large bowl and add the flours, spices, baking powder, salt, and eggs, and gently fold together. Add more flour if needed. You want the batter to be on the dry side. The more dry the batter, the crisper the latke.
In a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat, add 1/4 inch of oil. Once the oil is hot, use a heaping tablespoon to drop the potato carrot mixture into the hot pan. Cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. Use a spatula to flatten the latkes into rounds. Once the edges are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, flip. C0ok the second side until golden, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle with salt.
Serve warm with desired garnishes.
Want an even easier and healthier take on latkes? Consider a latke cake!
This post was created in partnership with Bob's Red Mill. Thank you for supporting the brands that support crunchy radish! Check out more delicious healthy recipes, snag coupons, and find stores near you at BobsRedMill.com!