Potato Pancakes
Written by Rachel, Posted in Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Condiments, Dinner, Eggs, Gluten Free, Herbs, Holiday, Kid-Friendly, Leftovers, Lunch, Main Dishes, One Dish Dinners, Potatoes, Quick and Easy, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian
It’s finally arrived. The day of my favorite meal: Thanksgiving. I don’t know if it’s favorite because it only happens once a year though. If I could only have one meal for the rest of my life, I don’t know that it would be this one… Then again, maybe it would.
It’s just the perfect mix of flavors, textures, and since it’s most often eaten surrounded by loved ones, it’s such a winner.
My perfect Thanksgiving plate includes: Turkey, dressing, green beans, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls, and gravy to pour over almost everything. It’s a feast for sure. There’s always more than we need. Part of the fun of a meal like this is getting creative with the leftovers.
Today, I’m tacking the mashed potatoes. I usually just make a big pot of soup and call it good. But, here’s a way to use those potatoes, and maybe a few other dishes from dinner, in a non-soupy way.
I combined the potatoes with some sautéed veggies (the possibilities are pretty limitless here: sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squash, mushrooms, peas, corn, bell peppers, garlic, greens, chile peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, summer squash…), spices, cheese, flour, baking powder, and an egg (to hold it all together).
Then I dropped them onto a hot skillet with a bit of olive oil. Easy. Almost done.
They didn’t need long to cook, just a few minutes per side.
I topped each one with a dollop of yogurt with fresh herbs mixed in. The perfect little treat for a lazy, relaxing holiday lunch.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ingredients
- 1 T olive oil
- 1-2 C veggies (could be carrots, peas, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, winter squash, corn, garlic, greens, bell peppers, chile peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, summer squash), chopped, if needed
- to taste salt
- 1/4 C plain yogurt or silken tofu
- 1 T fresh herbs (dill, parsley, basil, chives)
- to taste salt
- pinch cayenne
- squeeze of lemon or splash of white vinegar
- 1/4 C All Purpose flour (or gluten free)
- 1 t baking powder
- 2-3 C mashed potatoes (could also add green bean casserole or dressing/stuffing)
- to taste salt
- 1/4 t paprika
- pinch cayenne (optional)
- 1 T olive oil
- 1/4 C cheese, grated or cut into small cubes
- 1 egg
- 1-2 T olive oil, for frying
Instructions
- Heat skillet. Add 1 T olive oil. Sauté veggies with salt over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until all veggies are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Combine yogurt or silken tofu through lemon or vinegar. Taste for salt. Set aside.
- Combine flour and baking powder.
- Combine sautéed veggies with mashed potatoes through cheese. Stir gently. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Stir in flour mixture, then stir in egg.
- Wipe out veggie skillet. Heat and add 1 T olive oil. When oil is hot, drop and flatten (slightly) 2T pancake batter. Cook over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes per side, working in batches until all batter has been used, adding more oil as needed. Place finished pancakes on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack in the oven (set at the lowest temperature to keep them hot).
- Serve pancakes topped with a dollop of herbed yogurt.
