Draniki Russian

Lacy, golden pancakes of freshly grated potato and onion, fried crisp at the edges and soft within. A humble, frugal dish of the Russian and wider Slavic table, eaten by the plateful under a snowfall of sour cream.

Egg

Potato pancakes that originated in the Russian Empire and trace their recipe to the German-style potato pancake recorded around 1830, though the name "draniki" itself only appears among Belarusians in the 1930s; a beloved everyday dish across Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.

The crisp lacy edges crackle while the center stays tender and steamy with the sweet taste of potato and onion. A cool dollop of sour cream melts into the heat, turning savory and tangy. Simple and deeply satisfying, it is the taste of a warm kitchen in winter.

Pressing out the potato liquid and reclaiming the settled starch keeps the pancakes from steaming soggy and helps them crisp. Grated onion releases enzymes and acids that slow the potato from oxidizing gray, while the egg and flour bind the loose shreds.

Variations

Plain Belarusian-style draniki without flour or egg, draniki stuffed with minced meat (kolduny), versions topped with fried mushrooms or crackling, baked rather than fried

On the Palate

Where Draniki Russian sits in the Russian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

for fryingVegetable Oil

to tasteSalt

to serveSour Cream

How it's made

8 steps · 20 min

1
12 min
Peel and finely grate the potatoes, then grate in the onion to keep them from browning.
2
3 min
Tip the mixture into a sieve and press out as much liquid as possible.
3
3 min
Let the pressed liquid settle, pour off the water, and scrape the starch back in.
Watch out
Don't skip reclaiming the settled starch — that white paste at the bottom is what crisps the pancakes; without it they steam soggy.
4
3 min
Stir in an egg, a spoon of flour, salt, and pepper to bind the batter.
5
2 min
Heat a generous film of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Watch out
Get the oil shimmering-hot before the first spoonful — flick in a shred and it should sizzle at once, or the pancakes soak up grease.
6
2 min
Drop spoonfuls of batter and flatten into thin rounds.
7
8 min
Fry until deep golden and crisp, then flip and brown the second side.
Watch out
Wait for a deep, even golden-brown before flipping — a pale flip means the lacy edges won't crisp and the middle stays raw-tasting.
8
2 min
Drain briefly on paper and serve hot with thick sour cream.