Hanukkah is here!
Which means we’re only eating fried foods this week, and I couldn’t resist making my own twist on a classic latkes recipes—Beet latkes with a fresh side salad, labneh cheese and a drizzle of cilantro oil.
If you’re hosting guests, this Hanukkah appetizer is sure to impress!
The subtle sweetness of the beet latkes is the perfect contrast to the acidity of the side salad and freshness from the cilantro oil. Plus, the festive colors of this dish are perfect for the holiday season.
For me, the best latkes have a perfectly crispy outer crust and creamy inside, but eating them on their own is too heavy. You need a cool side dip—usually sour cream or applesauce—to balance all that salty goodness.
For the beet latkes, I opted for a side dip of labneh cheese with cilantro oil. And, took it one step further with a crisp and fresh side salad made with cucumbers, fennel, radish, and pomegranate seeds.
- 3 cups shredded potatoes
- 2 cups grated red beets
- 1 cup grated white onion
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- 5 tablespoons frying oil
- 1 cup labneh cheese
- 1 bunch cilantro
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 cucumbers, sliced
- 4 radishes, sliced
- 1 small fennel, sliced
- ¼ cup of pomegranate seeds
- 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- Grate the peeled potatoes, peeled beets, and onion in a food processor until you get to a shredded consistency.
- Pour the shredded mixture into a cheesecloth or kitchen towel and drain out all the water. (This step is very important!)
- Then, place the mixture in a bowl and add the flour and eggs. Mix to combine.
- Heat up the frying oil in a large skillet. Check if it's ready by holding down a wooden spoon to the bottom of the frying pan and seeing bubbles forming around it.
- Take a spoonful of the latke mixture, form it into a patty and place it in the pan.
- Fry each latke for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden red and crispy.
- Remove each latke from the pan when ready and sprinkle with salt while still hot.
- Add washed cilantro bunch (not including stems) into a blender together with the olive oil.
- Blend until thoroughly combined.
- Slice the cucumbers, radishes, and fennel and place in a bowl.
- Top with pomegranate seeds.
- Add apple cider vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
It’s interesting cause it looks pretty spicy but from what you wrote, it seems like a simple dish. I’d like to try and make this one day!
Looking forward to your next post!
Hi Nyasha!
It really is more simple than it looks-and delicious!