I learned to make Deruny (Ukrainian potato pancakes) when I was growing up and they’ve been a favorite of mine ever since. They’re easy, budget-friendly, filling, and taste like home! I know you’re going to love this simple but delicious recipe.
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What is Deruny?
Deruny, also called Draniki, are traditional Ukrainian potato pancakes made with finely grated raw potatoes, onion, flour, and eggs. The pancakes are pan-fried in a generous amount of any mild-tasting or neutral oil, like avocado oil.
The name Deruny means “to grate” and while it’s a labor-intensive process that requires a bit of muscle work, it is that process that results in an authentic dish. You can combine all ingredients in a food processor to speed up the process. The taste will be slightly different, but it still works.
What to Serve with Deruny
Deruny are traditionally served with a dollop of sour cream as a main dish for dinner or breakfast. In Ukraine, savory dishes, especially potatoes, are a popular breakfast food.
Deruny can also be served as a part of a large spread or as a side dish at large gatherings or celebrations.
You can pair deruny with quick and easy traditional Ukrainian cucumber and tomato salad.
What Else Can I Add to Potato Pancakes?
Deruny is a very simple recipe. However, there are some variations among the families mostly due to personal taste preferences and ingredients available on hand.
I use russet potatoes but yellow Yukon gold or red potatoes will also work. Any potato will work except baby potatoes, of course. You can use yellow or white onion.
You can add a clove or two of freshly grated garlic and a bit of chopped fresh dill. If you have gluten intolerance I am pretty sure you can use all-purpose gluten-free flour, just not almond flour or coconut flour.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. That’s if you have any! No need to reheat as deruny taste amazing cold!
Tips for Making Potato Pancakes
- Keep peeled potatoes in a bowl with cold water while peeling and grating other potatoes to prevent from browning.
- Make sure to wear gloves when grating potatoes and onion. It is very easy to damage your skin when grating on star-shaped side of the grater.
- Use mild tasting oil like avocado oil, light olive oil or grapeseed oil for frying as deruny absorb quite a bit of oil during frying. Extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil will overpower the taste of potato pancakes.
Deruny (Ukrainian Potato Pancakes)
Servings 6 about 5 Deruny eachIngredients
- 2.5 lbs. russet potatoes ($1.75)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.38)
- 2 large eggs ($0.39)
- 2-3 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper ($0.02)
- 3-4 Tbsp cooking oil (for frying) ($0.16)
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and onion, then rinse with cold water.
- In a large bowl, grate potatoes and onion on the star-shaped side of a grater, taking turns and mixing the grated mixture. This will prevent potatoes from browning.
- Add eggs, flour, salt, and pepper and mix well. The batter will be on a liquid side. Alternatively, you can prepare it in a food processor by grinding all ingredients together until no large chunks are left, for about 3-4 minutes.
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of oil. Add a large spoonful of pancake batter and fry until golden brown, flip and cook on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve the deruny hot with a dollop of sour cream. Makes about 30 deruny.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Box Grater
- Measuring Cups Spoons
Nutrition
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How to Make Deruny (Potato Pancakes) – Step by Step Photos
For these simply potato pancakes you’ll need about 2-2.5 lbs. Russet potatoes, one yellow onion, two large eggs, 2-3 tbsp all-purpose, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, and 3-4 tbsp oil for frying.
First, peel the onion and potatoes, then rinse with cold water.
Grate the potatoes and onion on the star-shaped side of a grater into a large bowl, taking turns and mixing the grated mixture. This will prevent potatoes from browning.
Add eggs, flour, salt, and pepper to the grated potatoes and onions, and mix well.
The batter will be slightly liquid. Alternatively, you can prepare it in a food processor by grinding all ingredients together until no large chunks are left, for about 3-4 minutes.
Preheat a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of oil. Add a large spoonful of pancake batter and fry until golden brown.
Flip the deruny and cook on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve the deruny hot with a dollop of sour cream. Makes about 30 deruny.
Hi Olena, I just tried this for the first time but with only one large potato. Apart from a slight bitterness, it turned out like the ones I’ve had at a Ukrainian restaurant here in Chicago. I was wondering if the bitterness is due to having too much onion for the amount of potato used. I tried to mute this bitterness by adding some sugar which helped. Anyway thank you for this recipe. I’ve tried German and Polish style potato pancakes and I think Ukrainian recipe is my Favorite.
I’m wondering if it was maybe the oil you used? Sometimes certain oils can get bitter at a higher heat or even if they’ve gone a bit rancid. It could also come from the onions if they got a little too brown in spots.
Instead of cooking oil, could you use butter or even ghee to fry the potato pancakes?
Yes, you can use your preferred cooking oil. :) Ghee would probably be better than butter, though, since the butter solids might end up burning.
My family loves these. We are putting them in the weekly rotation
Well I’ll be… this is how my Irish mom has been making potato pancakes for forever! I wonder if she knows that she makes them the ukranian way! I printed out the recipe to show her and so that I can make them without calling her every time. thank you!
This is the recipe for the Jewish latkes.
Thank you for the recipe! Do you think it would work with frozen shredded potatoes?
We haven’t tested it with that ingredient, so we can’t say definitively. But it seems like a delicious experiment! XOXO -Monti
Worked like a charm. Soooo good. Reminds me of my baba! What do you suggest serving it with? I threw in some Harvest Ukrainian sausage (the best on the planet from Yorkton, Saskatchewan); other suggestions?
The author suggests the following in the blog post: “You can pair deruny with quick and easy traditional Ukrainian cucumber and tomato salad.”
There is also a link to the salad there. XOXO -Monti
Awesome. Will try that too.
These are like the potato pancakes my dad made. Never got his recipe. We grew up with them, and we would put butter and sugar on them. Memories. Thank you so very much.
Any was of getting the full recipe
My dad full German.
Thank you for the classic recipe of Derunu! Reminds me how grandma would wake us up in the village in Ukraine, to have it for breakfast! Thank you for giving credit to this recipe. I know different countries have different versions, but this is exactly how we made it in Ukraine 🇺🇦
These potato pancakes take me back to my childhood. I will b making these this weekend. Thanks for the recipe I didn’t know I was looking for!
Honey you meant “Belarusian”
Please don’t attribute these to one country. Draniki is a national dish in Belarus. Belarusians are know in the region for their love of potato. The same dish is known as ladkas in the US due to Jewish immigration from that eastern european region. Even east Germany has a similar dish with a similar name (but with German rout).
You are right, these resemble one variation of the logical thing to make everywhere in the European “potatoe belt”. Made from what folk had at hand.
It’s a bit like fighting over who came up with pickled herring or who owns sausages. I think there are interesting varieties everywhere. What would European cuisine be without potatoes, eggs, onions?
The water should be squeezed from the potatoes and onions before mixing with eggs and flour etc.
very helpful for me. i love it
I have loved them the first time mygranda made them as a a child the only thing she ever put in them was flour and egg turned out so yumm I still make them today I can’t get them cooked fast enough the only thing I put on mine is butter and apple butter omg I think I’ll have to make them now the belly is getting hungry
I have made these many times. We call them Betsey ( bet – see) pronunciation. I shred them coarsely on a grater.
This is a great simple recipe for potato pancakes, but I thought it lacked seasoning. I added 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and dried oregano, and 1/4 tespoon of dried thyme to enhance the flavor. I used dry herbs because fresh herbs will burn, when cooked over high heat. Also, before adding the potato/onion mixture to the egg/flour ingredients, it really helped to squeeze out most of the liquid using a kitchen towel. I did this to reduce spatters from excess moisture, when the batter was added to the hot oil.
Growing up, my mother made both grated and mashed potato pancakes (and even though most of our ancestry is German, we always had sour cream with them as well). I could never remember how she did the grated ones, so I always made the mashed… Even making mashed potatoes specifically for pancakes haha. I also add in bacon, and cook as many pancakes as I can in the bacon grease. And for some reason, this is the only type of pancake I like maple syrup on. Definitely a nice savory/sweet combo.
These are REALLY GOOD, no matter who invented them. I’ve made lots of potato pancakes through the years but never tried grating so fine, and part of the wonderful flavor comes from the high percentage of onion. The grating is the secret to a really great texture and a recipe unlike others I’ve tried through the years–certainly those made with shredded potatoes, while delicious, aren’t at all the same. To repeat a warning already in the recipe–be careful of your hands while grating!!! That star side is really sharp. My husband ate his with Indian tomato chutney. Thanks, Oleyna!
I’m sorry you felt the need to politicize food by using “Ukrainian” in your description to increase hits. I believe it is called “click bait.” Boo! to YOU! I have a large Ukrainian following even though I have never ever used the word in any description or explanation.
I appreciate you seeing the positivity in all things. Lol! Our intent is to give credit to the culture from which this recipe and its creator comes from, and educate our American audience. As there are dozens of potato pancake recipes from around the world, specifying it origins is a priority for us. Thanks for being here and I hope you and your loved ones in Ukraine are safe and sound. XOXO -Monti
Deruny it in ukrainian language, also called Draniki it in Russian language, are not only traditional Ukrainian food it’s also Jewish cuisine called potato latkes A latke (Yiddish: לאַטקע latke; is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah and it’s Russian traditional food too.
Did you try the recipe “Thom” or did you just come here to be a dickwad?
Remember: it’s breathe in for 5 seconds, hold, and exhale through the mouth for 5 seconds. Do this 5 times.
My husband is Ukrainian but is allergic to onions is I was wondering Is there anything you can substitute the onions with?
Hi Samantha! Is he allergic to all alliums? If not, great subs include shallots and scallions. If so, you can sub with celery or carrots. However, please note this will change the flavor profile considerably. XOXO @themonticarlo
Used to make a similar pancake,(hash browns)American style. Same idea, different methods. Kids loved them. Couldn’t make’em fast enough. They had ketchup or maple syrup on them. Definitely gonna try sour cream. It all sounds good. Applesauce too.
Used to make a similar pancake,(hash browns)American style. Same idea, different methods. Kids loved them. Couldn’t make’em fast enough. They had ketchup or maple syrup on them. Definitely gonna try sour cream. It all sounds good.
These are so pretty–can’t wait to try them out! Simple food is the best.
Can you use a substitute for the flour to make these gluten free?
Try rice flour. XOXO -Monti
Hi Jullie, I use half rice half corn flour for best flavor. The eggs and the frying hold them together, no Xanthan/Chia/Psyllium husk needed.
You may need to adjust the amount slightly, but that will vary anyways and you will get a feel what`s right the more often you make them.
Not Ukrainian!!!
Draniki are national Belarussian food!
Hi Mia. This recipe came from a Ukrainian recipe contributor, that grew up making the recipe. I’m sure it is also Belarussian as many cultures share recipes. Thank you for being here. XOXO -Monti
Except that they are not Ukrainian, they are from Belarus and the origins go back to Germany and their potato pancakes.
I have no idea what the star-shaped side of a grater is. My box grater doesn’t appear to have anything I could call such.
Most box graters have four sides–the biggest holes are for most things that you grate, then there are the thinner, smaller holes that you use for shredding, then there are the puckered little star-shaped holes that you can’t really touch with your bare finger, then the three or four large smile-shaped slits. See www(dot)chatelaine(dot)com(slash)food(slash)kitchen-tips(slash)box-grater for pictures.
My grandparents used to pair them with applecompote/sauce. Delish combo! We tend to eat it with spicy Ketchup, but hey, don`t judge…;-)
Suggestion for the “what to add” part:
with the same ingredients but more roughly grated potatoes (and then squeezed with a towel to get excess liquid out- at the end it is a bit more of a crispz hashbrowny thing) a similar dish is made in e.g. Germany. And that is very often and traditionally eaten with apple sauce. Although I realise that the same ingredients treated in a different way will have an impact on the tase, but I can imagine that this would still be a great combination- especially when left over apples need to find some purpose in their life….
I tend to like apple sauce and sour cream. Not mixed.
I immdiately thought about the erman version of potato pancakes, in Bavaria they also have naming derived from grating –> Reiberdatschi (to grate = reiben).
I really love the combination of salty and sweet with apple sauce :)
@Alex: Don’t they call potato pancakes, reiberdatschi/ reibekuchen (etc) with applesauce “Heaven and earth” in Cologne? Heaven for the apples growing on trees and earth for the potatoes?
Tomorrow-dinner-that.