13 Creative Latke Toppings For The Tastiest Brunch
You don't need to be Jewish or observant of Jewish holidays to enjoy the marvelous fried heaven that is the potato latke. This traditional Jewish dish is a specialty that is often served during the eight nights of Hanukkah celebration. Simple to make but deceptively difficult to truly master, latkes are a warm, crisp, and (hopefully) flavorful fried potato pancake.
Latkes come in various sizes and textures — some are more fluffy, while others have a texture similar to hash browns or other breakfast potatoes. The only ingredients you always need are potatoes, onions, eggs, plus a bit of oil to shallow fry them in a cast iron or equivalently sturdy pan. An excellent side for a holiday dinner of any sort, latkes are also a perfect brunch option, either made fresh or reheated in the oven from the night before.
Serving them for brunch gives you many ways to elevate your latkes. From traditional favorites like sour cream and applesauce to toppings taking on the flavor of other delicious Jewish dishes, these options are all great for serving up an impressive and tasty brunch to your friends or family.
Sour cream and applesauce
This is the traditional way potato pancakes are served in Jewish households. Many latke lovers would argue that you can't eat them without these two vital toppings. Sour cream and applesauce are essentials for any Hanukkah celebration. If you've ever made these delicious traditional potato pancakes, you know that if the applesauce and sour cream aren't in the fridge, there is going to be a schism in the family.
It's easy to pick and choose between the two. Applesauce is a great sweet companion to the salty crispness of a perfect latke. Sour cream is a rich, savory dip that enhances the flavor in the complete opposite way. But this Hanukkah, or whichever gathering leads you to eating latkes this year, you should try the two of them together. The combination of latkes, sour cream, and applesauce is near perfection. Though it may not be the most creative option on this list, you cannot go wrong with sour cream and applesauce. In fact, they need to be on the table first. Then you can move on to making something fancier.
Pomegranate seeds and honey
One of the most traditional Jewish latke toppings might be surprising even if you have been indulging in potato pancakes as far back as you can remember. So many folks are happy to stick to sour cream and applesauce, but if you take it one step beyond that you wind up with pomegranate and honey. These toppings are essential if you are going to make a creative brunch spread with latkes as the centerpiece (as they should be).
Simply top your latkes with some pomegranate seeds, a drizzle of honey, and just a pinch of sea salt, and then you can dig in. The pop of texture and flavor is the perfect compliment to the salty and sweet that the honey and potato pancake has going on. If you want to level up this recipe, you can also add an herbal element like rosemary or a spice like cinnamon to bring an extra dimension of flavor. You can also add a sour cream or cream cheese between the latke and pomegranate seeds if you please.
Everything bagel
Nothing quite hits the spot first thing in the morning like an everything bagel with cream cheese. You can get this essential bagel breakfast at any local deli or bagel store, or you can assemble it yourself — either way you are setting yourself up for an indulgent breakfast that will make you happy. And while the everything bagel and cream cheese combo stands on its own, it can also act as a springboard for a bunch of great toppings to be piled on. Now, what if you recreated the appeal of the everything bagel with a latke?
You don't have to hypothesize, it has been done and is actually quite a popular creative topping for your latkes. Top each latke with 1/4 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning and a sprinkle of salt. From here you can add a spread of your choice. Cream cheese and whitefish salad are top contenders. After that, if you have it, you can also add just a small piece of lox (smoked salmon best served on bagels) to turn this latke topping into a full meal. Capers and red onions are the other toppings traditionally served with lox and cream cheese.
Lox and cream cheese
Smoked salmon and cream cheese is a New York City deli staple and traditional bagel topping that can be translated and recreated in many forms, including as a topping for a warm, crispy potato latke. If you're making latkes for an upcoming Hanukkah brunch and know a place where you can get some great lox, then you need to do yourself a service and give this creative topping a try.
You'll want to top your fresh latke with a smear of cream cheese before heaping on a healthy portion of lox. You definitely don't want that delicious smokey salmon flavor to get lost among all the other deliciousness. Additionally, you can add herbs like dill to enhance the fresh flavor of these toppings. If you want to, you can try and sub out the cream cheese in this recipe for something like sour cream, or its richer cousin crème fraiche.
Brisket with crème fraiche
Brisket is a traditional Jewish dish to serve for a large gathering, whether it be a Shabbos dinner or a celebratory holiday like Hanukkah. There are many ways to prepare and season a brisket before you cook it low and slow for hours. Making it yourself can be laborious, but the wait is worth is for a delectable, meaty dish at the center of your celebration. There's no shame, though, in buying some smoked brisket from a deli or BBQ joint you trust.
Traditionally, brisket is served alongside vegetables and filling sides like rolls and mashed potatoes. Don't forget about the leftover brisket sandwiches for lunch the next day. It may be unconventional, but putting brisket on latkes is a great way to serve a savory, filling course during your next holiday brunch. First you will want to spread a little crème fraiche on top of the potato pancake before topping it off with a piece or two of the smoked brisket. From here you can choose to garnish the dish with dill or tarragon.
Poached or fried egg
Everything you love to eat tastes better with a nice runny egg on top. Well, almost everything you eat. But potatoes definitely fall into this category, and the combo of potatoes and eggs for breakfast is a guaranteed winner. Using eggs as a topping is an essential savory choice for your next latke brunch or breakfast event. And as any experienced home cook knows, making eggs can be as easy or complex as you want to make it.
For those who want to top their latkes with eggs, we recommend a couple potential approaches. A fried, sunny-side up or over-easy egg is a great choice. Anything with a runny yolk to soak into the latke will work for marrying the two components. We also love a poached egg on a potato pancake. Once you learn how to properly poach eggs, it can be one of the most satisfying ways to cook them. After you try it over a latke, you won't be able to go back.
Pastrami, mustard, and sauerkraut
Taking some of the best deli sandwich toppings and plopping them on top of a latke is a perfect filling savory brunch option for your latke party. One Jewish deli favorite that transitions well to the top of a latke is the pastrami sandwich. In many places, pastrami is traditionally served warmed on rye bread with mustard. That's it. No mayo. Of course, when translating this dish to top your fresh, hot latkes, you don't need the rye bread at all. You have delicious fried potatoes, which are frankly even better.
Before you top your latkes with your smoked pastrami, remember to add some ingredients to enhance the flavor. Mustard and sauerkraut are traditional sandwich toppings that pair well not just with pastrami, but any meat you're topping your latkes with, be it corned beef or brisket. For a tasty variation on a deli sandwich-inspired latke brunch, you can make a latke with the flavors of a Rueben by substituting out the pastrami for corned beef and adding a bit of Swiss cheese to the mix.
Ricotta and orange marmalade
It might sound strange, but ricotta and orange marmalade is a surprisingly common latke topping. This combination of spreads provides a tangy and sweet compliment to the salty, crispy potato underneath. If you don't want to take too much of a risk for your holiday brunch this coming week, you might be tempted by this old-school combination. Simple and cost effective, it has proven to be tried-and-true in many variations, whether it be on bruschetta, latkes, or just by itself.
First, you will want to find the freshest ricotta you can. Ideally you will be able to get something good at a local farmers market if that is an option to you — otherwise, any high-quality ricotta cheese from the supermarket will do. The same advice can be given for finding good orange marmalade or preserves.
Once you have fried up your latkes, you'll want to top them with equal parts ricotta and marmalade. Don't be afraid to adjust the ratios to taste before serving this delicious sweet and rich latke for brunch.
Korean kimchi latkes
Some of the best modern cuisine comes from the fusion of vastly different styles and cultures. Naturally, then, it makes sense that there are a couple of truly ingenious latke recipes that require you to think outside of the box when it comes to toppings. Making a Korean-style latke is surprisingly popular, and there are a handful of tasty ways to go about executing this fusion of Korean and Jewish comfort food.
You can start by topping your latkes with traditional Korean toppings like kimchi and scallions (green onions). However, in recent years, the kimchi latke has become a more common variation on the dish that changes it on a more fundamental level. To do this, simply insert kimchi and scallions into the actual latke mixture itself before frying. These kimchi latkes will be fresh and flavorful on their own. If you choose to, though, you can make a sauce on the side using the Korean chili paste Gochujang as a main player to pair with the ingredients in the latkes.
Mango chutney
Chutneys are another route you can go down if you want to infuse your latkes with another culture's flavors. This Indian spread is a sort of jam or relish made from fresh fruits, vegetables, and spices. The best chutneys have many dimensions of flavor, with sweetness, freshness, and spice balancing either other out in a harmonious and delicious dip.
For topping and dipping latkes, mango chutney is a great option if you want to add an Indian-inspired, sweet and spicy flavor profile to your potato pancakes. You can buy a chutney from your local Indian grocery store, farmers market, or supermarket. But if you are able to find high-quality fresh mangoes where you live, we recommend you take a shot at making your own mango chutney from scratch — you can whip up a batch in less than 20 minutes. But whether store bought or fresh, your guests will be impressed by the complexity of flavors you've introduced them to.
Caviar and sour cream
For those who really want to elevate their upcoming Hanukkah brunch, we have the ultimate ingredient sure to impress any guest. Nothing is more upscale than caviar. And surprisingly, this elegant dish is a perfect topping for what many would agree is the ultimate Jewish comfort food.
By definition, caviar is sturgeon roe, eggs from the specific family of fish. A traditional Russian way of serving caviar is with a dollop of sour cream — and sometimes this is served as the topping of a Blini, a thin pancake. Unlike American pancakes, Blini are typically vessels for more savory toppings like smoked salmon or caviar. As with lox, substituting out the base carbs for latkes always leads to delicious results.
Other roe will work just as well for this dish. If you can't find caviar or don't want to break the bank, you can also substitute in salmon roe or even wasabi roe if you want to add an extra kick to your upscale latke.
Olive tapenade
This topping hails from French cuisine, but it manages to also be a crowd pleaser. Making olive tapenade is easy, and the topping is sure to be a hit at your latke brunch. Plus, like many of these potential latke toppings, you can make it from scratch or find it at a local specialty store or large supermarket near you.
This olive spread is bold, bright, and briny. You can use one type of olive or mix multiple kinds together, so there are plenty of ways to experiment with flavor here. You can even make different tapenades if you want to turn your latke brunch into a showcase of your dip-making skills. To make your own olive tapenade you'll obviously need olives, but also garlic, fresh lemon juice, and especially capers — don't forget the capers in the tapenade! You will also probably need a food processor as well to make the process (and the tapenade) go smoothly. With no cooking required, you can whip up something special that we can guarantee no other party this holiday season will be offering.
Greek yogurt, cucumber, and dill
This option has a lot going for it. Picking up some Greek yogurt, a cucumber or two, and a bundle of fresh dill won't cost you nearly as much as lox or caviar. Plus, this spread is vegetarian and healthy, which is perfect if you are going to be feeding a large group of eaters with diverse culinary needs. And while you won't have to break the bank to serve this take on the traditional latke topping, if you still want to splurge a little bit, you can make sure you buy the highest-quality ingredients. Make sure to grab some fresh dill and your favorite brand of Greek yogurt in order to impress your guests with this simple recipe.
By topping the latkes with Greek yogurt, cucumber, and dill you add layers of flavor and texture to the snack. The freshness of the cucumber and dill, along with the silkiness of the yogurt, will pop on top of the greasy goodness of the potato pancake. You can either top the latke with a smear of yogurt and then add the vegetable and garnish, or you can pre-mix all the ingredients together before serving.