Instant Pot Potato Pancake Pillows (Latkes)

When it comes to Hanukkah treats, you can be sure that everyone is expecting these three: dreidels, gelt and latkes!

What is a latke you might ask? Well, I’ll tell you. A latke is merely a potato pancake that is typically deep or pan-fried to a crisp so you get a burst of soft and crunchy potato and then dipped in some applesauce or sour cream. Think of it as a hash brown disc, but so much better.

Now with the Instant Pot, I obviously couldn’t do that as it’s not a deep fryer and there’s no fun in just pan-frying it in there. We need to be a little more inventive than that! When I saw everyone going nuts over these silicone pod trays (you can get them here or here depending on availability), I just knew I had to re-invent the potato pancake for the IP! And, bubbaleh, I am here to report that I did it with success!

Perhaps the best part of this is that it not only makes this the PERFECT finger food, but it eliminates all that grease which makes your house smell like a giant french fry for days AND it’s much healthier this way as there isn’t a drop of oil in it!

The end result is something that is so fluffy, potatoey, soft and delightful that it tastes like a latke, knish, dumpling AND potato croquette all in one! PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO CRAZY OVER THESE!

All of the gelt with none of the guilt!

Here’s How I Made It!:

Begin by cracking an egg into a bowl…

…and give it company by pouring in some cold water…

…and whisk well.

Take some Potato Pancake Latke mix…

…and add that to the water and eggs.

Mix it all together…

…until it forms a thick, porridge-like consistency. Set aside to firm up.

Take a potato…

…and cut it into chunks.

Take an onion…

…and do the same.

Now toss them into a food processor/blender (I use this one and it’s awesome and inexpensive).

Pulse it a few times until nice and coarsely chopped.

Then take the blended onion and potato and place on some durable paper towels…

…and wrap them up within the paper towels and really squeeze all the water out of them…

…until nice and dry.

By now, the potato pancake mixture will have really firmed up.

So add in the blended potato and onion to the potato pancake mixture.

And mix it up very well.

Season it with a little seasoned salt…

…dried parsley flakes…

…and white pepper.

Give it a final good mix.

Now turn to your handy silicone pod tray and spray it with some non-stick spray…

…and spoon the potato pancake mixture into each pod…

…so it looks like this when done – nice and flush with the top of the tray.

Now go to the Instant Pot, add the trivet with the handles up and add some water.

Cover the silicone pod tray with some foil and rest it on the trivet (Do NOT cover it with the plastic cover the pod trays may have come with – USE FOIL!). Secure the lid and cook at high pressure.

(By the way, if you’re making two trays worth, make sure to stack them like this where they are slightly off-set from one another so the top tray doesn’t fall into the bottom tray – and make sure they are each covered in foil)

While the Potato Pancake Pillows are cooking in the Instant Pot, set your oven to Broil.

When done cooking in the pot, carefully remove the trivet…

…and let rest on the counter for 5 minutes and remove the foil.

Take a baking sheet lined with foil and spray it with non-stick spray.

After cooling, you’ll notice how easily the pillows will want to pop out of the tray.

Lay them upside down on the foil, lightly pressing on the bottom of each pod…

…and out they’ll pop and fully in tact – right onto the foil!

Now pop them in the oven for a little bit to get slightly crispy and browned on the outside.

And when they come out, transfer ’em to a plate.

You’ll notice the tops of each pillow will have a little indent from the silicone pods and from gently pressing to get them out…

…so spoon a little of my homemade applesauce (or sour cream) in there!

And have the most wonderful, Potato Pancake Pillow Poppin’ Party you’ve ever had!

Enjoy!

Instant Pot Potato Pancake Pillows (Latkes)