I Tested Trader Joe’s Latkes On A Busy Hanukkah Night — Here’s Whether Or Not They’re Actually Worth Buying

My emotion matter with Trader Joe's goes mode backmost to earlier I moved to the US astir six years ago. As idiosyncratic who values homemade dishes and cooking astatine home, I've ever had a saccharine spot for their prepared frozen foods, stashing them successful my freezer for nights erstwhile I'm excessively bushed to cook.

With Hanukkah successful afloat swing, I'm conscionable getting started with my latkes, and arsenic I basal astatine my blistery stove, lipid splattering connected my walls and the odor permeating into each pore, I can't assistance but wonder, is determination a amended mode to get my Hanukkah fix? Now that I'm a mom, the thought of frying latkes aggregate times during Hanukkah portion my toddler screams "MORE" seems similar much accent than my tense strategy tin handle, truthful tin I get the spirit of the vacation connected the array with a small much joyousness and ease?

I'm comparing Trader Joe's Potato Pancakes with my homemade version, judging the look, crispiness, odor and nostalgia origin to yet find retired if Trader Joe's Potato Pancakes are enactment the hype. Let's get started. First, let's marque a batch of homemade latkes!

STEP 1: Shred the potatoes and bulb with a container grater (on the largest holes) oregon a nutrient processor. If utilizing a nutrient processor, 4th the potatoes and onion, connect the shredding disc, and shred.

STEP 2: Add the shredded murphy and bulb substance to a cleanable room towel, wringing retired arsenic overmuch excess liquid arsenic you can.

STEP 3: Transfer the dried potatoes to a ample bowl. Add the eggs, matzo meal, baking powder, salt, and pepper, mixing until good combined.

STEP 4: In a heavy, tall-sided skillet, vigor ½ inch of rootlike lipid implicit medium-high heat. You’ll cognize the lipid is blistery capable erstwhile you adhd a portion of murphy and it sizzles immediately. Scoop ¼ cupful of the latke substance into the pan, flattening with a spatula. Cook 3 to 4 latkes astatine a time, frying for 3 to 4 minutes per side, oregon until golden.

STEP 5: Transfer the crispy latkes to a lined baking sheet, keeping them lukewarm successful the oven portion you fry the remaining mixture. Repeat, adding much lipid to the cookware arsenic needed and letting it vigor up earlier adding much latkes.

Trader Joe's Potato Pancakes

Now for Trader Joe's version: All you request to bash is transportation the frozen murphy pancakes to a expanse cookware and cook for 16–20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Once connected the expanse pan, I placed it successful the oven and waited, flipping aft 8 minutes.

The result? Golden latkes.

The Comparison: Trader Joe's Versus Homemade

Let's assess. First of all, appearance. My homemade latkes person disposable murphy shreds throughout, are often "wonky shaped", varying shades of golden, and are visibly crispy. The Trader Joe's Potato Pancakes are azygous successful size and darker successful color.

My latkes person a beardown murphy and bulb flavor, portion the Trader Joe's ones odor astir sour with little discernible aromas.

Most importantly, taste. Trader Joe's tastes much similar a hashbrown, with a creamier consistency. Some of that sour sensation comes done somehow. My latkes are axenic murphy with much texture.

When broadside by broadside with a fresh, homemade latke made with love, there's nary contention betwixt the two: homemade volition ever win.

That being said, if you can't marque your ain oregon simply don't privation to, the Trader Joe's latkes are a suitable replacement. I do deliberation they would request either applesauce oregon sour cream, whereas a homemade latke tin basal connected its own.

Would I personally service them? Probably not connected the archetypal nighttime of Hanukkah, due to the fact that there's thing magical to frying a batch of latkes for your friends and family. But erstwhile the second, third, and eighth nighttime rolls around, and my toddler wants latkes, I'll perfectly beryllium stashing a container of these successful the freezer.

Have you tried Trader Joe's Latkes? Let maine cognize what you deliberation of them successful the comments!