Latke (pronounced LOT-keh, LOT-kah or LOT-kee) is Yiddish for “pancake.” On Chanukah, it is traditional to serve latkes (most often potato) fried in oil to celebrate the Chanukah miracle, which involved the oil of the Temple menorah lasting for eight days instead of just one (read the full story here)

Jews eat foods that reflect the significance of a holiday—such as matzah on Passover and apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah—and Chanukah is no exception. For at least the last thousand years, Jews have traditionally eaten oily foods on Chanukah.

You can also make latkes with cheese, carrot, zucchini or just about anything else that fries well. In fact, eating jelly doughnuts (sufganiyot in Hebrew) on Chanukah is a very close cousin to this custom, sharing the same source (see our sufganiyot recipes).

Check our curated collection of the most amazing latke recipes, guaranteed to satisfy even the most discerning palate.