These are classic Ukrainian Potato Pancakes, also called Deruny. Serve them as a main vegetarian dish, for breakfast, or as a side. We always pair deruny with sour cream for the best flavor. This easy recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
If you enjoy pancakes, you might also like other recipes such as buttermilk pancakes and cheese pancakes (sirniki).
Potato pancakes appear in many cuisines under different names. In Ukraine they are made from finely grated potatoes and onion, combined with an egg, a bit of flour, salt and a touch of baking soda to create a light, slightly fluffy texture. These Ukrainian-style pancakes are called deruny and are a beloved family favorite.
Deruny can be enjoyed as a main meatless dish for breakfast or lunch, or served alongside a main course and a salad. They are simple and flavorful on their own, but a spoonful of sour cream brings them to life.
Tools and Equipment
A traditional metal grater with star-shaped holes gives the best texture and flavor; it does require some effort if you’re preparing large quantities. Use protective gloves when grating to avoid scraping your fingers. Some people try food processors or other appliances to speed things up, but many find the taste and texture are best when the potatoes are hand-grated. For this recipe I grated four large potatoes and one onion in about 11–12 minutes using a hand grater.
Why Use Grapeseed or Sunflower Oil?
I prefer grapeseed oil for frying, and sunflower oil is a good alternative. Both are light in taste and less likely to leave an oily aftertaste than some vegetable or canola oils. Potato pancakes absorb oil as they fry, so choosing a neutral, lighter oil preserves the delicate potato flavor and yields a better finished pancake.
Ingredients for Ukrainian Potato Pancakes
- 4 large Yukon (Yukon Gold) potatoes (about 2 lb)
- 1 small yellow onion (about 4 oz)
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Grapeseed or sunflower oil for frying
- Sour cream, for serving
Yukon Gold potatoes are preferred here for their texture, color, and mild flavor; they brown less quickly than russets. Use a regular yellow onion rather than a sweet onion for best flavor. The listed salt amount works well for these proportions, but adjust to taste. A small dollop of sour cream balances the pancakes perfectly.
How to Make Deruny
- Peel the potatoes and the onion.
- Grate potatoes and onion using a grater with star-shaped holes, grating the onion intermittently to keep the potatoes from browning.
- Collect the grated mixture over a sieve set above a bowl. Drain away most of the liquid but keep the potato starch that settles in the bowl; add the grated vegetables back to the starch.
- Stir in the egg, flour, salt and baking soda until combined. The batter should be thick but spoonable.
- Heat 2–3 tablespoons grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spoon heaping tablespoons of the batter into the pan, spacing pancakes about 1″ apart.
- Fry until golden brown on each side, about 3–4 minutes per side.
- Drain briefly on paper towel if desired and serve warm with sour cream.
The potato batter will hold together but remain moist enough to spoon easily.
Serve deruny warm with a generous dollop of sour cream.
Quick Recipe Summary
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 8 minutes
- Total time: about 23–30 minutes
- Yield: about 16 pancakes
Deruny (Ukrainian Potato Pancakes)
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Ingredients
- 4 large Yukon potatoes, (about 2 lbs)
- 1 small yellow onion, (4 oz)
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- grapeseed oil, for frying
Instructions
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Peel the potatoes and the onion. Line a sieve above a large bowl to catch juices while grating. Grate the potatoes and onion using the star-shaped side of a grater, alternating between them. The onion juice will help prevent the potatoes from browning. Pour off most of the liquid collected in the bowl but retain the potato starch; return the grated vegetables to the bowl with the starch.
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Add the egg, flour, salt and baking soda to the potato mixture and stir until combined. The batter should be thick but still spoonable.
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Heat 2–3 tablespoons grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the skillet, leaving about 1″ between pancakes. Fry until golden brown on each side, about 3–4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with sour cream.