My Russian potato pancake recipe for draniki (in Russian) or deruny (in Ukrainian) makes a delicious pancake that something between a pancake or pikelet and fritter. My grandmother and mother made these for weekend breakfasts and brunches and we’d continue to snack on them during the day. They’re also cooked for Maslenitsa or Pancake Week. Maslenitsa is a Slavic celebration that marks the end of Spring. Even if you’re not Russian or Ukrainian, it’s as good an excuse as any to make pancakes.
This potato pancake recipe for draniki (in Russian) or deruny (in Ukrainian) makes what my Russian-Ukrainian family translated to potato ‘pancakes’ in English. While a little crispy on the outside, these potato pancakes were more finely textured than the crunchier potato fritters my baboushka also made, which were more like Jewish potato latkes or German kartoffelpuffers.
This potato pancake recipe makes one of my best pancakes recipes. If you enjoyed my Russian blini recipe in the style of French crepes and my recipe for buckwheat pancakes with smoked salmon, dill, sour cream, and caviar, you’ll love draniki or deruny. Pancake lovers should also see this collection of pancake recipes from around the world.
If you need an excuse to make pancakes, then use the Eastern Orthodox festival of Maslenitsa, or Pancake Week, the Slavic Shrovetide which has started and runs until Sunday. Dating back to the 2nd century AD with its origin in pagan traditions, Maslenitsa marks the last week before Great Lent and the end of winter and start of spring.
Now before I tell you about my Russian potato pancake recipe for draniki, I have a favour to ask. Grantourismo is reader-supported. If you make this recipe or any of my Russian-Ukrainian family recipes or other recipes and enjoy them, please consider supporting Grantourismo by purchasing something on Amazon, such as these cookbooks for foodie travellers, or classic cookbooks for serious cooks.
Now let me tell you about this classic Russian potato pancake recipe for draniki or deruny in Ukrainian.
Russian Potato Pancakes Recipe for Draniki (Russian) or Deruny (Ukrainian)
Russians, Ukrainians and other Slavic peoples love their pancakes or ‘blini’ – which is the plural; ‘blin’ is singular – and there are countless kinds of pancakes. I read that one Maslenitsa event in Moscow last year offered over 200 types of pancakes.
I’ve also got a recipe for syrniki, ricotta cheese pancakes, which are traditionally made with tvorog or farmer’s cheese, but can also be made with cottage cheese, and I’ll soon be adding a recipe for oladyi, which are small, thick, fluffy pancakes made with kefir.
My Russian-Ukrainian grandparents called these potato pancakes draniki in Russian or deruny in Ukrainian. But, somewhat annoyingly, my baboushka also made crunchier potato fritters, which my family also called draniki or deruny.
Whereas these had a finer texture, more like a pancake or pikelet, those crunchier potato fritters were more like Jewish latkes or German kartoffelpuffers. I’ll also share a recipe for those.
The main differences between the two is that these potato pancakes are made with more finely grated potato and onion and a lot more flour (200g flour), while the crunchier potato fritters are made with larger pieces of grated potato and onion and a lot less flour – just 2-3 tablespoons.
While the ongoing war with Ukraine will deter many Russians and those of Russian-Ukrainian heritage like myself from celebrating Maslenitsa this year – which involves much eating, drinking, dance and song, many will still flip pancakes at home this week – as I will here in Australia with my mother.
Tips to Making This Russian Potato Pancake Recipe
I only have a few tips for making this Russian potato pancakes recipe for draniki (in Russian) or deruny (in Ukrainian).
This potato pancakes recipe is super easy – and it’s versatile, too. You can finely grate the potato and onion for a finer, light pancake like the potato pancakes pictured here. You can add even more flour, and use cooked potato for a potato pancake that’s similar in texture to a pikelet or the mini buckwheat blini I recently shared (link above).
Or you can grate larger pieces of potato, finely chop or slice your onion, and use less flour – just a few tablespoons – if you prefer more texture and crunch. The result will be a potato pancake that’s more like a potato fritter and more akin to Jewish potato latkes or German kartoffelpuffers. My family call those potato fritters rather potato pancakes, and I’ll also share a recipe for those.
I use a kitchen grater with a storage container attached, but you can use any grater – from a simple box grater to a food processor with a grating or shredding attachment.
Call me old-fashioned, but I like my potato pancakes to look home-made and rustic, and am happy just to spoon the mixture directly into a fry pan or skillet.
Terence prefers to use silicon egg rings, which will give you perfectly round discs. If you’re a perfectionist like my husband, you might also like to try one of these non-stick pancake pans with moulds.
If you follow this Russian potato pancakes recipe to the gram, they will still result in a slightly crispy pancake on the outside, but you will need to serve them immediately as they will soften as they cool down.
So make sure that while the potato batter is resting, you use that time to pop some sour cream and fresh dill, spring onions/scallions and/or chives in bowls, so you’re ready to eat once they’re done.
Russian Potato Pancakes Recipe for Draniki
Ingredients
- 500 g potatoes
- 100 g white onion
- 1 egg
- 200 g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Cooking oil
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Wash, peel and grate the potatoes and onion. For a finer pancake like those pictured, finely grate the potato and onion, but for a crunchier pancake, go for larger-sized grated potato and onion pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- In a separate dish, crack an egg and whisk until combined, then add it to the mixing bowl with the potato and onion. Add the salt and pepper and combine.
- To the same mixing bowl, gradually add the flour and combine well. The batter should be thick, chunky and wet but not runny. Add a little more flour if necessary, then let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
- While the batter is resting, finely chop the fresh dill, spring onions/scallions and/or chives, pour some sour cream or crème fraiche into a dish, and lay paper kitchen towels onto a wire rack or tray for draining the pancakes after they're fried, as you’ll want to serve the pancakes immediately once they’re done.
- Heat a medium-sized fry pan or skillet to medium-high heat and add enough cooking oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Drop a little mixture in the pan; if it sizzles it’s ready.
- Turn down to medium heat then drop a tablespoon of batter into the pan, using a spatula to quickly flatten it and shape it into a circle before it sets and the edges starts to brown.
- Repeat until you’ve filled the pan. You should be able to cook 4 or 5 pancakes in one batch. By the time you finish shaping the fourth or fifth pancake, the first pancake should be ready to turn over. Each batch should take around 5 minutes to cook.
- Using a turner or spatula, flip the first pancake over. If it’s not brown yet, then leave the others for another minute or so, then turn one over. If it’s nice and brown and crispy, then turn the others over one by one, and flip the first one over again so it’s brown and crispy on both sides.
- As they're done, transfer the pancakes to the wire rack to soak excess oil, then repeat until you’ve used up all the batter. If you're not serving the pancakes immediately transfer them to a tray in a warm oven.
- Serve immediately while still crispy with extra salt and pepper, and dishes of fresh dill, spring onions/scallions and/or chives, and sour cream. If you don’t serve the pancakes straight away they will start to soften.
Nutrition
Published 8 March 2021; Updated and Republished 11 March 2024
Do let us know if you make our Russian potato pancakes recipe for draniki as we’d love to know how they turn out for you.
