We love a latke all on its own, but why settle for one type when you can enjoy eight varieties of these crispy bites of potato pancake heaven? To celebrate Hanukkah, and the significance of the number eight in Jewish tradition, we’ve prepped eight of our favorite latkes varieties that you can enjoy at home. Each one is made with creamy Lifeway Farmer Cheese, which elevates your latkes with protein, live probiotics, and a delicious flavor and unbeatable texture you’re sure to love.
Latkes and Farmer Cheese = A Trinity of Protein, Prebiotics, and Probiotics
To start you’ll want to make plain latkes (see one of our favorite recipes here!), and then create the eight varieties with the topping ideas below. If you’ve never had latkes, you’re in for a treat. Latkes are crispy potato pancakes that are simple to make and quick to whip up, plus they don’t require a lot of cooking skills ,which makes them easy for everyone to enjoy.
Lifeway Farmer Cheese makes a terrific topping for latkes, since the live probiotics it contains work in tandem with the prebiotic fiber found in potatoes. Both of these together support good gut health, and they also taste great together! Plus, our farmer cheese is packed with protein, which helps keep these latkes filling and satisfying without being heavy. The creamy texture and tangy flavor of Lifeway Farmer Cheese will turn an ordinary holiday recipe into something unforgettable in just seconds. Plus, it’s ready to use right out of the package with no blending required before you use it, so dive into these eight delicious latke varieties and enjoy them with us!
1. Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
Sweet cherry tomatoes and herb-flavored pesto are layered on top of our farmer cheese to create a simple, yet elegant flavor that can be put together in seconds. The juiciness of cherry tomatoes makes these extra flavorful, and their tiny size makes them easy to cut in half to put on top of the pesto layer.
2. Applesauce, Apples, and Cinnamon
For a sweet take that embodies a cozy, nostalgic flavor, try our applesauce, apples, and cinnamon variety. Unsweetened applesauce is one of the easiest ways to add natural sweetness to foods, and it has a lovely creamy texture that makes it an easy go-to topping for things like pancakes, toast, or the like. Here, we upped the apple flavor with apple slices on top and a sprinkle of cinnamon for the perfect touch.
3. Cranberry Sauce and Orange Zest
The lively, tangy flavor of cranberries combined with zingy orange zest is balanced beautifully with our creamy farmer cheese, which has a mild flavor and allows the fruits to shine to their full potential. For an extra pop of flavor, add some crushed fresh cranberries on top!
4. Smoked Salmon, Capers, and Dill
One of our favorite classic toppings for latkes is smoked salmon, capers, and dill. This trio of ingredients gives your latkes a gourmet flavor while still being simple to prepare. Capers have a natural lemony, tangy, briny flavor that blends wonderfully with smoked salmon’s natural umami flavor, while the herbal notes of dill round everything out perfectly.
5. Mustard, Pastrami, and Pickles
For a ballpark-style flavor, consider this your go-to latke topping combination. Mustard and pickles paired with pastrami give latkes a rustic feel that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Using different varieties of mustard (and pickles) here helps you create more flavor variations, so try different styles to see which ones you love most!
6. Everything Bagel Seasoning with Scallions
For all the everything but the bagel seasoning fans out there, we’ve got you covered. This seasonings brings a lot of flavor all on its own, so not much else is needed, but we decided to accent this variety with scallions, which bring just enough herb flavor without being over the top. You could also use chives here for a similar flavor. Our farmer cheese balances out the natural heat and spice found in these ingredients, creating a delicious and balanced mouthfeel that hits all the right flavor notes.
7. Classic Chives
Speaking of chives, they’re a great topping to try if you want to keep things simple and fuss-free. Chives are one of the best pairings for potatoes in general, so they make a simple, yet flavorful idea for latkes topped with farmer cheese. Our farmer cheeses’s naturally smooth texture combined with the crispiness of potatoes and herby, onion-flavored notes of chives have a similar vibe as sour cream-topped baked potatoes with chives—but with more protein and probiotics!
8. Red Caviar and Chives
Last, but not least, if you want to try something new, or you already love caviar, this variety is the one to try. Red salmon caviar and chives are layered on top of our farmer cheese to create a uniquely flavored latke that doubles a stunning presentation. You can use any caviar variety you enjoy, but we love the festive color of red caviar, and it’s generally pretty easy to find.
From our Lifeway family to yours, we wish you our best this holiday season and hope your Hanukkah is filled with joy, love, and wonderful gut health along the way! Keep up with all things Lifeway on social media at Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest to see what we’re up to next. See you there!