Recipe for: Potato pancakes with caramelized onions, warm tomato-dill sauce, and sour cream - photo 1
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Recipe for: Potato pancakes with caramelized onions, warm tomato-dill sauce, and sour cream

Spicy Main dishes May Day 90 min Medium 20 views ~16.47 PLN * - (0)
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Description

Potato pancakes served with soft, sweet caramelized onions, a refreshing summer tomato-dill sauce, and thick sour cream. This is comfort food in Polish: crispy pancakes with a delicate and creamy interior, contrasting with the moist sauce and the sweetness of the onions. The dish is inspired by traditional potato pancakes but has a summer twist thanks to fresh tomatoes and dill. Perfect for a family dinner, a picnic on a warm day, or as a main dish for a gathering with friends. Serve immediately after frying for the crispiest pancakes; the sauce and caramelized onions perfectly balance the flavors and add color.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (16)

Servings:
4
  • Potatoes 5.3 pcs (~800 g)
  • Onion 3 pcs (~450 g)
  • Chicken egg 2 pcs (~120 g)
  • Wheat flour 80 g
  • Rapeseed oil 120 g
  • Butter 30 g
  • Sugar 15 g
  • Sour cream 200 g
  • Tomato 3.3 pcs (~400 g)
  • Garlic 2 clove (~10 g)
  • Lemon juice 15 g
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Salt 8 g
  • Black pepper 4 pinch (~2 g)
  • Dill 1.5 bunch (~30 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • Honey 15 ml
  • Apple 0.7 pcs (~120 g)
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~16.47 PLN (4.12 PLN/serving)
* Prices missing for some ingredients

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparation of potatoes and filling

1

Wash and peel the potatoes. Grate the potatoes on a medium grater directly into a large bowl or onto a cutting board. Immediately after grating, set aside for 2–3 minutes — the starch will settle at the bottom. If you are using the optional apple, grate it together with some of the potatoes (part of the apple can add moisture and a hint of sweetness).

Ingredients: Apple
Use a large metal or plastic bowl and a grater with medium holes. If you don't have a hand grater, use a food processor with a grating disc or a very fine knife and chop finely.
2

Transfer the grated potato-apple mixture to a clean cotton cloth or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible over a bowl — press firmly until most of the water has been released. Let the drained liquid sit in the bowl for 2–3 minutes to allow the starch to settle at the bottom. Carefully pour off the water from the top, keeping the settled starch (the white powder at the bottom) — we will add it later to the mixture as a binding ingredient.

Use gloves or a cloth. If you don't want to collect the starch, you can throw it away, but the pancakes will be less cohesive. The starch you add back will improve the texture.
3

To the drained potato mass, add 1 grated small onion (about 150 g from the total amount), 2 beaten eggs, wheat flour, previously extracted settled starch (if you collected it), as well as salt and pepper. Mix with a fork or wooden spoon until you achieve a uniform consistency. The mixture should be slightly runny but hold its shape on a spoon — if it's too thin, add a tablespoon of flour; if it's too thick, add a little water from the potato mass.

Ingredients: Onion, Wheat flour, Salt, Black pepper
Use a wooden spoon or a mixer with a dough hook; if you are kneading by hand, do not overwork the mixture - just combine the ingredients. The mixture is ready when it reaches the consistency of thick cream and does not drip from the spoon.

Caramelized onion

4

Slice the remaining onions (about 300 g) into thin half-rings. Heat 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil in a medium-sized pan and add butter. When the butter has melted, add the sliced onion, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt (about 2–3 g), and spread evenly. Cook over medium-low heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring every 3–5 minutes — after 10–12 minutes the onion will start to glaze, and after 20–30 minutes it will take on a deep brown color and sweetness. 10 minutes before the end, add sugar to speed up caramelization and enhance the flavor.

Ingredients: Onion, Rapeseed oil, Butter, Sugar, Salt
Use a wide pan (recommended diameter 26–28 cm) with a thick bottom — it ensures even caramelization. Do not increase the heat too much so that the onion does not burn on the outside and remains raw on the inside.

Summer tomato-dill sauce

5

Dice the tomatoes finely (if you want, blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds and peel off the skin). Finely chop the dill and mince the garlic very finely. In a bowl, mix the diced tomatoes, dill, garlic, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil (about 15 g), and salt and pepper to taste. If the tomatoes are very sour, optionally add 1 teaspoon of honey (about 15 g). Let the sauce sit for 15–20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Ingredients: Tomato, Dill, Garlic, lemon juice, Rapeseed oil, Honey, Salt, Black pepper
Use a sharp knife and a cutting board. Finely chopping the dill and garlic will bring out the aroma without overpowering the flavor. The sauce should be fresh and slightly juicy — do not blend until smooth.

Frying the pancakes

6

Pour the oil (see the amount of ingredients) into a large skillet so that it covers the bottom to a thickness of about 3–5 mm. Heat the oil over medium-high heat — check the temperature by dropping in a small piece of the batter: it should sizzle immediately, but the oil must not smoke. Use a spoon to place portions of the batter (about 2–3 tablespoons) to form pancakes with a diameter of 10–12 cm. Fry for 3–4 minutes on one side until the edges are golden and crispy, then flip and fry for another 3–4 minutes. After frying, drain on paper towels.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Wheat flour, Salt, Black pepper
The best pan is one with a diameter of 26–28 cm with a non-stick coating. Do not overcrowd the pan — fry in batches to maintain the oil temperature. If the pancakes brown too quickly, reduce the heat.

Assembly and serving

7

On a plate, place 2–3 pancakes (depending on your appetite). On each pancake, add 1–2 tablespoons of warm tomato-dill sauce, next to or on top place 1–2 tablespoons of caramelized onions and 1–2 tablespoons of sour cream. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve immediately — the pancakes taste best hot and crispy.

Ingredients: sour cream, Dill, Tomato, Onion
Use wide plates to prevent the sauce from spilling. Additionally, you can add freshly ground pepper on top. If you used the optional ingredient (apple), its sweetness will pair well with the onion.

Cleaning and storage

8

Store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 24 hours — before reheating, place them in a skillet and heat over medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side to regain their crispiness. Store the tomato sauce separately in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Ingredients: Tomato, sour cream
We do not recommend freezing fried pancakes, as they lose their crispiness. To reheat, avoid the microwave — use a skillet or an oven with a grill function at 200°C for a few minutes.

Fun Fact

💡

Traditional Polish potato pancakes have many regional variations — from a very thin batter fried crispy to thick, meaty pancakes. Adding fresh summer tomatoes and dill is a modern, seasonal twist.

Best for

family dinner piknik majówka

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the pancakes hot; offer tomato sauce and caramelized onions in separate bowls so everyone can adjust the proportions to their liking. A light cucumber salad or pickles, along with a berry compote, pairs well with the dish.

🥡 Storage

Store the pancakes in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours in an airtight container. The tomato sauce will last for 48 hours. To refresh the pancakes, heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side instead of using the microwave.

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