Stuffed Potato Pancakes – Draniki (VIDEO)

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This is a variation of my Mom’s classic draniki recipe. Draniki (also known as deruny), are unusual but tasty Russian stuffed potato pancakes made with ground potatoes.

These are stuffed and cooked with a juicy meat patty inside. It is a delicious surprise! This recipe starts with raw potatoes so the texture is nothing like the mashed potato pancakes we posted earlier.

It’s difficult to improve on this classic, but wow these are sure delicious!

Watch How to Make Stuffed Potato Pancakes – Draniki:

These are made on the star grater of a box grater. Be sure to use safety gloves for the process – these gloves (affiliate link) have saved my fingers countless times, especially with mandolin slicing. The potatoes can be diced and pureed in a food processor or blender to speed up the process and they will still be super tasty, but for the most authentic draniki texture, the box grater works best.

One of the things I love most about the Russian and Ukrainian cuisine is the use of basic, inexpensive ingredients to make foods that are truly delicious.

⬇Print-Friendly Recipe for Stuffed Potato Pancakes:

Stuffed Potato Pancakes - Draniki (VIDEO)

5 from 17 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Draniki (aka deruny), are Russian potato pancakes made with grated potatoes. These are stuffed with a juicy meat patty - a delicious surprise!

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Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 32 minutes mins

Total Time: 52 minutes mins

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

Servings: 5 people (makes 16 potato pancakes

• 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled, (5 to 6 medium potatoes)
• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp sour cream, plus more to serve
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 3 Tbsp Olive oil, (or other cooking oil)
• 1/2 lb ground pork, (or ground chicken or turkey)
• 1/4 tsp salt and pinch of black pepper

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Instructions

• Into a large bowl, grate all of your peeled potatoes using the star grater side of a box grater (protect your hands with safety gloves!) Use a spoon to skim off and discard any excess liquid at the top (I removed about 1/3 cup).
• In the same bowl, grate the medium onion on the same star-grater side of the box grater (no need to wash the grater). Reserve and set aside 1 Tbsp of the grated onion for your meat mixture.
• Into the potato and onion mix, add 1 large egg, 3 Tbsp flour, 1 Tbsp sour cream, 1 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 lb ground meat, 1/4 tsp salt, pinch of black pepper and reserved 1 Tbsp grated onion. Mix just until well combined. Divide the meat into 16 thin patties, each about 2" wide and set aside.
• Heat a large non-stick pan* over medium heat with 2-3 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add potato mixture 1 Tbsp at a time, flattening out the top with the back of your spoon. Immediately top each pancake with a meat patty and cover each one with another Tablespoon of potato mixture**. Saute 4 minutes per side or until cooked through and golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and serve right away. Repeat with remaining ingredients, adding more oil as needed.

Notes

*Cut the cooking time in half by using 2 large non-stick skillets at once.
**If liquid starts to rise to the top of the potato mixture, give it a quick stir to incorporate it back into the batter. I typically stir between each batch.

Nutrition Per Serving

314kcal Calories22g Carbs13g Protein19g Fat5g Saturated Fat66mg Cholesterol635mg Sodium736mg Potassium3g Fiber1g Sugar65IU Vitamin A17.5mg Vitamin C60mg Calcium5.3mg Iron

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Stuffed Potato Pancakes - Draniki (VIDEO)

Amount per Serving

Calories

314

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

19

g

29

%

Saturated Fat

 

5

g

31

%

Cholesterol

 

66

mg

22

%

Sodium

 

635

mg

28

%

Potassium

 

736

mg

21

%

Carbohydrates

 

22

g

7

%

Fiber

 

3

g

13

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

13

g

26

%

Vitamin A

 

65

IU

1

%

Vitamin C

 

17.5

mg

21

%

Calcium

 

60

mg

6

%

Iron

 

5.3

mg

29

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Keyword: Stuffed Potato Pancakes

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $

Calories: 314

These are tasty as is, but we love these best served with sour cream. They are a real treat any time of day!

Did you also grow up eating draniki? Have you tried stuffing them yet?