My Mexican Potato Pancakes recipe is packed with the spicy, rich flavors of pepper jack cheese and jalapeño peppers. With a less than 30-minute prep time, these are delicious for a weeknight, and they’d also be fun for a Cinco de Mayo feast. Potato pancakes are not just for Hanukkah, you know!

Try this Mexican Cheesy Potato Pancake recipe for Cinco de Mayo, or any day. Crisped to perfection on the outside and tender on the inside, these little potato pancakes have a delicious Mexican vibe and are oozing with delicious flavors.

What’s in Mexican Potato Pancakes?

As with any recipe, starting with good quality ingredients is one of the keys to success.

I know quite a bit about Idaho potatoes and I will always choose them. A few years ago, I traveled with the Idaho Potato Commission to Idaho to learn everything about growing and harvesting them. So yes, the first ingredient is Idaho potatoes. (That journey began here.)

The remaining ingredients are:

• onion
• Pepper Jack cheese
• Jalapeño peppers
• garlic
• chipotle adobo sauce
• egg

Tips for Making Mexican Potato Panackes

• It’s really important to remove as much liquid as possible form both the potatoes and onions. After they’re grated, you’ll want to squeeze them with your hands. The liquid content is very high in both. The more liquid you can remove, the crispier the pancakes will be.
• Be sure the pan is super hot when you add the pancake mixture. Imagine you’re searing a steak!
• Chipotles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeño chiles that are canned in a sauce that typically contains tomato puree, paprika, salt, onions, oil, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and oregano. For this recipe, just use the sauce, not the actual pepper.

What to Serve with Them

Here are a few delicious ideas:

• Fried Meyer Lemon Caesar Salad
• 5-Minute Mexican Blackened Salmon
• Grilled Chile-Lime Corn on the Cob
• Chicas Chips &  Roasted Tomato Poblano Salsa
• Mexican Chopped Salad with Pepitas and Honey-Chipotle Dressing

Fun menu ideas, right!?  🙂

Enjoy everything!

Mexican Potato Pancakes

Valentina K. Wein

This Mexican Potato Pancakes recipe is packed with the spicy, rich flavors of pepper jack cheese and jalapeño peppers. With a less than 30-minute prep time, these are delicious for a weeknight, and they'd also be fun for a Cinco de Mayo feast.

Makes 1 1/2 dozen small potato pancakes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 4 mins

Total Time 24 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 2 to 4

Calories 310 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Idaho Russet Potatoes -- approximately 1 (3/4 pound) potato, grated
• ⅓ cup onion, grated
• ⅓ cup Pepper Jack cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons Jalapeño pepper, washed and dried, very finely chopped, seeds removed
• ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from chipotles in adobo sauce (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• olive oil

Instructions

 

• Use a food processor or hand grater to grate the potato and onion. (The former is much easier!) Then use your hands to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the potatoes and onion.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the potato and onion with the cheese, jalapeño, garlic, chipotle adobo sauce, salt and egg.
• Generously coat a large sauté pan with olive olive oil, and place it over medium-high heat.
• Once the pan is very hot, shape the potato mixture into approximately tablespoon-sized pancakes, placing them in the hot pan as you go. There should be at least an inch or so between them. Gently press each one to flatten slightly. Cook until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
• Continue sautéing the pancakes using more of the oil if necessary.
• Serve immediately!

Notes

Chipotles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeño chiles that are canned in a sauce that typically contains tomato puree, paprika, salt, onions, oil, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and oregano. For this recipe, just use the sauce, not the actual pepper.

Keywords best potato sides, great for Cinco de Mayo

Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.