Home > Appetizers > Stuffed Potato Pancakes – Draniki (VIDEO)

Stuffed Potato Pancakes – Draniki (VIDEO)

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

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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.

Natasha standing in her kitchen with stuffed potato pancakes in front of her

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

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.

Ingredients for stuffed potato pancakes on the table

⬇Print-Friendly Recipe for Stuffed Potato Pancakes:

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Stuffed Potato Pancakes - Draniki (VIDEO)

5 from 15 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Draniki (aka deruny), are Russian stuffed potato pancakes made with grated potatoes. These are stuffed with a juicy meat patty - a delicious surprise! | natashaskitchen.com
Draniki (aka deruny), are Russian potato pancakes made with grated potatoes. These are stuffed with a juicy meat patty - a delicious surprise!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 32 minutes
Total Time: 52 minutes

Ingredients 

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

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
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: $5-$7
Calories: 314

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

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

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

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

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

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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Read comments/reviewsAdd comment/review

  • Ashley
    April 30, 2021

    Hi Natasha!
    These look great, i can’t wait to try them. I just wanted to know if they freeze/reheat well?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 30, 2021

      Hi Ashley, these pancakes freeze well. I would recommend freezing them on the baking sheet that has been covered with plastic wrap. After pancakes freeze, remove them from the baking pan and store them in freezer-friendly plastic bags.

      Reply

  • AJ
    May 17, 2020

    I couldn’t get mine to cook the potato thoroughly. I removed the excess water at the beginning like you said. I even tried to make them without the meat and they still felt raw inside. One tablespoon for bottom and top and I spread them flat. Any suggestions???

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 18, 2020

      Hi AJ, if the heat is too high, they can brown too quickly without cooking through fully. Also, with these types of potato pancakes, the potato texture is different than mashed potatoes – the key is to make sure the meat center is fully cooked through and at that point, the rest of pancake is done. I do make those patties inside very thin.

      Reply

  • theoni
    March 3, 2020

    Hi Natasha just stared following, all your recipes look amazing.
    I’m greek so i cant wait to try this recipe with some tzatziki

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 3, 2020

      I hope you love this recipe Theoni!

      Reply

  • Eugenia K
    December 25, 2019

    Hi, Natasha.
    Love your recipes.
    Will try to make your Draniki recipe. The only thing Draniki or deruni, a potato pancakes. The meat stuffed potatoes are zrazi.

    Looking forward for more appetizers recipes.

    Thank you

    Eugenia

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 26, 2019

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me.

      Reply

  • Sarah
    May 27, 2019

    We love Mr. Bean! *in voice* BEAN! lol

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 27, 2019

      I love that Sarah!

      Reply

  • Melissa C.
    November 6, 2018

    Absolutely delicious!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 6, 2018

      Hi Melissa! I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Morgan Jones
    October 23, 2018

    I made these for the first time today for dinner, and they were a huge hit! We used to have these on a regular basis when we lived in Kyiv, so it was like a taste of “home” for dinner tonight. I made a nice coleslaw with dill and apple to go with the deruny, so it was Ukrainian flavours all through the meal. Thanks for another wonderful Ukrainian recipe!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 23, 2018

      You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it

      Reply

      • Kay
        April 24, 2020

        Draniki is not Russian, but Belarusian dish. Of course there are variations of that in every country with different names

        Reply

  • Katie
    October 18, 2018

    Hi Natasha,
    Do you think ground beef (hamburger) would work instead of the ground pork?

    Thanks,

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 19, 2018

      I don’t see why not Katie! Just make sure it has some fat to beef ratio to make sure its not too dry

      Reply

  • Veronica Vekselshtein
    October 17, 2018

    Natashinka, thank you so much for this recipe! Reminds me of my babushkas latkes with a twist! I made this for my husband and I, thinking there would be leftovers, but I was wrong. My husband loved these so much! I followed your recipe step by step, and there is not anything I would change! (currently making your creamy chicken noodle soup, super stoked!)

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 17, 2018

      That’s so great Veronica! I’m so happy you all loved that! Soup sounds perfect right about now! Thanks for the great review!

      Reply

  • Allen Fields
    August 15, 2018

    All the videos I have seen, Mr. Bean NEVER “talks”! lol

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 16, 2018

      I haven’t seen them all but that’s interesting!

      Reply

  • Marina
    July 25, 2018

    I just used the grinder attachment to the kitchen aid mixer to grind/grate the potatoes and onion. It saves a lot of time and comes out the same as grating it.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 25, 2018

      What a great idea! Thank you for sharing that with us Marina!

      Reply

  • Snizhana
    May 30, 2018

    I was looking through your recipes to make blueberry vareniki (still plan to do this week, bc I’m pregnant and want to freeze them for post-partum) & stumbled across these babies that I haven’t had for years! Def a delicious childhood food. I did them without meat (just how my mom did them) they came out delicious! And so easy!! And I can freeze these too! Score! You’re a life saver Natasha! Thank you!
    Also an idea, maybe you could do a video on easy foods a pregnant mama can freeze for postpartum care.? An idea:)

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 30, 2018

      My pleasure! I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe. I will definitely keep your request in mind. Thanks for following and sharing your fantastic review!

      Reply

  • Olga
    April 3, 2018

    Do you know if I can freeze them? I love these but want to freeze some before I deliver my baby so it can be easier postpartum.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 3, 2018

      Hi Olga, these pancakes freeze well. I would recommend freezing them on the baking sheet that has been covered with plastic wrap. After pancakes freeze, remove them from the baking pan and store them in freezer friendly plastic bags. I wish you a very successful delivery, blessings to you and your family 😀

      Reply

  • Niloofar
    March 15, 2018

    The Persians mix the meat with the rest of the ingredients and call it (Persian) Cutlet. It’s so good.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 15, 2018

      Yum! There are a lot of variations of this loved recipe!

      Reply

  • Galina
    January 6, 2018

    HI Natasha, what kind of flour can I substitute to make this gluten free?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 6, 2018

      Hi Galina, I haven’t experimented that way but since there is a minimal amount of flour, you could probably use any all-purpose gluten free baking flour to make these work, such as Bob’s Red Mill. I think that should work fine.

      Reply

  • Christine
    December 3, 2017

    My aunt was very recently telling me about a meal she loved as a little girl. She described it as a potato and meat pancake (we’re Ukrainian) and my grandmother would serve it with a brown gravy, but didn’t remember the name. This sound like it could be the one! thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 4, 2017

      My pleasure Christine! I hope you love the recipe!

      Reply

  • Andrew J Jones
    November 20, 2017

    I thought Draniki is plain potato pancakes without meat–with meat these are Belorussian (according to the expert-ie my wife) and are called Kalduny!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 20, 2017

      Hi Andrew, we have never called them kalduny but I have heard that reference before from other readers. It may be a regional naming :).

      Reply

    • Monika
      January 10, 2018

      Kolduny are not sautéed …they are broil ..and they have different shape

      Reply

      • Diana
        December 20, 2018

        Kolduny are sautéed if they are thin enough. I remember my grandma making it in Belarus and they were huge, so she would fry them in a skillet first to get color and than would put them in the oven to finish cooking the stuffing-meat. She would pour pork fat all over it and bake it.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          December 20, 2018

          Thank you for sharing that with us, Diana!

          Reply

  • Julia
    October 29, 2017

    Hi,
    What the texture of drannik should be inside after it has been fried?(on outside it is crispy what about inside?) Is 8 minutes enough to cook potato through?
    Thanks

    Julia

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 30, 2017

      Hi Julia, they are moist inside and if they are made as shown and aren’t made overly thick, 8 minutes is sufficient to fully cook through the potato and meat.

      Reply

  • James | Thyme to Mango
    September 29, 2017

    Ah, I love simple snacks like these, and with such pantry staple ingredients, too!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 29, 2017

      Me too! I hope you love the recipe James!

      Reply

  • Vik
    September 27, 2017

    These look amazing, can’t wait to try making ’em. 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 28, 2017

      They are super popular for good reason! Please let me know what you think when you decide to make them!

      Reply

  • Anna
    September 26, 2017

    My mom made these when we were growing up except we mixed the ground meat together with the potato mixture:)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 27, 2017

      Thank you for sharing that with us! I honestly have not considered that but now I will have to try it! 🙂

      Reply

  • Liliya
    September 26, 2017

    Hi, Natasha! Thank you for the recipe! I want to try it. Will chicken ground meat work the same as pork?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 26, 2017

      Hi Liliya, yes that should work great 🙂

      Reply

      • Liliya
        September 28, 2017

        Thank you, Natasha!
        They were amazing! Kids were surprised that there were pelmeni inside draniki😁.
        The hardest part for me to shred potatoes and onions…
        Very yummy!

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          September 28, 2017

          You’re welcome! I’m glad everyone enjoys the recipe! Thanks for sharing Liliya!

          Reply

  • Sam Marquez
    September 25, 2017

    Hi,

    I love all your recipes! Just wondering, does the pork cook through in the time that the potatoes are cooking? I’m worried about the pork not being fully cooked.
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 25, 2017

      Hi Sam, yes it is fully cooked through after a total of 8 minutes (4 minutes per side) over medium heat.

      Reply

  • Kris
    September 23, 2017

    Is this a Russian recipe?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 23, 2017

      Hi Kris, it is! I’m not sure if it originated in Russia or Ukraine but is is called different things in Russia, Ukraine and even has a different name in the Belarusian language.

      Reply

      • Marie Czarnecki
        September 23, 2017

        It could also be Polish. We Poles love potato pancakes..

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          September 24, 2017

          I’m guessing this recipe is probably known by many different names based on region. Do you make yours slightly differently or similar?

          Reply

        • Cincy
          October 2, 2017

          Yes they do, I am married to one and also the Germans love their potato pancake as well.

          Reply

          • Cindy
            October 2, 2017

            The Germans eat these with applesauce. I prefer the sour cream or just maple syrup is good too.

    • Oksana
      April 24, 2022

      Draniki is not russian or Ukrainian, it is Belarusian dish. There are variations in a lot of Slavic cuisines, like this recipe.

      Reply

  • Lena
    September 23, 2017

    We love draniki! We made some classic ones last night and my 7 year old son ate lots of them. He said that they smelled so good. Thank you for all the good recipes!! Keep it going….

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 23, 2017

      You’re welcome Lena! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the recipes so much! Thanks for following and sharing your great review!

      Reply

  • Valya @ Valya's Taste of Home
    September 22, 2017

    I totally agree! I made some potato pancakes yesterday, and processed potatoes in the food processor. Yeah, the taste is the same, but I prefer the texture of the pancakes when potatoes are grated on a box grater. The best!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 22, 2017

      Right! It does make a huge difference, totally worth the effort! 🙂

      Reply

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