Reibekuchen is a traditional German potato pancake that the whole family will love - perfect for breakfast, lunch or as a comforting side dish; made with grated potato pan-fried until crispy and golden, this wholesome version is toddler-friendly with no added salt, soft inside with crispy edges, great for baby-led weaning and can be adapted to bake for less oil, served with applesauce for sweetness, or kept plain for fussier eaters; follow this simple recipe for an authentic German comfort food that introduces your child to European cuisine while keeping everything nutritious, safe and utterly delicious.
General Information
- Servings: 4 (makes about 12 small pancakes; good for two adults and two small kids)
- Keywords: reibekuchen, potato pancakes, toddler-friendly, no-salt, no-sugar, family, kid-friendly
- Calories: ~356 kcal per serving (approximate)
- Protein: ~8 g per serving (approximate)
- Carbs: ~53 g per serving (approximate)
- Fats: ~12 g per serving (approximate)
- Preparation time: 25 minutes (including kid-help moments)
- Cooking time: 12-16 minutes
Hi, I’m Olivia - web designer, quilt-maker, mum to two boys (3 and 7). My husband works FIFO so our kitchen is where the kids and I hang out, make a mess and teach them useful things. These Reibekuchen are without added salt or sugar, cut and cooked to be toddler-friendly, and simple enough for someone who’s not confident in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes (about 6 medium). Waxy or all-purpose potatoes are fine.
- 1 small onion (about 50 g) or 2 spring onion tops (green part) if you prefer milder flavour
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 50 g plain wheat flour
- 30 ml milk (breast milk, formula, cow, oat or soy - whatever your child has already had)
- 1-2 tbsp (15-30 ml) neutral oil for frying (sunflower, canola or light olive oil)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives (optional, finely chopped)
- A clean tea towel or several layers of kitchen paper for squeezing moisture out of potatoes
- Extra small amount of oil for the pan as needed
Notes on toddler safety: do not add whole nuts, raw hard vegetables or whole grapes as toppings. All pieces should be soft and cut to about 2 cm wide finger shapes for toddlers.
Directions
- Kitchen prep and safety
- Wash hands. Put a clean bib or apron on each child if they want to help. Tell them they can mix but hot things are for grown-ups.
- Have a shallow plate or tray ready for finished pancakes and some paper towel to drain them on.
- If you’re using a box grater, set it on a stable board and show kids how to keep fingers well away from the grater. If you have a food processor with a grater disk, that is faster and safer for little hands.
- Peel and prepare the potatoes (I say “we” because the boys help)
- Peel the potatoes with a vegetable peeler. If the kids want to help, give them one potato and a small, clean cloth to rub instead of a peeler, or let them put whole potatoes into a bowl.
- Rinse each peeled potato under cold water.
- Grate potatoes using the coarse side of a box grater or the grating disk on a food processor. Hold the potato with thumbs tucked under so fingertip safety is better. Grated potato should look like fine threads, not big chunks. That lowers choking risk and helps them bind together.
- If the grated potato looks very wet, put it into a clean tea towel, gather the corners and twist and squeeze over the sink until most of the water is out. You want damp potato, not a puddle. This keeps the pancakes from going soggy.
- Prepare the onion
- For toddlers, I grate the onion too or chop it extremely fine. Cut the onion in half, then lay the cut side down and slice very thin. Then turn and chop finely, or pop in the food processor with the potato if you used it.
- If your child is sensitive, skip onion and use just parsley or chives.
- Mix the batter
- In a large bowl, add the drained grated potato, grated or finely chopped onion, 1 large egg, 50 g plain flour and 30 ml milk. Add the chopped parsley or chives now if you use them.
- Stir with a big spoon or use clean hands to bring it together. The mixture should hold together when squeezed in your hand. If it is too watery, add 1 tablespoon more flour at a time until it holds.
- Taste test for seasoning is skipped here since we are not using salt. If you like, a small squeeze of lemon on your own plate is fine later.
- Shape toddler-friendly pancakes
- For safety, make small patties about 6 cm across and 1 cm thick. That size cools faster and is easier for little hands.
- Use two spoons or a small ice cream scoop to drop the batter into the pan so they are all a similar size. Kids can help drop spoonfuls onto a tray away from the stove.
- Frying (adult task)
- Put a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat and add 1-2 tbsp oil. Let it heat for a minute. To test, flick a tiny bit of batter in. If it sizzles gently, it’s ready.
- Gently place 4-5 small patties into the pan without crowding. Flatten slightly with the back of a spatula to make even thickness.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes on the first side until golden. Turn with a spatula and cook 3 more minutes on the other side. Reduce heat slightly if they are browning too fast before the middle cooks.
- Transfer cooked pancakes to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Let them cool until warm, not piping hot, before cutting for the toddlers.
- Cut and serve safely
- Cut pancakes into finger-sized strips roughly 2 cm wide and 6 cm long, or cut into small bite-sized pieces depending on your child’s chewing ability. For the 3-year-old I cut into strips. For the 7-year-old we leave big ones whole.
- Always test the temperature yourself before offering to a child.
- Storage and reheating
- Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan with a little oil on low until hot through, then cool slightly before serving.
- You can freeze cooked pancakes separated by baking paper and then reheat from frozen in a low oven until warmed through.
A few practical tips from my quilt-making brain:
- If the mix is too wet and falls apart, add a little more flour. If too dry, a splash more milk.
- Let kids do the safe jobs: mixing, dropping spoonfuls on a tray, tearing parsley. That keeps them involved and happy while the hot pan stays adult territory.
Recommended Sides
- Unsweetened apple puree or mashed banana (soft and spreadable)
- Plain full-fat yogurt (no added sugar) for dipping
- Steamed carrot sticks cut small and soft, about 2 cm pieces
- Soft avocado slices, mashed or cut into strips
- Steamed, soft peas or small soft sweet potato cubes
- Soft pear slices steamed very briefly for toddlers who are wary of raw fruit
Jokes
- Why did the potato blush? Because it saw the pan and thought it was getting a tan.
- My 7-year-old tried to pay me with a lego for his pancake. I told him I only take legal tender, not tiny bricks.
- Cooking with kids is like quilting with live threads. It looks messier at first but somehow it becomes a masterpiece with lots of love.
If you want, I can add a printable checklist for the steps so you can stick it on the fridge for your little helpers.
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