How to make dye-free Green Pancakes, perfect for Spring! These vegan spinach pancakes are whole-grain, sugar-free, low-fat, and are delicious!
Have you ever had green pancakes? (sometimes called spinach pancakes)
I hadn’t until last month. I’d seen photos of them through the years but never made any myself.
There’s a story behind why I created a recipe…
Our youngest is a competitive swimmer. She trains daily, up in the dark to train before school, and then some days after school too. I had no idea swim would be so gruelling. These kids train hard.
Part of their training was to attend a nutrition seminar with a parent – this was my topic, so I sat in with her. I wondered if there would be a heavy slant into protein and animal foods.
Surprisingly, it was a balanced presentation, with discussion about other diets, and far more emphasis on healthy carbohydrates (not. just. protein).
The presenter shared a recipe for spinach pancakes at the end. The recipe had eggs and protein powder, but gave me some inspiration to create my own Green Pancake recipe.
At first, I experimented with pureeing bananas into the wet mixture. However, I find pureed bananas in pancakes can make them sticky. It’s also why I don’t add sweetener to vegan pancake batters (plus it’s not needed when drizzling with maple syrup)!
So, I came back to just using veg in the pancakes, and while spinach doesn’t have a strong flavor, I wanted to add a touch of flavor and sweetness without using fruit.
What did I come up with…?
A touch of almond extract. Game changer! While vanilla offered a nice flavor note, almond extract elevates these pancakes. It also gives them a “Spring” vibe.
So do please add in the almond extract! If for some reason you cannot use almond extract, try orange extract – or good ol’ vanilla. (Or better yet, vanilla bean powder)
Ready to flip some spinach pancakes? Let’s go!
(p.s. there’s another veg in these vegan green pancakes, keep reading…)
Personally I wouldn’t. I think the flavor is too strong. Spinach is mild.
You really don’t! Just follow the recipe, don’t use more than the listed amount – and don’t substitute kale!
You can try adding banana instead of the carrot/zucchini. It tastes great, just makes the pancakes a little sticky. Note that if you want to add any fruit, choose something yellow or orange, so it doesn’t impact the color. You can try mango instead of banana, for instance. Blending berries into the green pancake mixture will change the vibrant green color to a murky brown. Opt instead for stirring some berries into the mixture, or topping the finished pancakes with the berries!
Yes, feel free to substitute vanilla extract! I also think orange extract would be delicious.
Yes and yes! Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Toast or bake to reheat (I use my toaster oven).
I use a crepe pan for easy flipping. Be sure you have a good non-stick that is non-toxic, like this one.
Spring into Green! Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup roughly sliced/chopped zucchini or yellow carrot see note
- 1 cup plain or vanilla nondairy milk plus 1-2 tbsp more as needed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp almond extract or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole-grain spelt flour see note
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of sea salt optional
Instructions
- Heat a nonstick skillet (see note) over medium-high heat for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium. While the pan is heating, in a blender, add the spinach, zucchini or carrot, milk, lemon juice, and almond/vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. In a large bowl, mix the flour and baking powder, and salt if using. Add the blended mixture to the dry mixture and whisk to combine. Using a ladle, scoop 1/4–1/3 cup of the batter into the hot pan, fitting as many as you can without allowing the pancakes to touch. Cook for several minutes, until small bubbles form on the outer edge and in the center and the pancakes starts to look dry on the top. Flip the pancakes and lightly cook the other side for about a minute, then transfer to a plate. Repeat until all the batter is used.
Notes
skillet. If yours has a worn surface or isn’t nonstick, the pancakes will
stick. I find a crepe pan is easiest for flipping.
I hope you love these green pancakes as much as we have! Share your serving ideas in the comments.
x Dreena
photos credit: Angela MacNeil
Denise Southard says
Could you please tell why spelt flour? Is it healthier than whole wheat or any other flour and is it more unrefined?
Dreena Burton says
Hi Denise, you can substitute whole wheat flour if you like. If so, use a cup less 1 tbsp as it tends to be more dense than spelt flour. I sometimes use spelt flour because it’s a variety of wheat that a lot of people can consume if they cannot consume standard wheat flour. Also, it’s much more available now than 20 years ago when I started experimenting with it. Hope that helps.
Denise Southard says
Your instructions say to add vinegar but I don’t see it listed in the ingredients or where you tell us to mix the milk with the vinegar. Please clarify this for me. Thank you.
Dreena Burton says
oh thanks for catching that, my editing error, now fixed
Lucia Marino says
hi Dreena – in your reply to Denise Southard about vinegar as an ingredient in your Green Pancakes: I see lemon juice specified, but nowhere any mention of vinegar.
I’d love to make this recipe but I don’t dare without clarification from you. Thank you.
Dreena Burton says
Hi Lucia, I edited the recipe – do you see vinegar now?
Lucia Marino says
Does your re-edit suggest 1Tbsp vinegar as substitute for 1 Tbsp lemon juice?
I still do not see mention of vinegar in the re-edited recipe, whether I check from Firefox or Safari or DuckDuckGo.
Gail says
Hi Dreena,
Just bought some Mary’s garden fresh spinach today, so great timing on the recipe.
They also have some of their own fresh arugula available – large bunches – very nice.
Gail
Shelly says
Could you give a weight measurement on the spinach? I never know how to measure “packed” spinach leaves. How much do I pack them?
Dreena Burton says
Hi Shelly, sorry for the delay! I don’t weigh the spinach, just a big handful really. I grab a generous handful and that’s about a packed cup. You don’t have to pack it down firmly in the cup, just a little. It’s flexible, so you can wing it!
Marino Lucia says
Looks super delish! Would de-ribbed Swiss chard work as a spinach swap?
Dreena Burton says
Hi Lucia, I think it will be okay, I might use just a little less, as I find chard does have a stronger flavor. Enjoy!