I’m no stranger to pancakes – I’ve recently shared a recipe for Aebleskiver Danish Pancakes (Blueberry Mini Pancake Balls), have recipes for fluffy Japanese-style pancakes, and a pancake cake – and you may be surprised to hear this isn’t even my first spinach pancakes recipe – I also have these fluffy protein pancakes! This time, I am making spinach pancakes though – and all with just a blender and pan! Whether it’s St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas time, or you want a way to beef up your morning pancakes with some extra nutrients, then these spinach pancakes are for you! Not only do they look great, but – just like how adding a massive handful of spinach to your healthy smoothy recipes isn’t going to taste like spinach, these healthy spinach pancakes also don’t taste like spinach at all! Instead, you get to enjoy some delicious yet healthy oatmeal pancakes with the spinach helping to beef up the nutrients! It’s a great way to get children (or yourself) to eat more greens while enjoying a sweet treat! Plus, these healthy oatmeal pancakes are also 100% wheat-free, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free, and nut-free!
The ingredients
Optional add-Ins
Vanilla extract: if you plan on serving these spinach pancakes with a sweet topping, then a little vanilla extract is a wonderful addition. Sweetener: some people like to save the sweetness for their toppings, and some don’t. For that reason, this is ‘optional,’ but feel free to add around 1 tsp (or more) of your favorite sweetener: honey, maple, agave, etc. Blueberries: a handful of blueberries added to the spinach pancake batter is all you need for delicious blueberry spinach pancakes. Chocolate chips: for a sweeter treat, feel free to add some chocolate chips (or even sugar-free chocolate chips) to these oatmeal pancakes.
How to make spinach pancakes
First, process the oats into a rough flour consistency- it doesn’t matter if some bits are larger though you could also blend into a smoother flour if preferred. Then add all of the remaining ingredients and blend into a smooth batter. For even better consistency, allow the pancake batter to rest for 10 minutes – though this isn’t necessary. Preheat a large non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Use oil/butter if needed or omit. Scoop around 1/4 cup of the spinach pancake batter to the center of your pan and cook the pancake for between 2-3 minutes per side. You know it’s time to flip when the top of your pancakes start to bubble. Once ready, stack up on a plate with the toppings of your choice, and enjoy!
How to serve
There are 1001 ways to enjoy these spinach pancakes, so I won’t even try to mention all the different options. Here are some of my favorite simple ways to top these healthy oatmeal pancakes, though.
Coconut whipped cream or dairy whipped cream – usually with a big topping of fresh berries or sliced fruits. Vanilla butter – a bit of vanilla butter to melt on top. It will taste amazing with a little syrup. Mixed berry compote – you can use the linked method for mixed berries or a single berry, depending on what you have available. Syrup – a classic addition to any pancake. Seed & nut butter – heated up a drizzled over these green pancakes for extra protein and flavor. Jam – a drizzle or spoonful of your favorite jam – like this strawberry jam, rose petal jam, or raspberry jam with yogurt and a sprinkle of omega seed mix or granola. Chocolate – a square of dark chocolate or milk chocolate (if you make your own, you can adjust the amount of sugar used – if any) to the top of pancakes is delish. Alternatively, you could shave some chocolate over the pancakes or drizzle with healthy homemade chocolate syrup. A scoop of ice cream – like this Blackberry Ice Cream or caramel Ice Cream, or you can even get the family involved in making this Simple Vanilla ‘Instant’ Ice-cream In A Bag.
How to make ahead and store
Make ahead: you can prepare the pancake batter in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I’ll usually omit the baking soda until before making them – but if you’re saving leftover batter, it should be fine for a day or two. Store: cooked spinach pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Freeze: allow the pancakes to cool entirely before wrapping or moving to a freezer-safe container and freezing for up to 3 months. To reheat: warm in the microwave in 10-15 second increments until warmed through or pop in a toaster for a morning treat.
Notes
You can use this spinach oatmeal pancake batter for waffles too! To keep the pancakes warm before serving, you can keep them in a warm oven around 200ºF/90ºC until serving. I don’t recommend using a food processor, as it doesn’t blend the spinach as smoothly as you’ll likely have larger pieces of spinach within the pancakes. You could substitute the oat flour for regular all-purpose flour (though they won’t be gluten-free). I suggest using 3/4 all-purpose and 1/4 whole wheat for healthier pancakes. You could also use buckwheat flour. The flours can absorb differently so you may need to slightly thin the batter with more yogurt or a little milk (dairy-free milk or dairy).
If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
