Spinach Pancakes

Posted: Jan 18, 2016Updated: Sep 11, 2021

Spinach in pancakes…it sounds a little strange doesn’t it? However, these crazy green pancakes are a fun way to add spinach to your little one’s plate!

Reasons to Love these Spinach Pancakes

SPINACH EXPOSURE: Show your kids that spinach can be used and enjoyed in many different ways. It may also be a good stepping stone for children to enjoy spinach on its own or in other ways.
FUN: This is a great recipe to make with kids. The vibrant green colour of the mixture is fun and a little different.
FREEZER FRIENDLY: Make a stash and freeze them for an easy snack/brekfast.
GLUTEN FREE / DAIRY FREE/ NUT FREE: Buckwheat flour is gluten free and these green pancakes can be made with non-dairy milk.

Ingredient Information and Substitutes

Flat Lay of Ingredients Needed to Make Spinach Pancakes (Labelled)

SPINACH – 2 cups of fresh spinach leaves are packed into this recipe. I haven’t tested frozen spinach, if you wish to try it I would recommend thawing and squeezing out some of the liquid.
BANANA – Adds sweetness. Wait until your bananas are ripe before making this recipe. I have not tested any substitutes. I would suggest apple puree/sauce or sugar/maple syrup/honey but cannot gaurantee the outcome.
EGG – I have not tested any egg substitutes for this recipe. The banana in the recipe may provide enought structure. If you find it isn’t enough you could try adding a flax egg.
BUCKWHEAT FLOUR – I have tested all purpose flour, whole wheat flour and buckwheat. For this recipe the buckwheat provides the best result. Both the all purpose and whole wheat resulted in a more dense, wetter spinach pancake.
MILK – I used cows milk but you can substitute with a non dairy milk.
BAKING POWDER – Remember that baking powder has a shelf life and once expired it won’t give your green pancakes the same volume. You can test freshness by dropping a little bit of the baking powder into hot water and look for a bubbling reactio. If it fizzes or bubbles, it’s still good to use.
VANILLA – for flavour.
CINNAMON – for flavour

Process Shots and Cooking Tips

Collage of 4 Images Showing How to Make Green Pancakes. (1)Wet ingredients Blended in Blender, (2)Dry Ingredients, Wet Ingredients and Mashed Banana in Bowl, Mixture Combined in Bowl (4) Pan with Pancakes Cooked on one side)

BLEND – Start by blending the spinach with one of the bananas, the milk, egg and vanilla until you get a smooth and vibrant liquid. The reason only one banana is added at this stage is because I find mashing the second banana helps keep the pancakes fluffier.
ADD WET & DRY INGREDIENTS TO BOWL – Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Then add the wet ingredients along with the mashed banana and gently. Don’t be tempted to blend everything together. This can result in wet, dense pancakes that don’t always seem cooked through.
COMBINE INGREDIENTS: Gently stir to combine the ingredients.
FRY: Brush a thin layer of oil on the pan with a pastry brush or wipe with a folded paper towel. Cook on medium heat but be prepared to adjust the temperature (Too hot and your pancakes will be scorched, too cold and they can become flat and tough.) Add two tablespoons of the mixture to the pan to form one pancake. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and are starting to burst, then flip and cook the other side until golden and cooked through.

Spinach Pancakes Cut into Strips and Plated on Elephant Shaped Toddler Plate

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Meet Amy

Amy Whiteford is a Mum to two boys and is trying her hardest to bring them up to be Healthy Little Foodies. She has a BSc (Hons) Food Science, PGDE Primary Education and a Certificate in Childhood Nutrition and uses her knowledge to create healthy and delicious recipes for kids. Explore the site for creative ideas, tips, and inspiration! Read more

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