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Lentil Spinach Pancakes

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These Lentil Pancakes are a great finger food for babies or kids. They are gluten, dairy, egg and nut-free so perfect for those with allergies

Child Dipping Lentil Pancake into Yoghurt Dip

WHAT’S TO LOVE ABOUT LENTIL PANCAKES 

  • Finger Food: There is something about finger foods that kids love! Perfect for baby-led weaning.   
  • Easy To Adapt: Try them with different spices or add some other veggies into the mix. 
  • Nutrition: Lentils are a good source of protein and beta-carotene and also folate, fibre and vitamin C.
  • Allergy-Friendly: Gluten, dairy, egg and nut-free.

HOW TO MAKE LENTIL PANCAKES

This is a simple recipe, that doesn’t take long to make, but you do have to allow time to soak the lentils to ensure you get an easy blending, creamy batter.

Lentils in Bowl Before and After Soaking Overnight

  1. Soak the lentils overnight.
  2. Drain the lentils.
  3. Puree lentils with a little water.
  4. Saute grated carrot, spinach and spices.
  5. Mix the pureed lentils with the sauteed vegetables and lemon juice.
  6. Fry tbsps of the mixture for approx 2 mins on each side. 

Lentil Pancake Process Steps

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Lentil pancakes are best served with something to dip into. Why not try

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

Lentil pancakes are best served warm, straight after cooking. You can refrigerate and freeze them but the taste and texture is not as good. I often freeze them and my boys are happy to eat them cold or re-heated.  

  • Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up 1 day. 
  • Freeze: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. 
  • Reheat: You can gently heat in a pan, microwave or toast them. 

Lentil Pancakes on Kids Plate Served with Veggies and Yoghurt Dip

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I use different lentils? No, this recipe has been developed using red split lentils, other lentils will not break down in the same way. 

Do I have to soak the lentils? Yes, this softens the lentils for blending into a batter. 

Do you need to cook the lentils before blending? No, you should not cook the lentils, doing this will change the texture. 

Child Eating a Lentil Pancake

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Child Dipping Lentil Pancake into Yoghurt Dip
4.5 from 34 votes

Lentil Spinach Pancakes

A great finger food made with red split lentils, spices and vegetables.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Soaking Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
Serves:14
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Ingredients

  • 180g (1 cup) Red Split Lentils
  • 1/3 cup Water
  • 1 Garlic Clove, minced
  • 1 Carrot, grated
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 2 handfuls Baby Spinach (finely chopped into ribbons)
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 tsp Salt*
  • 1 tbsp Oil (for frying)

Instructions

  • Add the lentils to mixing bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak overnight.
  • Drain the lentils and add to a blender / food processor along with the water. Blend until you have a smooth batter. You may find you need more water, add as needed. (See process shots for batter image)
  • In a frying pan, heat 1/2 tbsp of the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the carrot, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and spinach, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until softened (around 4-5 mins).
  • In a large mixing bowl mix together the lentil batter along with the sauteed vegetables and the lemon juice.
  • Heat a non stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot add a drizzle of oil (or alternatively use a spray oil). Add a tablespoon of the batter to the pan and use the back of your spoon to spread it out a little (to make them thinner) Repeat to fill the pan.
  • Cook for around 2 minutes on each side (this will vary depending on the pan, heat and how thin your pancake is). You want to look for bubbles forming and your pancakes should be able to be flipped easily. 
  • Remove pancakes from the pan and repeat with the remaining mixture. Serve

Recipe Notes

  1. The amount of oil you need will depend on your pan. I find I can use very little when using a non-stick pan, a light spray is usually enough. 
  2. I do not normally add salt to my recipes but I do feel that the salt greatly enhances the recipe and helps to balance the flavours.  This is optional and for taste only. Leave out if cooking for a baby.
  3. These pancakes are best served with a dip or curry. See post for suggestions and recipe links. 
Nutritional Information is a ROUGH guide only, calculated using an online nutrition calculator. 
**This recipe was originally published on July 14th, 2016 the recipe has been updated (May 12th, 2020) due to some readers finding the pancakes too bitter. To combat this I have added to the recipe: a carrot (for sweetness), lemon juice and salt (do not add for under 1s). I also sauteed the carrot with the spices, rather than adding the spices raw to the mixture.
Nutrition Facts
Lentil Spinach Pancakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 58 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 49mg2%
Potassium 161mg5%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 4g16%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 1170IU23%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course:Snack / finger food
Cuisine:Asian Influenced
Keyword:Lentil Pancakes
Did you make this recipe?Tag me on Instagram at @healthylittlefoodies or leave me a comment & rating below.

 

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197 Comments

  1. Ezzy says

    2 stars
    Sounds lovely this recipe as I really like giving lentils to my little one but Uncooked lentil idea I was not sure! i tried it exactly how it says but I was right anyway. It smells raw and tasteless after all. Perhaps it needs some improvement my humble comment here.

    Reply

    • Amy says

      Hi Ezzy, thanks for your feedback and sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe. Did you use red split lentils? Did you soak overnight and blend? Did you make the pancakes small in size and allow them to cook for a couple of mins on each side? They shouldn’t have been raw but the taste can be enhanced with a little salt and it does need the lemon juice to balance the bitterness.

      Reply

  2. Jacqueline says

    4 stars
    This was a huge hit with my toddler! I made it using frozen spinach (around 3/4 cup) and I accidentally soaked the lentils for nearly 24 hours, but the pancakes turned out well anyway. I was out of lemons and low on limes, so I just put one tsp lime juice. In spite of the changes it was still pretty good. I’ll make it again with the full lemon juice and a tad bit more seasoning and I think I’ll love it as much as my toddler. As it was, I dipped mine in ketchup and then devoured them.

    Reply

  4. Robin O says

    5 stars
    Love these pancakes! I would double the salt and maybe a little more spinach. Next time I’m going to experiment with some mint or cilantro added. We are managing a strict SIBO diet in our house and this is a great treat!

    Reply