These Lentil Pancakes are not only a fantastic finger food for babies and kids, but also a great option for those with dietary restrictions. They are gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free.
Lentils have always been a staple in our house, and I'm excited to share my new recipe for lentil pancakes with you. They join the ranks of some of my other baby-friendly lentil recipes( that the whole family can enjoy) such as lentil puree, lentil curry, lentil pasta sauce, lentil shepherds pie and lentil croquettes.
Reasons to Love this Recipe
- 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.
Step by Step Instructions and Cooking Tips
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.
- Soak the lentils overnight.
- Drain the lentils.
- Puree lentils with a little water.
- Saute grated carrot, spinach and spices.
- Mix the pureed lentils with the sauteed vegetables and lemon juice.
- Fry tbsps of the mixture for approx 2 mins on each side.
Serving Suggestions
Lentil pancakes are best served with something to dip into. Why not try
- Plain Yoghurt (Great with a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped parsley) the tangy taste really compliments the flavour of the pancakes.
- Avocado Dip (For some extra veggie goodness)
- Lemon Herb Dip
- Hummus
- Curry (Sweet Potato & Chickpea Curry, Fruity Chicken Curry, Egg Curry)
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.
Recipe FAQs
No, this recipe has been developed using red split lentils, other lentils will not break down in the same way.
Yes, this softens the lentils for blending into a batter.
No, you should no cook the lentils, doing this will change the texture and the recipe will not work.
Other Recipes You May Like..
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Lentil Spinach Pancakes
Ingredients
- 180g (1 cup) Red Split Lentils
- â…“ cup Water
- 1 Garlic Clove, minced
- 1 Carrot, grated
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 handfuls Baby Spinach (finely chopped into ribbons)
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- ¼ tsp Salt*
- 1 tablespoon 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 ½ tablespoon 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.Â
- Remove pancakes from the pan and repeat with the remaining mixture. Serve
Recipe Notes
- 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.Â
- 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.
- These pancakes are best served with a dip or curry. See post for suggestions and recipe links.Â
Debbie says
These make such beautiful pancakes! I doubled the recipe and used 1 carrot and 1 shredded potato 🙂
Amy says
Sounds great, thanks Debbie.
sam says
I tried these with my 7mo old and she did choke on them, I am thinking because they are too dry. but also maybe got too big of a bite. any suggestions?
Amy says
Hi Sam, I'm sorry to hear this. Did she choke or gag? Gagging is a normal reflex as your baby learns to chew and swallow solid foods. As always, I recommend you stay close and observe at all times when feeding. If you feel they are too dry you could dip them in some yogurt. 🙂
Sameh says
It doesn't stick together. So sad.
Amy says
Hi Sameh, I've never had a problem with this recipe not sticking together. Let me try and figure out where the recipe went wrong for you. Did you soak the lentils? Did you drain the lentils before you blended them? Did you remember to add the water? How did your batter look in comparison to mine (See process shots)
xin says
This recipe is such a gem. My 10 month old boy loved it! Thanks for sharing Amy 🙂
Amy says
Fab! Thank you 🙂
Pamela says
This is a complete revelation. I'm a great lentil fan but had no idea you could make them into batter!! I made these for ME as I'm always looking for carbohydrate substitutes and they worked like a dream. Added seasoning to the batter and added filling to only half the batter. I'm now off to make the next half with mushrooms and peppers and then freeze them. My husband doesn't like to miss anything when he hears me cooking and also gives them a thumbs up. In fact he said they would work well alongside a curry with different spices, whereas I will happily eat them with a bowl of soup or serve to guests with drinks. I'm a Grandma too and I think my 12 year old grandson will love them too (as long as ketchup is on the side!). I shall be back for more of your toddler food, can't thank you enough for this fabulous recipe.
Amy says
Thanks so much, Pamela. I love your filling suggestions! We love these for dipping into curries, soup is a fantastic idea too 🙂
TZ says
I have been trying to incorporate more fibre into my baby’s diet and these are great. They were easy to make. My four year old helped me and she liked them too. We are almost done our first batch and ready to make more. I think I will try baking them to make it even easier.
Amy says
Thank you! I hope baking works well, I've never tried.
PS says
Hi TZ, how did you bake these, please? Thanks
Mayana says
I would like to try baking them. Did it work out? How did you do it?
Katherine says
Love this recipe, but in the past I have soaked 1 cup of lentils to make pancakes in 2 cups of water. Just wondering why their is on 1/3 of a cup . Thank you
Amy says
Hi Katherine, I think the way I have written the recipe may be a little confusing. You want to cover the lentils with water and soak them overnight. You then drain the lentils and add them to the blender with 1/3 cup of water. Does that make sense?
Jill says
Is there a way to make these sweet instead of savory? Like, instead of adding vegetables, add some kind of natural sweetener? Have you tried adding blueberries or bananas?
Amy says
Hi Jill, worth a try! I'd say it would need quite a bit of sweetness or fruit with strong flavours. It would be worth trying ripe banana and maybe a sweetener such as honey or maple syrup. However, without trying I can't guarantee the results, sorry.
Meliss says
What a fun idea! Could canned (drained) red lentils be used? Also, do you know the conversions to US measurements (Cups) by chance? Thank you!
Amy says
Hi Meliss, I have never seen canned red lentils before but I don't think they will work. I've included cup measurements in the recipe card (just next to g measurements). 🙂