Probably my favourite breakfast ever, these gluten-free pancakes are very easy to make and taste delicious, whilst being a great source of nutrients. Perfect for people who struggle to eat enough vegetables.

When I was living in London I discovered this 24h breakfast place where they make probably the best pancakes I’ve had to date. Being myself gluten intolerant and pretty health conscious, finding pancakes I will eat is not an easy job… I know that they’ll either won’t be up to standard or they’ll be full of artificial and heavily-processed ingredients, so I normally try to stay away from ordering them.

However, this place seemed pretty legit, so I convinced one of my girlfriends to come check it out with me. I could swear that at that time I read in their menu that their gluten-free pancakes were made with chickpea flour, but funny enough, I went back to their website now and they have either changed their recipe or I’ve always been wrong about it. But ever since I ate those which I thought were chickpea pancakes, I’ve been wanting to make my own version at home.

Today was the day. I saw chickpea flour at my local organic shop yesterday, and decided it was about time I gave these savoury pancakes a go.

They are definitely not the same as the savoury pancakes I had at “Where the pancakes are” (yep, that’s the name of the breakfast spot in London), first because I don’t fully remember all the ingredients nor have their recipe, and second because I’m not a copy cat type of person: when I’m in the kitchen, I like to play with what I have and what my instinct tells me will work well. But let me say that these pancakes are equally delicious and so easy to make that I regret having waited so long.

These savoury pancakes are not only gluten-free, but also an great way to add some vegetables to your breakfast or brunch (or dinner, eat your pancakes whenever you want them – no judging here!). I personally like to add veggies to my breakfast as it’s a great way to start your day without jumping on the sugar roller-coaster as well as adding some nutrition early on in case the day gets busy and later food choices aren’t optimal.

Being me, I also wanted to add some extra health benefits to these pancakes, so I used bone broth instead of water for the batter. If you are looking for a vegan recipe, or don’t have bone broth at home, you can easily swap it for either water or vegetable stock. However, if you have bone broth at hand, I suggest to not skip it! I know it sounds odd to use it in pancakes but believe me, it works great! Not only it will provide extra flavour but will also increase the health benefits and protein content of this meal (hello collagen!), making it more satiating.

Veggie-packed savoury pancakes (gluten-free)

Servings: 2 |   Preparation time: 5 min  |   Cooking time: 10 min

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup – chickpea flour
  • 3/4 cup – bone broth (substitute for vegetable broth or water for vegan pancakes)
  • 1/3 cup – grated courgette/zucchini
  • 1/4 cup – chopped leeks
  • 2 – dried prunes (apricots, figs or raisings will work well too)
  • 1/2 tsp – turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp – garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp – cumin powder
  • 1/4 tsp – ginger powder
  • 1/4 tsp – salt
  • 1/4 tsp – baking soda
  • Ground pepper to your liking
  • 2 tbsp – avocado oil for cooking (or coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, ghee, …)

Toppings:

  • 3 tbsp – thick yogurt (or dairy-free alternative)
  • 1 tsp – lime juice (fresh or not)
  • *1/2 tbsp – salted butter (optional)

Instructions:

  1. *Optional: sauté the leeks in 1/2 tbsp oil (I personally prefer my leeks cooked but if you like them raw feel free to skip this step).
  2. In a bowl combine dry ingredients (chickpea flour, baking soda, salt, cumin, garlic, ginger, and turmeric).
  3. Gradually add in the bone broth whilst stirring, until you form a somewhat liquid batter. Let it rest whilst you prepare the rest, it will thicken up a bit.
  4. Chop the prunes, and add into the batter along with the grated courgette and leeks (raw or cooked). If you are topping them with yogurt this is the time get a small bowl or glass and mix it with the lime juice.
  5. Heat a non-stick pan and add 1/2 tbsp of your preferred cooking oil. You will make 4 pancakes, so you’ll use 1/2 tbsp of oil for each.
  6. Once hot, re-stir your veggie batter and pour 1/4 into the pan. I suggest to use a ladle spoon for this job, it will help you spread the batter into a round shape and distribute the vegetables equally throughout the pancakes.
  7. Turn down the heat and let it cook for 2 minutes or until the borders start to roll up. Flip and cook the other side for 1 min.
  8. Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 for the remainder 3 pancakes.
  9. Place 2 pancakes in each plate, and top them with butter (optional) and the mixed lime yogurt.

Serve with extra vegetables. I personally enjoy them with avocado (for some creaminess, extra vitamins and fibre), and sauerkraut (for added probiotics). Broccoli sprouts, arugula, or fresh coriander are also great on top and will provide additional micro-nutrients and flavour.