Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes

We all love pancakes for breakfast, don't we?

With my Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes recipe you know you are not only satisfying your taste buds but also nourishing your body. Yes, they are wholesome & actually really good for you (I can only speak for the pancakes not your choice of toppings mind you).

Since we've started introducing more and more plant based foods into our diet I have been exploring lots of new ingredients including new varieties of flour.

I've been using lots of wholegrain flours like spelt & rye in my cooking and baking already but must admit that this naturally gluten-free buckwheat flour was completely new to me.

Now that I know more about it and have experimented with it a fair bit, it is definitely here to stay especially as it's packed full of goodness.

✔️ Why should you try this recipe?

• Perfect for people with gluten intolerance and coeliacs as they are naturally gluten free (see notes below regarding possible cross-contamination).

• For the rest of us who don't need to worry about gluten they are still much easier to digest and provide our tummies with lots of precious fibre.

• Being vegan they are also egg and dairy free so suitable for people suffering from allergy or intolerance to either of those.

• They are low on sugar and most of it is natural kind present in banana with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar added which you can easily skip if you want to.

• They are super quick and easy to make, really fluffy and delicious!

🥘 Ingredients and substitutions

Buckwheat Flour - Even though naturally gluten-free not all buckwheat flours are created equal due to the risk of cross-contamination with other gluten containing products.

If necessary, ensure you use certified gluten-free buckwheat flour as not all the brands can guarantee it. In the UK check out Doves Free From Gluten Buckwheat Flour which is widely available in the supermarkets.

Porridge Oats - They add lovely texture not to mention extra fibre and goodness to these pancakes. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if necessary.

I really like these gluten-free ones from Nairns or if you don't need to worry about certified gluten-free ones Flahavans Porridge Oats are great and widely available too.

Baking Powder - It will ensure the fluffiness of your pancakes. Source certified gluten-free one if necessary as not all of them are.

Check out Doves Farm Organic Gluten-Free Baking Powder.

Cinnamon - It comes through really subtly but if you are not a fan you can either use less (half a teaspoon) or leave it out altogether.

Light Brown Sugar - These pancakes are not overly sweet but as I don't usually flood mine in maple syrup, I like to add a little bit of sugar.

Feel free to leave it out if you are usually heavy handed with your super sweet toppings.

Banana - Use nice and really ripe one for this recipe. Not only does it provide lovely flavour and sweetness but also acts as a binding agent in place of eggs.

Oat milk - My favourite plant based milk. Love it for its neutral flavour which makes it perfect dairy milk replacement.

Feel free to use your favourite plant milk here instead. Both soya and almond work really well in these pancakes.

Cold-pressed rapeseed oil - My oil of choice but melted coconut oil or light olive oil (not the extra virgin one) would work really well too.

Salt - Little pinch goes a long way and helps to bring out the flavours. Try Pink Himalayan Salt and you'll never look back.

🍽 Equipment

The most important piece of equipment for making these vegan buckwheat pancakes or any pancakes beside your bowl, whisk, spatula, measuring cups and spoons is a good non-stick frying pan or skillet.

I absolutely love my Salter carbon steal pan which you buy already pre-seasoned and the more you use it the better it gets.

With use its non-stick qualities get better and better and I can use my favourite metal spatula without the worry that I'm going to scratch it. Very affordable too.

You can of course use any frying pan that you've got as long as it's non-stick.

💭 Pro tips

• Use a good non-stick frying pan or skillet.

• Really, really ripe banana is the best one to use here as it will provide lots of natural sweetness even if you decide to forgo the sugar.

• These buckwheat pancakes don't take long to fry at all so watch them at all times. First round of pancakes always takes a tad longer to fry than the subsequent ones. It usually takes me just over a minute per side on my second and third round of batter.

• There is no need to let pancake batter rest, you can fry them straight away.

• Feel free to add some fruits like blueberries or even chocolate chips to the batter.

🥡 Storing

Once made these buckwheat pancakes can be cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Make sure to keep them well covered or in the airtight container to prevent them from drying out.

Reheat them gently in the microwave, in a frying pan with some vegan butter on in a toaster.

❄️ Freezing

These vegan buckwheat pancakes are great for making in bigger batches and freezing.

To freeze them, make sure they're cool first and then pop them either in a freezer proof bag or container but make sure they are separated with some baking paper to prevent them from sticking.

Alternatively, freeze them separated on a baking tray that will fit in your freezer and once rock solid transfer to a bag or container.

Freeze for up to 2 months for best texture after defrosting.

The great thing about these pancakes is that you can use them straight out of the freezer, there is no need to defrost them although you can if you want to.

Simply pop them in a toaster as you would your toast or few seconds in a microwave will do too.

Alternatively, you could reheat them in a dry pan until defrosted and warmed through (with some vegan butter added towards the end) or in an oven preheated to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 5-8 minutes.

🍴Serving suggestions

I'm sure you don't need me to tell you what to top your pancakes with.

I love them with a handful of berries, banana slices and rather conservative drizzle of maple syrup (much less than on the photos) or this gorgeous strawberry coulis.

Few nuts (pecans or almond flakes in particular) or my deliciously crunchy homemade granola definitely won't go amiss either.

Any type of jam or fruit puree as a topping is fantastic too, my recent favourites being my homemade blackberry jam and apple puree.

Your favourite stewed fruit will make perfect addition. Try my stewed rhubarb or stewed pears recipes.

Sliced avocado with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup is my other favourite. Or for even more savoury vibe try them topped with some pan fried mushrooms, baked beans or a tofu scramble.

My eldest won't say no to chocolate spread (we recently discovered this one from Mr. Organic and are converted) or peanut butter and jam combo.

Other that that the world of toppings is your oyster!

❓ FAQs

🔪 How to make vegan buckwheat pancakes?

Ingredient quantities & detailed instructions to be found in recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Put buckwheat flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon (if using), brown sugar (if using) and salt into a large bowl and give them a mix with a whisk or a fork until combined.

Put a little bit of oil in a frying pan and let it get nice and hot.

Using a spoon, a jug or a ladle, pour 4 dollops of batter and fry for 2-3 minutes or until you see little bubbles appear in the batter and your pancake has browned nicely on the other side and can be easily lifted with the spatula.

Flip your pancakes and fry for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.

Transfer onto a plate and keep warm as you continue with remaining batter.

Enjoy with your chosen toppings!