Grain-Free Plantain Pancakes (1 Blender!)
Pancakes that come together in a blender with simple, whole food ingredients and no flour?! It’s true, friends. Meet your new favorite EASY, nutrient-packed breakfast: plantain pancakes!
Just 7 ingredients and 15 minutes required for these wholesome, freezer-friendly dreams. Bonus? They’re gluten-free and dairy-free, too. Let’s make pancakes!
Origin of Plantain Pancakes
Plantains are a major food staple in many tropical regions of the world, including the Caribbean, Latin America, and West and Central Africa. They’re enjoyed fried, boiled, roasted, as chips, for dessert, and more.
But making them into PANCAKES? Our search for where the concept first originated fell short, but we do know we’re NOT the first to think it’s a great idea! In Ghana, yellow (ripe) plantains are made into savory pancakes called kaklo or tatale. Learn more about that version and find a recipe over on Afia Amoako’s blog.
Our inspired take on the concept heads in a sweeter (vs. more savory) direction!
How to Make Plantain Pancakes
These plantain pancakes rely on GREEN plantains as the starchy ingredient that makes them 100% grain-free without any added flours. Green plantains are also rich in a special type of fiber called resistant starch that helps keep your gut bacteria happy!
After peeling the plantains, we blend them up with the other ingredients, the main one being eggs. The eggs act as a natural leavening, providing fluffiness and preventing the pancakes from being dense.
These two whole food ingredients (eggs + plantain) ensure these pancakes are FULL of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, potassium, choline, B vitamins, and more!
Then just a few more ingredients, and we’re ready to cook! Maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt add sweetness and flavor and give these pancakes a subtle French toast flavor (which we love!).
Optional baking powder adds a little more fluffiness but mostly just creates more bubbles in the pancake, helping you know when it’s ready to flip. We usually leave it out!
Then all that’s left is cooking in an oiled skillet until fluffy and golden brown and serving with your favorite pancake toppings!
We love them with berry compote or sliced bananas, Nutella or nut butter, and an extra drizzle of maple syrup when we’re feeling decadent!
We hope you LOVE these plantain pancakes! They’re:
Wholesome
Grain-free
Lightly sweetened
Fluffy
Freezer-friendly
& SO quick & easy!
Made with pantry staples and ingredients that keep well, these pancakes are the perfect way to make a wholesome breakfast when you’re running low on ingredients or want to use up a green plantain. And they keep well in the freezer so you can make once and enjoy all week (or month)!
More Wholesome Pancake Recipes
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 2 (three-pancake servings)
- 1 green (firm)* plantain, peeled and sliced
- 2 large eggs* (organic, pasture-raised when possible)
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (optional // for extra fluffiness)
- 1 healthy pinch sea salt
- Coconut oil or dairy-free butter (for cooking // dairy butter works, too)
ADD-INS optional
- Fresh or frozen blueberries (we like frozen wild blueberries)
- Chocolate chips (so good! // dairy-free as needed)
FOR SERVING optional
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Trim the ends off the plantain and discard. To peel the plantain, use the tip of your knife to make a shallow cut lengthwise through the peel, doing your best not to pierce the flesh of the plantain. Then slide your thumb under the peel and peel away from the cut, removing and discarding the peel. Cut the plantain into ~1 ½ inch slices.
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To a blender, add the sliced plantain, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder (optional), and sea salt. Blend until smooth with no chunks of plantain remaining, about 30-45 seconds.
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Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet (or a griddle) over medium heat. Once hot, add dairy-free butter or coconut oil — it should sizzle when hot enough. Reduce the heat if the oil/butter is smoking.
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Add ~1/4 cup measurements of batter into the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the edges are set (option to sprinkle blueberries or chocolate chips over the batter before flipping). Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side, until golden on both sides. Continue cooking with the remaining batter, adding more coconut oil or dairy-free butter to the skillet if it looks dry.
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Serve warm with your choice of toppings. We like berry compote or sliced bananas, homemade Nutella or nut butter, and maple syrup (all optional).
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Best when fresh, but leftover pancakes will keep stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or toaster oven until warm.
*Eggs are essential in this recipe for structure and fluffiness. If you’re looking for a vegan option, try our 1-Bowl Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 2 tsp coconut oil for cooking and without optional ingredients.
Serving: 1 (three-pancake) serving Calories: 348 Carbohydrates: 56.7 g Protein: 7.7 g Fat: 9.6 g Saturated Fat: 5.4 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 185 mg Sodium: 232 mg Potassium: 672 mg Fiber: 3.3 g Sugar: 9.3 g Vitamin A: 267 IU Vitamin C: 27 mg Calcium: 107 mg Iron: 1.9 mg
