Spinach Pancakes
Posted Mar 07, 2018, Updated May 31, 2024
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These these spinach pancakes are a fun, healthy breakfast recipe full of nutritious ingredients like spinach, oatmeal and Greek yogurt that your kids will love!
Spinach pancakes are a delicious breakfast packed with nutrients and naturally colored green.
Also known as “hulk pancakes” in our house (similar to these spinach muffins), my entire family loves this recipe!
They are gluten-free and made with wholesome ingredients that will keep you full until lunch.
How to Make Spinach Pancakes
These pancakes are very easy to make. Just blend the wet ingredients together, then mix them into the dry! Stir super well and get ready to cook! Here are a couple notes!
Use a Vitamix
In this recipe, the batter is blended to green perfection in my favorite kitchen powerhouse, making the spinach completely undetectable. Check out my Vitamix buying guide to determine which blender is right for you!
If you don’t have a Vitamix then you can blend these spinach pancakes in another high-powered blender. I do not recommend using a food processor because you almost certainly will be left with traces of spinach that could blow the whole shebang for picky little eaters.
Cook them on a griddle
I always use an electric griddle when making pancakes. I appreciate that it holds a consistent temperature and is easy to clean. Plus, I can make up to 8 pancakes at once, which cuts down on my time in the kitchen! Win win! Of course, you can cook them in a non-stick fry pan too if you don’t have a griddle!
Serving Suggestions
We like our Spinach Oatmeal Pancakes smothered with pure maple syrup or dressed up with a dollop of homemade whipped cream (or both, I won’t judge). This is a perfect healthy breakfast to make for your little leprechauns on St. Patty’s Day!
Store/freeze
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or toaster.
Recipe FAQs
No, I recommend using a blender so that all the spinach gets blended fully.
Yes, you can easily double this recipe to feed more people.
Spinach Pancakes: Substitutions
As always I recommend making a recipe exactly as written! However these pancakes are actually pretty versatile, so here are some possible substitutions:
- Oat flour: I have used a mixture of 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour instead of oat flour with great results…but using regular flour means they won’t be gluten-free. You can also substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Coconut sugar: any granulated sugar works perfectly here.
- Milk/Greek yogurt: I use a total of 1 cup of dairy in this recipe (3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt) because I never have buttermilk on hand and I love the added protein from the Greek yogurt. However if buttermilk is something you use regularly and have around, you can substitute these two ingredients for 1 cup of buttermilk. You can also substitute dairy-free yogurt/milk to make these dairy-free!
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Spinach Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats (or oat flour)
- 2 TBS ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 TBS coconut sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 TBS unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1-2 TBS butter (or coconut oil) for greasing the griddle
Instructions
- Preheat an electric griddle to 350 degrees F.
- Place the old-fashioned oats in your Vitamix (or other high-powered blender) and blend starting on low speed and increasing to high.
- Blend for 30-60 seconds or until oats have become a fine powder and look like flour.
- Remove oats from blender and place into a large mixing bowl.
- Add flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, salt, coconut sugar and cinnamon to the oat flour and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Add milk, Greek yogurt, applesauce and spinach to the container of your Vitamix.
- Blend starting on low speed and increasing to high.
- Blend on high speed for 30-60 seconds until mixture is smooth and homogenous.
- Add vanilla extract and egg and pulse until just combined.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Grease your preheated griddle with butter, coconut oil or cooking spray.
- Carefully place ¼ cup portions of pancake batter onto the griddle about 1-2” apart.
- Cook on the first side until the edges become firm and the batter begins to bubble slightly (3-5 minutes).
- Flip and cook on the second side until golden brown (about 3-4 more minutes).
- Repeat until all the batter has been used!
- Serve warm with maple syrup!
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
As always I recommend making a recipe exactly as written! However these pancakes are actually pretty versatile, so here are some possible substitutions:- Oat flour: I have used a mixture of 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour instead of oat flour with great results…but using regular flour means they won’t be gluten-free. You can also substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Coconut sugar: any granulated sugar works perfectly here.
- Milk/Greek yogurt: I use a total of 1 cup of dairy in this recipe (3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt) because I never have buttermilk on hand and I love the added protein from the Greek yogurt. However if buttermilk is something you use regularly and have around, you can substitute these two ingredients for 1 cup of buttermilk. You can also substitute dairy-free yogurt/milk to make these dairy-free!
Store/freeze
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or toaster.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Sneaky veggies
If you haven’t noticed, I really love making sneaky recipes, jam-packed with veggies, that everyone loves. What can I say?! If my kids would rather eat their veggies smothered in syrup or studded with chocolate chips, sometimes it’s just easier!
I mean, within reason. Of course they eat vegetables in many other forms. In our house, at lunchtime they each pick one fruit and one veggie to go with whatever is on the menu that day. Then at dinner, they eat whatever they’re served, which always includes a vegetable of some sort (like these balsamic roasted vegetables)!
However, on the days when we have people over, eat out or go to a friends’ house, my husband and I much prefer to sit back and enjoy our meals without stressing about our kids eating something green.
On those occasions I love sneaking some vegetable goodness into their breakfasts, like in these Spinach Pancakes, carrot zucchini muffins, zucchini breakfast cookies, etc. My mommy mind can rest knowing they got some nutrients in their cute little bodies that day.
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I make these every week for my toddlers and I eat them myself. They’re SO good!
Delicious! Tried for the first time today and will be using this recipe again and again. The texture was perfect and super bonus for hidden veggies.
My family loves this recipe as do I. I love putting almond butter and fruit on them.
Sorry if it’s a stupid question, but do you use raw spinach leaves or boil them in water first, rinse them and then mix them in the blender? thank u x
Raw spinach!
I’ve been making this recipe for years now. It’s always a hit with the toddlers (and even the adults). Thanks for posting, I come back to it every time!
Made these today! My boys loved them! Easy to make. Not heavy for breakfast but delicious. We will definitely make them again.
My kids hate when I try to hide veggies but they absolutely loved these pancakes. I think it’s the applesauce that’s the key ingredient. Perfect amount of sweetness to satisfy kids without being too sweet and unhealthy. Served for St Patrick’s Day but definitely adding to our regular breakfast routine.
Hey! Do you think these could be made vegan with dairy free yogurt/milk and an egg alternative? I know that’s a lot of subs 🙃 But they are so good, and I’d love to make them for my neighbor and her kids who are vegan!
I imagine that would work yes!
You’re a genius! These were delicious and making them on a griddle was a game changer. They came out perfect and I didn’t have to slave over the pan all morning. I used almond milk but changed nothing else. Thanks for sharing!
DO you think I could substitute frozen cooked spinach for the spinach in this recipe?
These were a hit — my toddler and husband enjoyed them! We used half the sugar, and some extra flour because the mix was a bit runny. Turned our great!