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Cheesy Vegan Savory Pancakes – The perfect way to start your morning! Loaded with cheddar cheese and green onions, these pancakes are flavor-packed and satisfying! Who can resist?
" What do you eat for breakfast as a vegan? "
I get asked this question a lot from genuinely curious people (mostly egg lovers). Many of them imagine me eating oatmeal every morning and feel bad for me. I do love morning oats, but when I tell them that I had Cheesy Savory Pancakes for breakfast they are in complete awe.
I totally understand because I used to eat scrambled eggs every day of my life. After going vegan, I discovered that Tofu Scramble was the perfect replacement and I didn't need eggs anymore.
But who wants to eat the same thing every morning? As a vegan, I enjoy Breakfast Quesadillas, Breakfast Muffins, Breakfast Bowls, Sweet & Savory Crepes, Fruit Pizza, Bagels with Almond Cream Cheese, Chickpea Omelets with Vegan Bacon, Pancakes, and so much more.
I've been making savory pancakes for years, but I never put cheese in them. What was I thinking? Then recently, I came across this non-vegan recipe for cheesy savory pancakes and they looked so tasty! I just had to veganize them!
Now, you don't have to reserve these pancakes for breakfast, you can enjoy them as an appetizer, snack, lunch or even have them for dinner! Who wouldn't love that?
Here's what you'll need for Savory Pancakes
(full recipe in card below)
Ground Flaxseed, Soy Milk, Apple Cider Vinegar (sub lemon juice), Vegan Butter, All-Purpose Flour, Cornmeal, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Granulated Garlic, Salt, Vegan Cheese Shreds, and Green Onions. That's it!
So easy to make!
Pancake prep takes just 15 minutes
Instead of chicken eggs, I use ground flaxseed and water (flax eggs). It yields similar results and binds everything up nicely. Prepare flax eggs by adding ground flaxseed with water. Set aside about 10 minutes until it thickens up and becomes gel-like.
Instead of dairy buttermilk, I use delicious vegan buttermilk that's made by mixing the soy milk and vinegar together. It will slightly curdle and thicken up. It's perfect for this recipe!
In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and whisk to combine well. Add the prepared flax eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter and whisk until just combined.
It's ok if the batter has some lumps so don't overwork it or it could yield a chewy texture. The pancake batter consistency should be thick, but somewhat pourable. If it's too thick or dry, add a small amount of milk and combine.
Time for the cheesy and savory goodness!
Now gently fold the cheese and green onions into the batter. If you have kiddos that don't like green onion, you can replace it with frozen corn instead (thaw first). The corn also adds a slight sweetness which they'll love. I love it too!
If you omit the green onion, add a ½ teaspoon of onion powder to the dry mixture so you don't lose too much savory flavor. You can also add ½ - ¾ teaspoon of ground cumin.
How to make perfect pancakes
Pancakes are quite easy once you get the hang of it. It's important to get a feel for the pan you're using and how hot your stove runs. If you aren't sure, just start with a test pancake so you don't burn a bunch. Here's what you'll need to do:
Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes before adding anything. When the pan is evenly heated, drizzle with oil and spread with a paper towel to coat evenly.
Scoop a ¼ cup of batter into the skillet to form pancake circles (they don't have to be perfectly shaped). * I usually cook four at a time. Cook the pancakes until you notice tiny bubbles/holes form on the top (see photo above) and the edges are somewhat firm (about 1-2 minutes).
Now flip your pancake and cook the other side about 1-2 minutes, until golden brown. Place cooked pancake on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm (200 ° F).
Repeat until all the batter is gone. Drizzle oil in the pan before placing fresh batter down. *If the pan gets too hot, it could burn the batter fast. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a minute before starting again. Make sure to reheat evenly before adding fresh batter.
Pretty easy, right?
Serving & topping ideas
Side with vegan bacon, tomatoes, avocado or fruit. Top with fresh herbs, vegan butter, vegan sour cream, sliced green onions, maple syrup or your favorite dipping sauce. The sky's the limit!
Enjoy!
I’d love to hear from you
If you make these Savory Pancakes, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Savory Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed (mix with 5 tablespoons water)
- 1 ½ cups soy milk , unsweetened (or any non-dairy milk)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (sub lemon juice)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter , melted (sub neutral-flavored oil)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
- 1 cup non-dairy cheese shreds
- ½ cup green onions , chopped
- Oil to grease the pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 ° F (93° C) - To keep cooked pancakes warm.
- Prepare flax eggs in a small bowl and set aside about 10 minutes. It will thicken up and become gel-like.
- In a medium bowl add the soy milk and vinegar. Set aside about 10 minutes. This creates a vegan buttermilk (It's normal to curdle).
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, garlic & salt together. Whisk to combine well.
- Add the prepared flax eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter to the large bowl and whisk until just combined. Don't overwork the batter. The batter will have some lumps. (the batter should be thick, but if it's too thick, add a small amount of milk and combine)
- Now fold the cheese and green onions into the batter.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes. When pan is evenly heated, drizzle with oil and spread with a paper towel to coat evenly.
- Scoop a ¼ cup of batter into the skillet to form pancake circles (they don't have to be perfectly shaped). *I usually cook four at a time. Cook the pancakes until you notice tiny bubbles/holes form on the top and the edges are somewhat firm (about 1-2 minutes).
- Now flip your pancake and cook the other side about 1-2 minutes, until golden brown. Place cooked pancake on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.
- Repeat until all the batter is gone. Drizzle oil in the pan before placing fresh batter down. (*If the pan gets too hot, it could burn the batter fast. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a minute before starting. Make sure to reheat evenly before adding fresh batter).
Notes
* Serving & topping ideas: Side with vegan bacon, tomatoes, avocado or fruit. Top with fresh herbs, vegan butter, vegan sour cream, sliced green onions, maple syrup or your favorite dipping sauce.
* If you have kiddos that don't like green onion, you can replace it with frozen corn (thaw first) and add ½ teaspoon of onion powder to the dry mix.
* For extra savory flavor, add ¾ teaspoon of ground cumin to the dry mix.
* Tip: For best results, don’t scoop the flour with a measuring cup directly from the flour container. Instead, scoop the flour out of your container with a spoon and then into a measuring cup. Don’t pack or tap the cup. After filling, lightly sweep a butter knife across the top to remove the excess flour.
Nutrition
Selina
Made these with the addition of sautéed shallots and garlic added in and yes, super delicious! I blended cilantro in with my sour cream recipe and topped them with that and avocado. I used Violife shredded cheddar. Cooked up great. Definitely will be making these again👌🏻🤤. Served them alongside roasted sweet potatoes and field roast apple maple sausages. Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Adding sautéed shallots, garlic, and cilantro sounds lovely Selina! I am glad you tried this recipe and made it your own. 🙂
Flyingmartini
Ph. My. Yum! I'll have to try your add ons.
Melissa Huggins
Oh yes! Load them up for a heartier breakfast! 🙂
Flyingmartiniphotography
Oh. My Yum! These are fantabulous! I used Daiya cheddar "cherse" & a garlic seasoning blend because I don't have regular garlic powder. I'm going to try Earth Balance as a topper next batch. Can these be frozen? I also made fried vegan eggs to go with this.
Melissa Huggins
Yay! I'm so glad you liked them! The fried 'eggs' sound perfect with them. Yes, you can freeze them for 2-3 months. 🙂
Aimee
I followed the recipe exactly and used Violife Cheddar. Super flavorful and easy to make! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I'll make this again.
Melissa Huggins
Thank you~ I'm so glad they worked out well for you. I need to try that Violife Cheddar. Sounds so good!
Jessie
Can these be made with gluten free flour? On top of having an allergy to dairy, I have a gluten and soy intolerance... Going vegan is quite challenging for me but I want to do it for health benefits.
Thanks in advance!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Jessie, I haven't tried it GF yet, but I think it should work with a 1.1 all-purpose GF flour. I have a GF section on my site and you can also check out 'The Vegan 8' blog. She has lots of GF recipes. I hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Diana
I found your recipe yesterday and made it right away. I used steel cut oats instead of cornmeal and didn't add cheddar as I didn't have any. I put a little more salt and added black olives cut in small bits. It turned out tasty and fluffy. My friends really enjoyed the pancakes and were impressed when they learnt it was vegan! Thanks for this easy and tasty recipe! 🙂
Melissa Huggins
Hi Diana, I'm so glad they worked out well for you. They sound delish with the olives! Thank you for making them and sharing your modifications. 🙂
Elizabeth
These were delightful. I didn’t feel guilty having three. I used a mixture of brown rice flour and gluten free flour then threw in a teaspoon of xanthan gum. The cheez melted nicely and green onions are always awesome!
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad they worked out with the GF flour blend. Thank you for making them and sharing your modifications. 🙂
Elizabeth
My pleasure!
John
Have you tried a GF flour sub for the all-purpose? I want to try these pancakes with Indian besan (chickpea flour), jowar (sorghum flour), rajgira (amaranth flour), bajri (millet flour), or some combo of those. My issue with all the off-the-shelf all propose GF flours is that they are all highly-processed starch bomb mixes of rice, tapioca, and potato flours. Also they are not organic and rice flours can contain high levels of arsenic if the rice was grown in a region with high naturally-occurring levels of arsenic (such as some parts of India or California). I will report back with my efforts. 🙂
Melissa Huggins
I haven't tried these with GF flour yet. It should work with a 1.1 GF all-purpose, but I don't know which brand is organic. Sorry I couldn't be more help. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Hanna
What vegan cheese do you use? I haven't found a brand that I love yet.
Melissa Huggins
I used the Daiya shreds for these. I'm not a huge fan of Daiya on its own, but it worked in these pancakes. Have you tried Chao cheese slices? The original flavor tastes phenomenal and it melts great. You can shred a bunch of slices together and use that instead of Daiya. It's more work, but it's perfect! Hope this helps 🙂
Cap'n Dave
Follow Your Heart or VioLife are awesome! I use them in tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tofu scramble, potato fritters, you name it!
Cap'n Dave
Now, the ultimate question...do these freeze well for "toaster pancakes" later?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Cap'n Dave!! Yes, they do freeze well! I love popping them in the toaster on a busy morning. Have a great weekend 🙂
Kathryn
I have never had savory pancakes before so I was skeptical- but they were amazing!! So good and so easy.
Melissa Huggins
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked them 🙂
Dayna
These were really good! I used water instead of plant milk because I didn’t have any unflavored plant milk and they still had tons of flavor. I cooked mine on a pan sprayed with cooking spray and they were nice and crispy on the outside and soft inside. Yum! Thank you for the recipe. It’s a winner.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Dayna, this is so nice to hear! Thank you for making them. I'm glad that the water worked out good, thank you for sharing that tip. Have a great week! 🙂
John
Have you tried a GF flour sub for the all-purpose? I want to try these pancakes with Indian besan (chickpea flour), jowar (sorghum flour), rajgira (amaranth flour), bajri (millet flour), or some combo of those. My issue with all the off-the-shelf all propose GF flours is that they are all highly-processed starch bomb mixes of rice, tapioca, and potato flours. Also they are not organic and rice flours can contain high levels of arsenic if the rice was grown in a region with high naturally-occurring levels of arsenic (such as India or California). I will report back with my efforts. 🙂