When you hear zucchini and banana in the same sentence you may be thinking it’s a recipe for a disaster. You wouldn’t think it, but this combo works in these yummy zucchini banana pancakes!
The key is using very ripe bananas and fresh zucchini. You want to get an even grate on your zucchini and remove some but not all the moisture.
This is a very hearty pancake but because the zucchini is moist, they take a little longer to cook. Don’t rush and take them off the griddle before they’re done.
By keeping the temperature lower you can leave them on a little longer, allowing them to cook thoroughly. Oh, and don’t be worried if they’re a little moist since they don’t have eggs.
Who doesn’t love pancakes? Here’s a few more:
If you don’t have a griddle here are some great options to use when making pancakes.
This recipe is better than just using a box pancake mix. Normally, you’ll have most of these ingredients already in your pantry. You can try different types of flours and spices to incorporate into this batter.
You can also add additional ingredients for flavor like nuts, raisins or chocolate chips.
These pancakes are so delicate and tasty you don’t need toppings but if you want some, almost anything goes. We picked berries from the garden this morning and used them to top these pancakes.
If you don’t have access to fresh berries, you can use frozen. These pancakes are awesome topped with fruit and maple syrup.
This recipe makes a great Father’s Day breakfast but you can certainly have them on any occasion. In fact, it’s a healthy way to start your day. If you’re entertaining and want to make a brunch or breakfast for your guests, this recipe is a good option.
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Zucchini Banana Pancakes recipe! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
Zucchini Banana Pancakes
Equipment
- Silicone Cooking Utensil Set
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 medium zucchini grated and squeezed dry with a dish cloth or your hands (see #1 instruction)
- 2 medium banana mashed
- 2 cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract non-alcoholic preferred
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
Instructions
- Do not peel the zucchini, just trim the ends and grate using the large holes of a standard cheese grater. Then, using a dish towel or your hands, squeeze the zucchini as dry as you can. Then proceed with the recipe.
- Place grated zucchini, banana, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, and vanilla into a bowl and beat with a fork to combine all.
- Add the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and stir to combine.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients together and stir until just moistened. Add more non-dairy milk to thin if necessary. Allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes
- Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat and spray with a small amount of oil to prevent sticking. (see NOTE below)
- Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle and cook until the pancakes seem dryish on top. Check the bottom that they're not getting too brown.
- Flip and cook on the other side, making sure not to overcook. This side will cook faster.
- Serve with heated maple syrup and berries.
These pancakes seem fantastic and I can’t wait to try them. My only concern with these denser is the fact that they take so long to cook. It’s hard to know when they’re cooked through. Do you have any tips on that I had appreciate them.
Hey Julia, I hear ya… sometimes pancakes can come out a little gooier than desired. At least you know that they don’t contain egg and are therefore safe. And, for me, the opposite isn’t good either… too dry. For these pancakes, you can try making them with less batter on the griddle and more spread out with your spoon. I think that will help, And turn down the heat and let them sit a little longer if you find they aren’t done enough. I hope that helps.
Love these pancakes! Can I use chia seed instead of flax-that is what I have on hand right now
Sure that should work fine. Pancakes are pretty forgiving when it comes to ingredients.
What is the measurement of 2 medium zucchini. I know that my medium zucchini is about 8 inches long. So that would be a ton of zucchini.
You’re right, that does seem like too much. I would only use one of those. You don’t want the batter to be overly watery. And, you make a good point about giving quantities in these kinds of recipes. A cup measurement would be better so I’ll work on updating the recipe. .
I used an iron skillet and these stuck terribly. The flavor was good, they just didn’t come out as pancakes.
Hey Robyn, I’m sorry that they stuck for you. As you may know, we use very little or almost no oil for my recipes so I recommend a non-stick skillet or, you could non-stick cooking spray. Sometimes if your iron skillet is well seasoned it can work, but I’m pretty sure the lack of oil in the recipe was the issue. I’ll be sure to put a note about that in the recipe. If you’re ok eating oil, you can add a couple of tablespoons to the recipe.
Like Jolene, I would appreciate knowing how many cups two medium zucchini are. They are coming in from the garden now and are larger than medium, but medium to me might be larger than medium to someoone shopping in a grocery store. The recipe that came up for me wasn’t updated.
Thank you very much. They look delicious!
Hey Lorrie, Just bought zucchini so I’m going to make these for breakfast and get the measurement for you.
I tried these for breakfast this morning, and they were very good. I made half the recipe and used two cups of grated zucchini. I then wrung the zucchini out in a linen towel, as I do for potato pancakes. I added a little more milk, and they cooked beautifully. Just make sure they are brown enough.
Thanks for the update, Lorrie! I realized this morning that I didn’t have whole wheat flour so will have to test another day, but I really appreciate your feedback. I’ll update that in the recipe. I think you’re right that you need to squeeze out the moisture in the zucchini. Glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Delicious
My toddler is obsessed with these pancakes. He always eats more during this meal than anything else! Thanks!
Ha, that’s great to hear. He’s got quite an appetite. 💕