Easy and Delicious Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes
Tasty, hearty, quick, customizable, nutritious, and gluten free – these aren’t your average pancakes! Give your basic bowl of oatmeal a makeover and stay fueled into lunchtime with this delicious stovetop spin. Best served with a fruit plate and mug of lentils and quinoa, these vegan banana oat pancakes are a great way to show yourself some love even on a busy weekday.
What if I told you that pancakes can be easy, delicious, and healthy? That’s right — this beloved breakfast dish can actually energize and vitalize you for your day. Better yet, like all of my pancake recipes so far, they are gluten free!
This is the second vacation recipe I bring to the blog — of course, there are many more as my talented vegan cook companion Alissa was involved. This recipe is particularly special to me, as it inspired me to upheave my lifestyle of intermittent fasting in favor of substantial and nourishing breakfasts.
The day before my 26th birthday, November 2021, I arose from the loft bed at our cozy Airbnb guest house and stepped down to meet Alissa in the kitchen. It was just past 8 am, and sunlight shone through the huge windows of our cabin-like “House of Sun” (Casa del Sol). We turned on the record player and listened to some cheery John Denver country classics as we prepared to get cooking.
What amazes me about cooking with Alissa, especially on vacation, is that we spitball simple concepts before we shop, and somehow end with elaborate dishes from the simplest ingredients. These pancakes are a prime example of our combined prowess.
Nutritionally void white flour? Nah, we don’t need that, we agreed as we perused the aisles. We would simply blend up some fiber rich, gut loving oats instead. Of course, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to pack in banana, blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and vanilla too.
This meal, particularly the way it is balanced with ample fruit and protein packed quinoa and lentils, brings me great joy. Whether it’s your birthday or an ordinary day, these pancakes will surely start your day on the right foot!
Ingredients
1 slightly overripe banana
1 cup rolled or quick oats, blended (or use oat flour)
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1-2 tsp amber maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 Tbsp vegan butter (optional, I use Earth Balance)
Oatly full fat oat milk as needed
Generous amount of fresh or frozen blueberries
Chocolate chips to taste
How to make vegan banana oat pancakes
- Mash the banana completely in a medium-large bowl (some clumps are fine) and blend the oats in a blender.
- Add oats and all other dry ingredients to the bowl, mix.
- Add all wet ingredients except for the milk, mix.
- Pour in plant milk a little at a time, and keep mixing until the batter is not too thick and not too thin.
- Add as many blueberries and chocolate chips as you desire, mix gently to combine well.
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet on medium heat. When hot, add vegan butter or a neutral oil (like canola or safflower) to coat the pan. Give this a little time to become hot.
- Add pancake batter, 1/3 cup at a time, to the pan. Look for the bubbles in the batter to pop and stay popped open (instead of filling back in) to determine when it is time to flip.
- Once pancakes are adhered together on the bottom, flip to the other side and cook until done. Repeat with remaining batter.
Why this recipe works
The ingredients and amounts are forgiving and modifiable
You’ll notice my measurements in this recipe aren’t too precise — that’s because I wing-it a little bit every time. A little more cinnamon, vanilla, butter, blueberries, and chocolate chips never hurt anyone, so don’t be shy! You can also try switching it up by adding walnuts, figs, or another type of fruit. Or, you could try including spices like nutmeg and cardamom.
The most important constants in this recipe are the oats, banana, baking powder, and salt. You’ll also want to aim for a happy medium not-too-thick not-too-thin batter consistency with the plant milk. Beyond that, experiment to your heart’s content!
It is a tasty revamp of the standard nutritious oatmeal breakfast
Starting your day with oatmeal is one of the healthiest choices you can make. But who said it has to be boring? This recipe is not much different than ingredients you’d find in a standard bowl of oatmeal, but the cooking method makes it even more flavorful and exciting. For optimal nutrition, opt for steel-cut rolled oats, though instant oats will also work just fine.
It has a high return on investment – easy to make and both healthy and delicious
The recipes I make on vacation tend to be simpler, yet sometimes even more tasty than recipes I would make at home. This recipe (especially with the basic sides I recommend) is a great example of a meal that feels deluxe, yet approachable even for a weekday.
Best of all, it is nutritionally balanced with protein, fiber, and complex carbs that will nourish your gut and brain and fuel you well into lunchtime.
Top Tips for making the best pancakes
Use a large nonstick skillet and large spatula
As you likely know, pancakes are a food in which a non-stick surface is particularly necessary. If you have a griddle, fantastic! If not, opt for the largest non-stick skillet you have — ideally ceramic or granite instead of Teflon. The larger your skillet, the more pancakes you can cook at once. If you don’t have the largest skillet, I’d recommend keeping your plate of cooked pancakes covered until they are all done, in order to retain their heat.
Likewise, be sure to use a large spatula for ease of flipping. Take care to use a silicon or otherwise non-metal spatula to avoid scratching your pan.
Cook low and slow
Patience is key with pancakes — you’ll want to opt on the lower side of medium heat. If the heat is too high, the pancakes can burn rather quickly. Use your best judgement to find the right heat on your range or griddle, and keep in mind the first round of pancakes always cook the slowest. Once you’re in the groove, the pancakes will cook in less than a few minutes per side, so you’ll want to keep an eye on them.
Use high-quality ingredients
This recipe, among others, is so flavorful because of the ingredients used. I highly recommend using real maple syrup in the batter and for serving, instead of the cheaper alternative laden with high-fructose corn syrup. I like Coomb’s Family Farm or Simple Truth Organic maple syrup, both around five dollars. You’ll notice the amber syrup is sweeter than the dark maple syrup — the flavors are surprisingly different. I think amber works best in this recipe, though they are both delicious and worth trying in their own right.
Likewise, be sure to choose a plant milk you know you love — I feel personally that Oatly is the best choice for pancakes. If you can, I’d recommend also opting for organic blueberries and banana. The higher quality your ingredients on their own, the better your pancakes will taste.
Pair pancakes with nutritional and flavor complements
These pancakes are delicious on their own, but they are made even better with excellent complimentary sides. I recommend serving with a mug of make-ahead simple and delicious lentils and quinoa, along with a fruit plate. For optimal digestion, eat the fruit first — though I personally love eating the fruit in between savory bites.
Between high-fiber oats, high-protein lentils and quinoa, and high-complex carb fruit, you’ve got a well-rounded satiating meal which will fuel you optimally for the day. Bonus points if you find a way to work in some leafy greens too!
Hungry for more tasty and nutritious vegan pancakes? Check out these delicious gluten free recipes:
Tried this recipe? Please help me spread the word with a comment and rating — your feedback is so helpful in the growth of my blog, and enables me to share even more deliciousness with you!
Easy and Delicious Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes
Equipment
- Medium or large mixing bowl
- Large nonstick skillet or griddle
- Large spatula
Ingredients
- 1 overripe banana mashed with fork
- 1 cup steel-cut or instant oats blended, or use oat flour
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1-2 tsp amber maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ Tbsp vegan butter optional, I use Earth Balance
- Oatly full fat oat milk as needed for batter consistency
- Generous amount of fresh or frozen blueberries
- Chocolate chips to taste I like Enjoy Life mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mash the banana completely in a medium-large bowl (some clumps are fine) and blend the oats in a blender.
- Add oats and all other dry ingredients to the bowl, mix.
- Add all wet ingredients except for the milk, mix.
- Pour in plant milk a little at a time, and keep mixing until the batter is not too thick and not too thin.
- Add as many blueberries and chocolate chips as you desire, mix gently to combine well.
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet or griddle on medium heat. When hot, add vegan butter or a neutral oil (like canola or safflower) to coat the pan. Give this a little time to become hot.
- Add pancake batter, 1/3 cup at a time, to the pan. Look for the bubbles in the batter to pop and stay popped open (instead of filling back in) to determine when it is time to flip.
- Once pancakes are adhered together on the bottom, flip to the other side and cook until done. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve with a mug of lentils and quinoa, and a fruit plate.
Thank you for all the shout-outs, I’m so lucky to be able to creare recipes and cook with such a talented and wonderful friend <3 <3 And these really are sooo good, oat flour pancakes 4ever!!!