Buckwheat Banana Pancakes (Vegan & Gluten-free)

These easy buckwheat banana pancakes are made completely egg-free and dairy-free, yet are so incredibly delicious! They can be whipped up quickly using only 4 simple ingredients and make a hearty and wholesome breakfast that all your family will enjoy. Buckwheat and bananas make for such an amazing combo!

These vegan buckwheat banana pancakes are my go-to breakfast recipe when we are overflowing with overripe bananas. They are easy, hearty + filling, naturally sweetened from the bananas and make for such a healthy way to start the day.

But you know, I grew up eating 'galettes de sarrasin' (or buckwheat crepes): the familiar toasty flavor and smell from buckwheat is always a good start to my day. And I LOVE to work with buckwheat flour. I find its darker blueish color to be appealing and I simply enjoy the unique texture of buckwheat flour when combined with liquid: a fun but also odd 'slimy' consistency that cooks beautifully, even without combining with other flour or eggs!

To feed my buckwheat cravings, I'll make my buckwheat bread once in a while, but these gluten-free pancakes are definitively a great last minute way to enjoy the amazing flavor from buckwheat. Plus, my kids are buckwheat-pancake-monsters. My 5 y/o keeps reminding me that 'they need to go on the blog'. So here you go, hope you enjoy them too!

What is buckwheat

Buckwheat has such a misleading name: even though it contains the word 'wheat', it is actually far from being wheat at all. Instead of being a grain like its name wants us to believe, buckwheat is actually a seed that's produced by a flowering plant. Buckwheat is sometimes also called pseudo-grain, pseudocereal or even super-seed.

No matter how you want to call it, buckwheat is totally gluten-free, which makes it an amazing nutritious addition to your recipes no matter what your diet is. Also, some may consider buckwheat to be grain-free as well, giving its pseudo-grain nickname.

You can find hulled buckwheat in the form of 'groats', which looks like a tiny (and so darn cute!) dome shaped seed with a pale beige color. Either raw groats or toasted groats (also called kasha) can be purchased, although aim for regular un-roasted groats for most of your recipes as the flavor of kasha is so much more pronounced.

Buckwheat groats are often used just the same as a grain, such as rice or barley, to make soup, grain bowls, risotto, salads, etc. But also, buckwheat is cultivated to make flour, noodles (soba) and all sort of baked goods.

Buckwheat health benefits

It is hard to write a buckwheat recipe without giving a word on its numerous health benefits!

Buckwheat is mainly made out of healthy carbohydrates that have a lower glycemic index compared to other sugar-rich food. It also provides important minerals and a fair amount of fiber that helps keep your colon healthy, plus some protein too, although not a significant amount.

But what I find even more interesting from buckwheat is the impressive amount of antioxidants it provides, which is much more when compared to other grain-like seeds/cereals (you can find more buckwheat health benefits in this article from healthline).

Buckwheat flour pancakes

Using buckwheat flour to make pancakes makes for such an incredible breakfast. Not only does it ensure the pancakes are gluten-free (if that's something you need), but also provides an amazing texture to the pancakes that feels very hearty and filling.

Plus, many pancake recipes include eggs, but buckwheat flour + milk/water has a fascinating consistency that when cooked, makes for fluffy pancakes that hold well, even without the eggs.

Ingredients you'll need

• Buckwheat flour
• Bananas
• Baking powder
• Vegan milk

-4 ingredients only, tadah!-

What kind of buckwheat flour to use

You have two choices: 1. Buy already-made buckwheat flour or 2. Make your own flour from groats.

I usually buy it since I find it more convenient. I love this buckwheat flour from Arrowhead Mills. You can also make your own buckwheat flour out of hulled groats (not Kasha) using a high-speed blender or food processor. This post on how to make your own buckwheat flour from Felicia at Dishbydish will guide you if that's something you want to try.

Is there one kind of flour that's better than the other one when making buckwheat banana pancakes? That will depend on what you are looking for:

• Store-bought buckwheat flour is usually made using unhulled buckwheat seeds, which generates a flour that's darker in color and almost blueish. This makes for pancakes that look more rustic, heartier and darker in color.
• Making your own buckwheat flour would more likely require you to use hulled buckwheat seeds (simply more available that way). This creates a flour that's lighter in color, but also makes pancakes that are a little more fluffy. The down side is that most of the healthy fiber is concentrated into the husk, which you would not get the benefit from if making flour using de-husked seeds.
• One more thing: store-bought buckwheat flour is definitively more expensive than grinding the groats yourself. So if cooking on a budget, why not take on the fun challenge to make your own buckwheat flour?

How to make them

Prepare the ingredients

Prepare your buckwheat flour if making your own and mash the bananas to a smooth texture. I simply mash them using a fork or a potato masher. I also like to keep some texture: the mini chunks of bananas within the pancakes are amazing and make the pancakes feel gooey and creamier.

Combine the batter

Then, combine all the pancake ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Use a whisk to break all clumps and a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all the flour is incorporated into the batter.

Cook the pancakes

Start by warming up a large non-stick pan on medium heat. Then, transfer the batter to the pan using about ¼ cup per pancake. I love to use an oil-spray to prevent them from sticking to the pan, but they can easily be made oil-free as well. You can also help the batter spread nicely into the desired shape by using the back of a spoon (you don't want to leave them too thick so they can cook in the middle before browning too much).

Flip the pancakes when you see many bubbles forming on top with the edges browning slightly, about 2 minutes. Then cook for one more minute on the second side and voilà!

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Watch how to make them

Cooking tips

• Use ripe bananas with a few black speckles for best flavor and texture. I have tried this recipe using frozen/thawed bananas as well, which worked fine, although gave me a softer and 'more moist' pancake recipe. Try to pat dry the excess water from the thawed bananas if that's what you are going to use.
• The pancake batter should be thick and also look sort of slimy. It should also slightly get thicker as it rests, so you might want to add 1-2 tablespoons extra if it seems too thick (watch the quick video to see how the batter should look).
• If looking for a gluten-free recipe, then be sure to use a certified gluten-free buckwheat flour (they are naturally gluten-free, but can be contaminated).
• If making a larger batch, then keep your pancakes in a warmish oven (around 200º) until serving.

Flavoring ideas

I usually leave them plain, but you can flavor these buckwheat banana pancakes as you wish. Here are a few ideas:

• Add some vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom or pumpkin pie spice mix. I often make more chai spice mix when preparing my chai smoothie so I can sprinkle some into my pancake batter.
• After spreading the batter into the pan, press a few blueberries, chocolate chips or even nuts into the pancakes.
• Squeeze a slice of banana in the middle of each pancakes right after it was poured into the pan so it can caramelize, yum!

Serving suggestions

Serve them with your favorite topping, such as berries, bananas and generously cover with maple syrup. I actually traditionally ate buckwheat pancakes at home with molasses instead of maple syrup, so give this a try if you have some!

To boost your breakfast with protein and healthy fats, garnish with chopped nuts, especially pecans or walnuts, or drizzle with some almond butter/peanut butter. A sprinkle of chia or hemps seed over would also make your breakfast higher in protein.

Storage

When I make this recipe, I often make double recipe, which is barely enough to feed my mini pancakes monsters. I intentionally like to have some extra: they keep very well in the fridge in an air-tight container for a few days.

Reheat them using the pan, or even easier, in the microwave or the toaster oven.

FAQ's

More hearty breakfast ideas

• Oat flour pancakes
• Sweet potato breakfast cookies
• Turmeric oatmeal
• Silken tofu scramble
• Matcha oatmeal
• Quinoa breakfast bowl
• Vanilla almond granola
• 5-Ingredient banana bread

I hope you enjoy this pancake recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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