Beet Buckwheat Pancakes

The bright pink batter was a cause for alarm among my children at the start of a recent weekend pancake breakfast.

They expressed their concern as a stack of vibrantly coloured pancakes steadily grew next to my stove. “Don’t worry”, I assured them, “You love chocolate beet cake and you will love these too. I’m testing a new recipe for the blog.”

The first bite was hesitant; the second much more confident, and then: “Tell your readers they don’t taste like beets at all”Noah offered up, between enormous bites of fluffy pink pancakes.

Thanks for the tip, buddy. And so, readers? Today’s recipe is one hundred percent kid approved.

If you’re not in the habit of roasting off a mess of beets in the winter months, then I encourage you to do so. They are cheap, full of vitamins and can keep for several days in the refrigerator for salads and such.

I love how they are so versatile; as showcased in A Beet Recipe Round-Up.

I usually toss half of a batch into my food processor (once they’ve been peeled) and turn them into purée. Then I freeze the purée in 1 cup portions for my kid’s absolute favourite cake – the Chocolate Beet Snack Cake Recipe

I also use the purée for my dark and delicious beet braised lentils, and now, the fluffiest buckwheat pancakes, perfect for Valentine’s Day tomorrow.

I’ve always wanted to be remembered for my creative pancakes and I’d say today’s beet buckwheat version are up there as a unique breakfast.

The two main ingredients complement each other extremely well, with the earthiness of the beets playing off the nutty buckwheat flour. Maple syrup brings them together and a dash of cinnamon only enhances their appeal.

For the fluffiest of pancakes, I use cultured buttermilk instead of regular milk, and a very light hand when combining the ingredients. It’s also important to have the griddle hot and begin to fry the pancakes as soon as the batter comes together.

Chef’s Tip: fry the pancakes in a neutral oil and they will stay bright pink. Frying them in butter will cause more colouration.

Fluffy Beet Buckwheat Pancakes

Light and airy, these pink pancakes are as nutritious as they are pretty.
4.86 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast & Brunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Vegetarian
Essential Ingredient: beets
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 medium pancakes
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup beet purée
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • cooking oil for frying

Instructions

  • Preheat a griddle to medium and preheat the oven to 175F.
  • Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
  • In another bowl, whisk together egg and maple syrup until frothy. Whisk in the beet purée, followed by the buttermilk.
  • Gently stir the dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Pour in the melted butter. Mix until just combined. Over mixing will toughen the pancakes. it's okay if there are a few lumps.
  • Heat a griddle or large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Grease lightly with cooking oil.
  • Spoon batter onto griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook 1 1/2 minutes, then flip, and cook until light brown, about one more minute.
  • Place the pancakes in a baking tin lined with a clean tea towel. Cover and place in oven to keep warm while you fry the remainder of the batter.
  • Serve pancakes hot with plenty of butter and pure maple syrup.

More Beet Recipes

There’s something about the firm texture of beets and their earthy I-can-taste-the-garden flavour that satisfies my hankering for vegetables in February.

Here’s a selection of recipes that proves just how much I love beets. These dive waaaay back into the archives and my old photos, so please be kind. The recipes are as rock solid as ever.

Eat Seasonal

We have a record braking round-up of seasonal eats for you this month from our blogging group. From soups to salads, smoothies and semifreddo, these original recipes will have you celebrating the season.

Here’s to eating seasonally, even in the middle of winter.

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24 Comments

  1. These just went on tomorrow’s menu! One quick question: do you have any thoughts on what to substitute for the WWF? My girls and I are gf. I plan on just using a cup for cup blend, but thought you or your readers might have a better idea.

  2. That’s so cute — I love your kids’ reaction! I’ve never tried beets in anything like cake or pancakes and truly need to change that. The color of these pancakes is just gorgeous and I love the nutrition boost!

  3. Just lovely! I think the color is fabulous! I made a chocolate beet cake not too long ago and my friends were hesitant when I told them there were beets in there. But they changed their minds as soon as they tasted it! These pancakes are so perfect for Valentine’s day! Stay warm, friend!

  4. Aimee, these are one of the most stunning stacks of pancakes I have ever seen. I just adore beets and love how you used them so creatively here. What a beautiful breakfast!

  5. Just mixed a batch of these up for tomorrow! I made a big batch of beet purée up this week, made beet hummus and roasted beets too. Such a versatile vegetable!

  6. 5 stars
    What a charming little recipe, perfect for a special treat. I love cooking anything, so I’ll try it soon!

  7. 5 stars
    These were really good! I’m a big fan of buckwheat pancakes but never though to add beets. Since I haven’t got a food processor and my blender isn’t very good at pureeing solids, I blended the beets with the buttermilk and added them together.
    Beets + blueberries + banana makes a great smoothie, btw!

  8. 5 stars
    As Aimee says, cook the pancakes on low heat. I even froze some of mine (wrap them in parchment paper to avoid freezer burn, and then pop them into a ziplock back). This morning my daughter enjoyed them drizzled with honey!! Thanks again Aimee.