These vegan banana pancakes are made with chickpea flour , making them high in protein without using protein powder. You can make them gluten-free, too!
As a college student, I rarely use protein powder as they can be super pricey. Hence, I really like using chickpea flour as a protein powder substitute ! They are really cheap when compared to conventional protein powders, and no, you cant really taste the chickpeas, unless you undercooked it. Oh, and please do not try to taste the raw batter !
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What is chickpea flour ?
Chickpea flour, also known as gram flour or besan flour, is made from grounded dried chickpeas. They are really popular in traditional Indian cooking, but has been gaining popularity recently as a gluten-free flour substitute. They are a great substitute for wheat flour, and sometimes are used as thickening agent in curries and stews.
You can actually make your own chickpea flour at home. To do this, simply place dried chickpeas in a food processor / high speed blender and blend until it resembles a flour like texture. Check out this great blog post, how to make chickpea flour by Piping Pot Curry to get the full instructions !
Are the pancakes healthy ?
First of all, they are really one of the healthiest pancake recipe out there, if I must say so myself 🙂 They are :
- gluten-free
- Oil-free
- Sugar-free
- Dairy-free
- High in plant protein
What you will need
- Make sure to use banana that is RIPE .
- Rolled or quick oats can be used in this recipe. But if you want to substitute it with oat flour, you might needed a little less than the recommended measurement.
- Any kinds of plant based milk can be used in this recipe.
How to make
- Start by placing all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Heat up your pan with or without oil. ( If you are using oil, do not overdo it ! You do not want fried pancakes, trust me )
- Place a small amount of batter in the pan as as a tester. But if you are feeling confident, feel free to skip this step.
- Lower the heat to medium and place ¼ cup of batter into the pan. Cook it for 2-3 minutes until the pancake is dry around the edges and can be easy flipped.
- Flip it and let it cook for another few minutes, or until they are perfectly browned.
- Repeat it for all pancakes. Serve it and enjoy it while hot !
🥞 Vegan pancake topping ideas
- maple syrup !
- nut butter of any kind ( my fav is peanut butter )
- Chocolate syrup
- Fresh fruit
- berry compote
- Caramelized banana
- powdered sugar
- dairy free yogurt ( or normal yogurt if you are not vegan )
Listed above are only a small part of pancake topping ideas ! I urge you to really get creative when it come to toppings !
How to store and freeze pancakes
Have I mentioned that these pancakes are freezer friendly ? You can totally batch make these pancakes as part of your meal prep ! To freeze for pancakes, place them on a lined baking sheet and arrange them to make sure they are not touching. Then, pop the baking tray into the freezer and let it freeze for an hour. You can then transfer them in ziplock bags or any other containers . These chickpea flour pancakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
🍽 More recipes using chickpea flour
- High Protein Vegan Waffles
- Authentic Vegan Falafels
- Mini Chickpea Flour Frittatas by The Simple Veganista
- The Best Vegan French Toast by The Hidden Veggies
- Chickpea Flour Vegan Omelet by Vegan Richa
📖 Recipe
Vegan Banana Protein Pancakes ( without protein powder ! )
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe banana
- ½ cup chickpea flour
- ½ cup oat flour ( use gluten-free if needed )
- ½ - ¾ cup almond milk ( or any other non-dairy milk )
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Heat up a pan on medium heat. Place ¼ cup of batter into the pan. Let it cook for a few minutes, or until it look dry around the edges.
- Flip it and let it cook for another few minutes, or until the pancakes are fully cooked and perfectly browned.
- Repeat it for all pancakes.
- Serve it with whatever toppings you have and enjoy it while hot !
What a great idea to use chickpea flour in pancakes! Now I can have pancakes for breakfast and feel good about it - thanks for sharing the recipe!
Enjoy !
Yum! What a delicious breakfast these pancakes make! So good!
A perfect simple breakfast recipe!
Ah, my granddaughter loves banana pancakes. I will try this gluten-free version for her!
These pancakes look delicious! I've never used chickpea flour, excited to try this!
What a delicious looking pancakes. They look so great!
The chickpea flour worked perfectly in this! Very light and tasty
Glad to hear that you like it !
Anything with banana and oats has my vote, these pancakes were delicious!!!
Thanks a bunch !
My mouth is literally watering. My family would love this.
Glad to hear that ! Enjoy.
I love pancakes and yours look exceptionally delicious! great idea adding the protein!
You had me at banana pancakes....yum.