Equipment
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 60 g baby spinach, fresh, washed
- 240 ml whole milk
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g granulated sugar
- 10 g baking powder
- 2 g salt
For Cooking
- 15 g unsalted butter
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 91 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 123 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 7 mg
- Potassium
- 313 mg
- Calcium
- 115 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 133 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 136 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 2 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the fresh baby spinach, whole milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and bright green, ensuring no spinach flakes remain.
In a mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Pour the green wet mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined; it is perfectly fine if small lumps remain.
Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. This brief pause allows the flour to fully hydrate and relaxes the gluten.
Preheat a frying pan over medium heat to approximately 175°C or 350°F. Melt a small amount of butter to lightly coat the cooking surface.
Pour approximately 60 milliliters of batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles form and pop on the surface, and the edges begin to look dry and set.
Slide the spatula under each pancake, flip carefully in one motion, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the bottom is lightly browned and the center is cooked through.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a warm plate and serve immediately with fresh fruit or a light drizzle of maple syrup.
Chef's Notes
- Using baby spinach instead of mature spinach ensures a milder flavor and a more vibrant green color without bitter undertones.
- If your blender struggles to liquefy the spinach, blend it with just the milk first before incorporating the egg and melted butter.
- Resting the batter is a critical step. It allows the starches to swell and the baking powder to start reacting, resulting in significantly thicker, fluffier pancakes.
- For a dairy-free version, swap the whole milk for oat milk and use coconut oil instead of melted butter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container with parchment paper layered between pancakes to prevent sticking.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe bag.
Reheating: Reheat in a toaster or warm oven to maintain a slightly crisp exterior.
Troubleshooting
Pancakes are dense and tough instead of fluffy.
Cause: Overmixing the batter developed the gluten too much.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Stir the wet and dry ingredients only until the dry flour streaks disappear. Lumps are normal.
Pancakes turn brown and lose their vibrant green color.
Cause: The cooking temperature was too high or they were cooked for too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Maintain a medium to medium-low heat and flip the pancakes as soon as the bubbles set.
Cultural Context
Pancakes are a globally beloved comfort food, with the American style known specifically for its thick, leavened, and fluffy profile. Integrating spinach into the batter is a modern culinary technique to naturally color food and seamlessly incorporate vegetables into breakfast without compromising the beloved sweet, cake-like texture.
