Cabbage Pancakes with Sweet Potato and Asparagus

One of my favorite ways to eat more vegetables, these gluten-free cabbage pancakes with sweet potato and asparagus are easy to make, light yet satisfying, and endlessly customizable. Serve them as they are, with a drizzle of hot sauce, or top them with avocado, cottage cheese, kimchi, chicken, turkey, or a handful of microgreens. I love them for breakfast, but they work just as well for lunch or dinner. They’re also great eaten cold, making them a perfect make-ahead or takeaway meal.

A Vegetable Pancake: Gluten-Free & Nourishing

Nearly every culture has its own version of vegetable pancakes — sometimes called fritters, omelets, or patties. They usually combine shredded or grated vegetables, eggs, a bit of flour, and regional herbs or spices. In Romania, we make something similar to fritters or latkes, while this version leans more toward Asian-style vegetable pancakes, like Chinese chao bing, Japanese okonomiyaki, or Korean yachaejeon.

Unlike deep-fried fritters or traditional latkes, these pancakes need only a drizzle of oil to cook. They’re light, nourishing, and full of flavor — proof that simple ingredients can be deeply satisfying. While you can use regular wheat flour to make these pancakes, we keep them gluten-free with only a small amount of tapioca.

Each pancake provides around 12 grams of protein, and when paired with a protein-rich topping, such as this homemade turkey deli meat, it’s easy to build a balanced, nourishing meal. They reheat beautifully in a skillet or oven and taste just as good warm or cold.

The Cooking Pan

To make these pancakes, you’ll need an 8-inch skillet with a lid. A safe non-stick pan (such as ceramic) works perfectly well, but if you’re comfortable cooking with stainless steel, that’s a great option too. I personally use my All-Clad stainless steel pans for almost everything, though they do require a bit of technique to prevent sticking.

The key is proper preheating: let the pan warm up over medium-high heat for a few minutes before adding any fat or batter. Once the pan is hot enough, the pancakes release easily and develop a beautiful golden crust.

If you’re new to cooking with stainless steel, I recommend practicing with eggs first — I’ve written a full guide on how to make scrambled eggs in a stainless steel pan, and the same principles apply here.

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
• 1 cup grated sweet potato (one small potato)
• 2 thick asparagus spears, grated
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon spice mix of your choice (see note)
• 3 pasture-raised eggs
• 2–3 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil (or avocado/sesame oil), for cooking
• For topping: Sriracha, scallions, cilantro, toasted sesame seeds

Note on spices: I didn’t specify a particular spice mix because I change it up every time I make these pancakes — and they always turn out delicious. For this batch, I used a homemade blend of paprika, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, curry powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Feel free to use whatever spice mix you love or have on hand.

Some great options include:

• Taco Spice Mix
• Ras el Hanout
• Garam Masala
• Curry Powder
• 7 Spice
• Berbere
• Cajun
• Old Bay

Let your taste and curiosity guide you!

How to Make Cabbage Pancakes with Sweet Potato and Asparagus

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, sweet potato, asparagus, ginger, spice mix, eggs, tapioca flour, salt, and pepper. Mix well until everything is evenly coated.

Heat a non-stick 8-inch skillet over medium heat and drizzle in a little oil.

Add half the mixture (about 1 cup) to the skillet. Flatten with a spatula, cover with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes.

Check the bottom — once golden brown, flip the pancake using a spatula (you can use a lid or plate to help). Cover again and cook for another 5 minutes.

If needed, remove the lid and cook for an additional minute to crisp it up. The pancake should be golden brown on both sides.

Transfer to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining mixture, adding more oil as needed.

How to Serve Cabbage Pancakes

These cabbage pancakes are delicious on their own, topped with a drizzle of Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, along with scallions, fresh cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds.

They’re also endlessly customizable, making it easy to adapt them to your taste or macro needs. Add extra protein — such as turkey, chicken, or prosciutto — to turn them into a complete, nourishing meal.

You can also serve them with yogurt or cottage cheese, avocado, kimchi, microgreens, or any combination that feels right to you.

They’re wonderful served hot, straight after cooking, but just as enjoyable cold, or reheated. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner — and an excellent option for make-ahead meals or packed lunches.

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