Looking for a quick and easy, delicious, satisfying, but healthy breakfast that feels like a treat? Try these super easy flourless green plantain pancakes that are lectin-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free.
Green plantain vs. sweet plantain
Plantains, such as bananas, can be consumed at any stage of their ripeness. Green plantains are unripe plantains and have a green peel, while sweet plantains are ripe and have yellow skin and sometimes brown spots when they become overripe.
Traditionally, green plantains are used to make tostones and chips, while sweet or ripe plantains are used in stews, fried, pancakes, and other desserts. I love to make sugar-free, grain-free granola with green plantains.
Also, check this green plantain curry with chicken recipe and these delicious, gluten-free flatbreads with green plantain and sorghum flour.
There is an important nutritional difference between the two. While green plantains are mainly a resistant starch, with a small amount of sugar, sweet plantains become simple starch, with an important amount of sugar.
That’s why I only use green plantains in my recipes, including this pancake recipe.
According to USDA data, one green plantain (270 grams) has 6.11 grams of sugar, while a yellow, ripe plantain has 47.2 grams of sugar. (SOURCE)
The ingredients for the flourless green plantain pancakes:
- green plantain
- pasture-raised eggs
- extra virgin olive oil (melted coconut oil can be used, but not hot)
- inulin powder (or the sweetener of your choice)
- salt
- vanilla
- cinnamon
- baking powder
- hemp hearts/seeds
For serving the plantain pancakes, I used:
- hazelnut butter
- coconut butter/manna
- berry sauce
How to make this green plantain pancake recipe
- Wash the green plantain in warm water, pat it dry and peel it. You can cut it into a few pieces and then peel each of them; it’s easier, and since they will be blended, it doesn’t matter if they are not perfectly peeled.
- Add the chopped green plantain, eggs, inulin powder, olive oil, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and baking powder to a blender and mix until creamy.
- Add the hemp seeds to the batter and combine with a spatula or spoon (don’t blend the hemp seeds).
- Heat a cast-iron pan, griddle, or your favorite pancake skillet on medium heat. I use a cast iron, and it doesn’t need fat, but if you know your pan needs fat, you can work with a little bit of coconut oil. I made three small pancakes at a time (about 4 inches), but you can make them any size you want. Cook on the first side for a few minutes until the edges start to settle, then flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook for a few more minutes on the other side until they are no longer soft to touch.
- Transfer to a plate and cover until you make them all.
- Serve with your favorite nut butter, coconut butter, and berry sauce, or whatever you feel like. If you love syrup on your pancakes, but want to avoid the sugar spike maple syrup might give you, use Yacon syrup or Lakanto syrup.
Feel free to add some Homemade Sugar-Free Nutella 😊
How to make the berry sauce
The easiest way to make a berry sauce is to warm frozen berries. For this one, I used raspberries and blackberries. Blueberries, tart or sweet cherries would be perfect too.
To make the berry sauce, I add the frozen fruits to a saucepan, and while I make the pancakes, the sauce simmers on low heat until some of the extra liquid evaporates (it needs about 20 minutes on low heat). I add a small quantity of inulin powder, or another safe, natural sweetener.
Read more about my experience with removing sugar from my diet here: How I Quit Sugar 5+ Years Ago. And I Still Eat the Cake.
More healthy pancake recipes
If you are exploring more gluten-free, lectin-free, sugar-free pancakes, check out these healthy recipes:
- Millet Pancakes with Green Bananas
- Lectin-Free Pancakes with Tigernut Flour and Wild Blueberries
- Lectin-Free Spinach Pancakes with Wild Blueberries
- Citrus Infused Dutch Baby Pancake with Apples
- Gluten-Free German Pancakes Recipe (Low-Carb)
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Looking for a quick, delicious, satisfying but healthy breakfast that feels like a treat? Try these flourless green plantain pancakes that are lectin-free, gluten-free and sugar-free. Wash the green plantain in warm water, pat dry it and peel it. You can cut it in a few pieces first and then peel each of them. Add the green plantain pieces, eggs, inulin powder, olive oil, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and baking powder to a blender and mix until creamy. the batter will be runny and creamy. Add the hemp seeds to the batter and combine them with a spatula or spoon (don't blend the hemp seeds). Heat a cast-iron pan, griddle, or your favorite pancake skillet, on medium heat. I use a cast iron pan that doesn't need fat, but if you know your pan needs fat, you can work with a little coconut oil. I made three small pancakes at a time (about 4 inches), but you can make them any size you want. Cook on the first side for a few minutes, until the edges start to settle, and get golden with brown spots, then flip them with a spatula and cook for a couple more minutes on the other side, until they are no longer soft to touch. Transfer to a plate. Serve with your favorite nut butter, coconut butter, berry sauce, or with the toppings of your choice. The easiest way to make the berry sauce is to cook frozen berries (I used raspberries and blackberries for this one) while making the pancakes. You can add one tablespoon of a plant paradox compliant sweetener. Cook them for about 30 minutes and serve warm over the pancakes. This quantity makes about 11 4-inch pancakes. The nutritional profile below doesn't include the toppings. Flourless Green Plantain Pancakes with Hemp Seeds
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
8 Comments
Lina
September 23, 2022 at 9:01 amHello Claudia. Can this recipe be baked in the oven, & if so what adjustments do I need to make? Thanks.
Claudia
September 24, 2022 at 4:00 amHi Lina! Honestly, I have no idea. I never tried to bake pancakes. When I make something for the oven, I create it for that purpose. Batters are different. That being said, I’ve seen people on cooking TV shows making pancakes in the oven, but I’m not sure if this one would work. Let me know if you try!
Sara
September 7, 2022 at 8:06 amHi Claudia! I’ve just started a lectin free diet and I’ve to say that I’m so happy I found you! This recipe is absolutely delicious. Thank you so much❤️🌸
Claudia
September 7, 2022 at 8:31 amHi Sara, thank you so much; I’m happy you found us! Wishing you all the best in your journey xx
Julia
July 9, 2022 at 11:03 amJust made these and they turned out great! It’s what’s for breakfast tomorrow 😉
Claudia
July 9, 2022 at 12:30 pmThank you so much Julia! Enjoy your breakfast <3
MLS
June 14, 2021 at 11:04 amLooks nutritious and delicious. Can green banana flour be substituted for green plantains then add some liquid to the mix if it is dry? Green plantains is not always available.
Claudia
June 15, 2021 at 4:13 amThank you. Green banana flour can be used to make pancakes, but that will be an entirely different recipe. It’s just not the same thing. I’d rather try to replace green plantains with green bananas and follow the same steps (you might need two normal size green bananas to replace one big plantain). You might get something similar. I don’t find green plantains all the time, but it’s even more exciting to make this recipe only when I find them. xx