Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes: Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free

Many people are going for a gluten-free diet these days. They are discovering that they feel better when they don’t eat wheat protein. Are you one of them? Or are you curious and wanting to expand the repertoire of bread-like foods you can create? Either way, these Gluten-Free Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes are delicious and nutritious. Many people who love wheat and gluten enjoy them and ask for the recipe. Try it and let us know how you like it!

While many other factors affect mood and happiness, nutrition and digestion are foundations which mood rests upon. As a parent coach I am trained to look for the causes behind the symptoms. When my family was having mood swings and irritability, I looked at our diets. When parents ask me for help with their own or their child’s mood swings and behavior problems, I often ask about diet.

After years of trial and error, we gave the radical GAPS diet a try. We saw improvement with moodiness, irritability, and conflict.  The GAPS diet was pretty amazing, but also very challenging. Not everyone needs to try something so extreme. Recently we’ve been exploring more moderate diets.

These Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes are one of our successes from that exploration. While buckwheat is not on the GAPS diet it is one of the foods they suggest bringing back into your diet when you’re ready. This vegan buckwheat pancake recipe uses buckwheat groats not buckwheat flour. They come out fluffier and tastier that way!

What is buckwheat?

Although, buckwheat is often mistaken for a cereal grain, because it is used in the same way, buckwheat is actually the seed of a fruit. In fact some people call it buckwheat berries, but most refer to it at buckwheat groats. One cup of it contains 34%DV of the manganese, 21%DV of the magnesium, and 12%DV of the copper currently recommended. Buckwheat is often available in most health food stores. Hulled buckwheat may be white or brown. Do not get roasted or toasted buckwheat as the live enzymes in it have been killed by heating. It will not start to germinate when soaked. Soaking raw buckwheat is almost like predigesting and makes the nutrition in buckwheat more bioavailable.

Here’s the Basic Recipe For Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes. You can modify it to make it sweeter or more savory, stick with pancakes or expand into flatbread, cornbread, or tortillas. Why not give this dairy free buckwheat pancake recipe a try?

Vegan Buckwheat Pancake Recipe:

Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes Ingredients
2 cups buckwheat
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 tsp baking powder (or ½ tsp baking soda)
¼ tsp salt (or to taste)

Step 1. Soak Buckwheat.

Pour dry buckwheat into a quart size mason jar. Fill with water to ½ inch below the top of the jar. Soak the buckwheat for 20 minutes to 3 days.

The duration of soaking varies and can be as little as 20 minutes to as much as a few days. When soaking for more than 24 hours, rinse the buckwheat daily. My favorite amount of soaking is one to two days. While forethought is required, this recipe is flexible enough to be easy on the busy parent. Soaking softens the groats and makes them easier to blend into a smooth batter.

Step 2. Rinse Buckwheat.

Rinse the buckwheat by pouring it into a mesh strainer or colander. You want a mesh that is small enough to keep the buckwheat in but large enough not to get clogged by the viscous soaking water. If the strainer is not big enough to rinse all the buckwheat at once, you can rinse in batches. Rinse thoroughly with running water.  A good guideline is to rinse until the rinse water feels only slightly slippery.

Step 3. Blend Buckwheat With Other Ingredients.

Add buckwheat to the blender with sunflower seeds, baking powder* or baking soda and salt with enough water to just cover the buckwheat in the blender. *Note: baking powder contains corn.

For sweet pancakes – add a handful of raisins and 1 tsp cinnamon

For savory pancakes, tortillas, or flatbread – add savory spices like ¼ tsp each garlic, onion flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, and sage. Increase or decrease amounts to taste.

Blend until the batter is smooth. In my Vitamix Barboss this takes about 30 seconds. Results in your blender may vary and may need more water. If necessary, add more water slowly. This will result in a thinner batter and flatter pancakes.

Step 4. Cook  Gluten-Free Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes.

For pancakes, pour batter onto hot greased griddle. Butter on cast iron works great and tastes delicious. Try more stable fats like bacon grease, lard, or butter. Less stable vegetable fats like canola or sunflower oil can become less healthy when heated.

For cornbread, mix 2 cups cornmeal with blended basic or savory buckwheat batter. Add 1 more tsp baking powder. For lighter texture and creamier crumb, add an egg and ¼ cup melted butter or other fat. Chopped hot peppers add another nice optional touch.

For flatbread, pour savory buckwheat batter onto baking sheets, about ¼ inch thick. Bake in 350‌ºF (177ºC) oven for 15-20 minutes or until the bottom is slightly golden and easily lifts off the pan with a spatula.

Step 5. Eat Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes.

Eat and Enjoy!

These Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes are delicious plain or with toppings. Here are a few of our favorite pancake toppings:

• Butter.
• Raisins – add while cooking for an extra treat.
• Honey.
• Maple syrup.
• Molasses
• Peanut butter.
• Sliced fruit or fresh berries.
• Fruit jams and preserves.

Printable Recipe Card

Conclusion

Using buckwheat groats to make pancakes offers several benefits:

• Nutritional Value: Buckwheat is rich in essential nutrients, including fiber, protein, and minerals like magnesium, copper, and manganese. It’s also a good source of antioxidants.
• Gluten-Free: Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free, making it a suitable option for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
• Flavor: Buckwheat has a distinctive, earthy flavor that adds a unique taste to pancakes, making them more interesting and flavorful compared to regular wheat pancakes.
• Texture: Using buckwheat groats and blending them into flour results in a hearty, slightly dense texture that is different from the typical fluffy pancake, providing variety in your diet.
• Digestibility: Soaking the groats before blending not only makes them easier to blend but also improves their digestibility and nutrient absorption.

Buckwheat pancakes can be enjoyed in many ways, whether you prefer them sweet with fruits and syrup or savory with vegetables and herbs. By incorporating buckwheat into your pancakes, you can enjoy a delicious, nutritious, and versatile meal that supports a balanced diet. Will you give this buckwheat groats recipe a try?

Guest post by Kassandra Brown of parentcoaching.org who finds that a solid nutritional foundation makes her work as a parent coach, yoga teacher, and mom far more fun and effective. She lives and works with her family at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Missouri.

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