Start your morning with these protein-packed, healthy oatmeal tofu pancakes. Gluten-free and flourless, these pancakes are made with tofu as the main ingredient which is the secret to making them fluffy and tender. The best part? It can also be made in under 5 minutes in the blender!
I feel obligated to use tofu in my baking—must be bc it’s such a staple in my Korean household. Out of flour and milk? No problem! Out of tofu? OMG this quarantine is going to kill us all~~🤣
Therefore I HAD to try incorporating some tofu into my usual pancake batters recipe. And it’s been lifechanging.
First, the texture of these pancakes is unbelievably fluffy! It’s ridiculous considering that these are made without flour. Here are the ingredients used to make these blender tofu pancakes!
Ingredients for Flourless Blender Tofu Pancakes (and how healthy they are)
- Tofu – high in protein and nutrient-dense, tofu contains minerals such as calcium, manganese, selenium, zinc, as well as B vitamins. It’s also a “complete protein” because it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids your body needs. A ½ cup serving of firm tofu provides around 8 grams of protein. Definitely a keeper. NOTE: I’ve tried using firm tofu and extra firm tofu, and found that the extra-firm needed a little bit more water. Feel free to add more water if you find that your batter comes out too thick. Also, use Silken Firm Tofu for the best, fluffiest result. Silken Tofu- (firm) like this one
- Oats – I hated oats while growing up but it seems that was only because I never knew how to eat them properly! Associated with heart health, lowered cholesterol, blood sugar, obesity and digestive health, oats can be cooked like porridge, soaked in yogurt and nutmilk overnight, blended into oat-milk, added to cookies for a great chew, as well as made into pancakes.
- Greek Yogurt – Greek yogurt is an ingredient that I use to lighten up my cake, muffins and quick bread recipes. I often use it instead of sour cream when I bake because Greek yogurt is higher in protein and nutrients. I like using the Fage brand because of its thicker consistency, but I’ve found that other brand work just as well in my recipes. I’d recommend using full fat or 2% fat to make the cakes extra tender. NOTE: A plant-based or non-dairy yogurt (like coconut yogurt) could be used instead of Greek yogurt. The only problem with that would be that non-dairy yogurts tend to have more liquid. So if substituting, I’d suggest that you only add half of the dairy-free kind.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Bright, acidic and apple flavored, I use apple cider vinegar in baking activate baking soda, which is a leavening agent that relies on acidic conditions to produce the rising effect we want to see in our baked goods. If you didn’t have apple cider vinegar you could easily substitute it with a neutral flavored vinegar such as white or rice vinegar. You could also use lemon juice instead. Your pick!
More Tofu Recipes (HERE)
How to Make
Fluffy Tofu Pancakes
STEP 1
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, OR if you don’t want to use a food processor, you can also make this using fork-mashed tofu and oat FLOUR, which can be made by blending old fashioned or quick oats until they turn into powder. In the latter version, the texture isn’t as smooth (as in the photos) but still tastes great all the same.
STEP 2
For the best texture, let sit 5-10 minutes for the oat to soften and absorb all the excess moisture
STEP 3
Scoop batter onto a lightly oiled griddle/frying pan
STEP 4
Heat on both sides until lightly brown and hot. Use low-medium heat for the best results
Variations on the Recipe
- Add 1/4 cup of blueberries,
- or 2 Tbsp of chocolate chips,
- or maybe even 1 Tbsp of ground flaxseeds to make it even healthier!
More Pancake Recipes (HERE)
Final Tips
- Use batter right away after prep. They will deflate over time, so I’ve found that you don’t want the batter sitting out on the counter for too long.
- If you want to make these pancakes without using the blender, you can finely mash the tofu with your fork and use oat flour instead.
More Breakfast Recipes Like This
Flourless Blender Tofu Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats or 95 g oat flour *
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar of choice**
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp tightly packed mashed tofu (120g)***
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp light olive oil
- optional: 1-2 Tbsp water, if using extra firm tofu
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth, then let sit 5-10 minutes for the oat to soften and absorb all the excess moisture
- Scoop batter onto a lightly oiled griddle/frying pan, heat on both sides until lightly brown and hot.
- Lazy version: if you don’t want to use a food processor, you can also make this using oat flour and fork-mashed tofu. There will be a bit of tofu chunks visible, but tastes great all the same.
Notes
Nutrition
We loved it. I would double the recipe next time as the recipe yielded just enough for one person
Thanks Leiisha. You’re right! The recipe yields 5 smallish pancakes, so it may not be enough for two people.
Have you tried this with whole wheat flour? I don’t keep oats in the house but I do like the tofu pancake idea. Thanks
Hey Annamarie, I haven’t tried whole wheat, but used all-purpose flour in the past! You’ll have to watch out how much flour you use though since in the recipe I work with unground oats. Try about 4/5 cup of flour and omit the water if you like thicker pancakes. Hope this helps!
Mine did not rise