Breakfast/ Recipes/ Seasonal Ingredients/ Seasonal Recipes/ Vegetarian

Swiss Chard Pancakes with Cilantro Butter

Happy Tuesday, friends!

It’s my birthday week! I’m turning the big 3-2 on Sunday and I can’t believe I have writing this blog since I was just 22 years old. Almost ten years of blogging. That’s nuts. I’m going to have to look up the exact date of the blog’s ten year anniversary and we will have a huge giveaway and a little cyber celebration. I honestly feel like I have grown up in this space. I basically lived all of my twenties with you guys. Thanks for seeing me through. 😉 

I made a version of these yummy savory pancakes for a friend’s baby shower a few years back and everyone RAVED about them. I got so many emails asking for the recipe that I knew it was a winner.

Since then, I have changed up a few things and think this version is the best yet. These pancakes use an entire bunch of fresh swiss chard! I think I told you all that we signed up for a local CSA here and our boxes started coming in a few weeks ago. Expect a lot more veggie recipes in the next few months as I think up creative ways to use up the bounty so nothing goes to waste. The beautiful swiss chard I used for these pancakes comes from Happy Acre Farm. I love those folks. Anyway, these are savory and not really meant to be served under a puddle of sticky sweet syrup. Instead, I like to serve them with this fresh cilantro butter and maybe a slice or two of cheese – cottage cheese would also be great! 

The pancakes don’t taste as green as they look, either. In case you’re wondering about your kids. 😉 My boys love these and since they freeze so well, they are the perfect breakfast to make in advance and just bring one out during the morning rush. They are healthy, tasty and filling with just a little spice from the cumin.

I also made use of the beautiful green garlic in this week’s CSA. It was my first time cooking with green garlic and wow…it smelled so good. If you can’t find green garlic at your market, regular garlic is fine. 

When I hosted the baby shower, I made mini green pancakes and served with this a crab frittata and a big side salad. I love that you can just throw all the ingredients in your blender to make these. They are such a pretty and unusual brunch item, and so perfect for spring and summer!

 

Swiss Chard Pancakes with Cilantro Butter
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Course: Breakfast
Servings: 8 pancakes
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard washed and leaves chopped. Stems reserved for another use.
  • 3 cloves green garlic, minced or 1 clove regular garlic
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 whole egg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
for cilantro butter
  • 4 tbsp butter room temperature
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Wilt the chard with the garlic in 2 tbsp water over medium heat. Continue cooking until all water has evaporated and chard/garlic are looking dry. Set aside.

  2. In a blender, combine the flour, milk, melted butter, egg, lemon juice, salt, cumin, salt and baking powder. Process briefly then add the chard and garlic. Process until all combined. 

  3. Cook pancakes in additional melted butter for about 30 seconds per side, or until golden. 

  4. To make the compound butter, place softened butter, cilantro and lemon juice in a bowl and mash together with a spoon until all combined. Use immediately on pancakes or wrap up in plastic wrap and chill.

Recipe Notes

These pancakes are great to make ahead and freeze! Just warm up in a toaster oven or regular toaster and top with cilantro butter. You could also top these with thinly sliced cheese, regular butter, smoked salmon or nothing --- they are even great plain!

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  • Christina @ Montessoriishmom.com
    June 6, 2017 at 9:19 am

    Yum! I make the baby friendly pancake recipe you posted a few weeks ago all the time for my little guy and can’t wait to try these as well!

  • Shannon
    June 7, 2017 at 7:24 am

    These look super interesting! I’ll have to give them a try. And more importantly, try them with my baby girl. She loves anything with “geese” i.e. cheese, so I bet she’d eat these up if topped with a slice. Happy almost birthday! And happy blogging anniversary! I’ve been reading since 2009. 🙂

  • Vivian
    June 7, 2017 at 9:57 am

    These look fantastic, what a wonderful idea! Do you think this batter would work in a waffle iron? Thank you!

  • Ashley
    June 7, 2017 at 2:23 pm

    Just got a big bundle of rainbow chard in my CSA today, so I was happy to see this recipe. Will definitely be trying this, thanks!

  • Indian snacks
    February 7, 2021 at 11:33 pm

    This recipe looks scrumptious and I am surely gonna try this pancakes. This also looks quiet healthy and it can go with any kind of dips.