Beet pancakes are bright, fun, absolutely gorgeous, and wholesome. But, these pink pancakes are not only visually appealing, but roasted beets make them naturally sweet and incredibly delicious!
This recipe was originally published in February 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.
These beet pancakes feature a vibrant pink colour and fantastic taste. Plus, they’re visually appealing to kids and make the perfect breakfast for Valentine’s Day.
I love how beets colour a dish without any artificial food dye.
Just like my other beet recipes: beet hummus, red velvet cupcakes, and beet soup, these beautiful pink pancakes are naturally vibrant!
Jump to:
Why you’ll love these!
- They’re PINK! These pink pancakes are so visually appealing, and we eat with our eyes first, right? My little guys can not get enough of them! Plus NO FOOD DYE! 😃
- Wholesome. Made using just 7 nutritious ingredients, so you can feel great about serving these beet pancakes to your family. Beets add vitamins and minerals to your favourite breakfast food.
- No added sugar: Beets add natural sweetness but if you have a sweet tooth, top with fresh berries, chia jam, and/or maple syrup.
- These beet pancakes are oil-free, making them very low in fat.
- Allergen-friendly: These wholesome pink pancakes are naturally vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, flour-free, gluten-free, and nut-free. Suitable for all kinds of eaters, with the bonus of being school-safe.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this delicious vegan beet pancake recipe.
- Beet: Choose beets that are firm, smooth, and feel heavy for their size. Small or medium beets are more tender than large ones.
- Oats: Choose certified gluten-free oats, if needed. Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats. Oats have been said to aid in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels, making them a healthier ingredient when compared to wheat flour.
- Milk: I’m using soy milk to keep the pancakes nut-free and school-safe for the kids, but you may use another non-dairy milk like almond milk, if preferred.
- Vanilla: Use PURE vanilla extract, not the artificially flavoured type.
- Baking powder: Make sure your baking powder is active for maximum lift. Jars of baking powder that have been open in the pantry for 6+ months start to lose their effectiveness.
Instructions
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
To roast your beets, make a foil pocket to sit them in. This will prevent the natural red dye from spilling out onto your tray. Then roast until fork tender.
Let the beet cool for a few minutes so you can handle with your hands. Then peel the skin, which will remove easily once roasted.
Add the roasted beets and all other ingredients to your blender. (photo 1)
Process until completely smooth. (photo 2)
Pour the pancake batter onto your preheated griddle to make pancakes approx. 4 inches wide. (photo 3)
Cook for 3-4 minutes, flip them, and cook another few minutes until cooked through. (photo 4)
NOTE: If you’re cooking your beet pancakes in batches, the batter will thicken as it sits. If needed, add another 1-2 tablespoons of milk to the blender and give it a quick re-blend to make the second batch.
Then serve with your favourite toppings and enjoy!
How to top them
Some great topping options for your beet pancakes include:
- Fresh fruit like raspberries, blackberries, sliced bananas, or blueberries.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Shredded unsweetened coconut or a sprinkle of coconut sugar.
- Dark chocolate chips or homemade nutella.
- Maple syrup or date syrup.
- Strawberry or blueberry jam.
- A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices you enjoy.
Storage
Let leftovers cool to room temperature before storing.
Then store in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 3 days and reheat them in the toaster, oven, or on your griddle.
To freeze, use a freezer-safe, airtight container and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Or use zip-top bags. You may pop these in the toaster from frozen to reheat.
Do I need to roast the beets?
I’ve made these pink pancakes using roasted beets and boiled beets.
While boiling the beets is quicker, especially if you peel and cut into wedges beforehand, roasting the beets makes the pancakes sweeter and brighter.
You’ll need less sweetener this way, and keep your beet pancakes even healthier!
Expert Tips
- Leave the peel on to roast your beets. Removing the peel is tedious and messy when beets are raw and they peel very easily once roasted.
- Roast, rather than boil, if time permits. The result is naturally sweeter beet pancakes. (That means less or no syrup needed!)
- Make sure to use ACTIVE baking powder. Once your baking powder is open and sitting in the pantry for 6+ months, it may start to lose its rising power.
- Make sure your griddle is hot before cooking your pancakes to prevent sticking and to avoid greasing your pan. You can test this by splashing the griddle with a sprinkle of water to see if it sizzles.
- If you’re cooking your pink pancakes in batches, the batter will thicken as it sits in the blender. If needed, add another 1-2 tablespoons of milk and re-blend for a few seconds before cooking the next batch.
More delicious pancake recipes
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Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium beet roasted
- 1.25 cups rolled oats gluten-free, if preferred
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups unsweetened soy milk or non-dairy milk of choice
Optional Toppings
- fresh fruit, maple syrup, coconut shreds, chocolate chips, nuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425℉/218℃ convection bake. Slice the top and bottom stems off your beet and then cut it in half. Place it cut-side down in a foil pocket on a baking tray. Fold the sides of your foil up to keep the juices in the pocket and avoid a mess. Then bake the beet until fork tender, approx. 30-45 minutes. (Bake time will vary according to the size of your beet, and how fresh it is.)
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Then preheat your griddle to medium heat and peel the beet halves. The skin will peel easily after being roasted.
- Add the beet with all remaining ingredients to your blender and process until smooth. Then pour the batter from your blender onto your hot griddle, making pancakes that are about 4 inches in diameter. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until bubbly on top and the edges appear set. Then flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Enjoy!
Notes
- Leave the peel on to roast your beets. Removing the peel is tedious and messy when beets are raw and they peel very easily once roasted.
- Roast, rather than boil, if time permits. The result is naturally sweeter beet pancakes. (That means less or no syrup needed!)
- If you’re cooking your pink pancakes in batches, the batter will thicken as it sits in the blender. If needed, add another 1-2 tablespoons of milk and re-blend for a few seconds before cooking the next batch.
Madeleine says
Can I prep the batter the night before?
Rosa says
You can, but the batter will thicken a little in the fridge, so you may need to add a touch more liquid before pouring it.
SD says
What would be the measurement for using beet powder?
Rosa says
I haven’t tried making these with beet powder, so I can’t say for certain.
Brooke Ashley says
Yummy! Used a half a beet and that was sufficient for sweetness. Any more beet than that and the beet flavour would have overpowered. As it was the beet flavour came through a tad much when eating plain, but when served with a fork full of pan fried banana, chocolate sauce, Whipped cream and toasted shivered almonds the beet flavour did not come through at all and were perfect.
Rosa says
So glad you enjoyed the pancakes Brooke! 🙂
Mary N says
I love these! Great recipe. I used coconut unsweetened vanilla milk and they were fine.
Rosa says
Thrilled you enjoyed them Mary. 🙂
Jennifer says
Can you use something other than oats?
Rosa says
I haven’t tried these without the oats, so I’m not sure.
Chrissie says
I tried it! It came out GREAT! 🖤🤟🍽️ THANK YOU.
Rosa says
Thrilled you enjoyed Chrissie!
Jewel says
I was so disappointed. These seem like they have a good taste, but were not pink and never cooked all the way through. Such a sad fail on valentines day morning.
Rosa says
Sorry these didn’t work out for you Jewel. I’m not sure how it’s possible they didn’t turn pink. Did you change anything at all?
Mackenzie Kerwin says
Will steel cut oats work?
Rosa says
Hi Mackenzie, I haven’t specifically tried, but that should work. Please report back if you give them a try. 🙂
Pam says
I enjoyed these with some toasted walnuts and maple syrup. It would be helpful to add a weight for the beets since there are so many different sizes. I used a candy cane and red beets from my garden. Mine were very beety, which was fine for me.
Ange says
I made this today and my ultra fussy 2yo loved it! So did my 1yo. I was wondering if you have tried cooking these in the oven? How would you go about cooking it using the oven? Thank you.
Rosa says
Glad to hear Ange, thanks for sharing. 🙂
I haven’t tried these in the oven so I can’t say for sure.