This Sourdough Skillet Pancake with fresh pears gets your day off to a perfect start. You can use the discard portion of the sourdough to make this recipe. And it's vegan, soy-free and nut-free.
If making a pot of bubbly sourdough starter isn't on your New Year's resolutions, it should be. And here's why, starting with today's recipe for a Sourdough Skillet Pancake that's out of this world.
Sourdough is easily made -- all you need to do is whisk together some flour and water -- and its benefits are many. Not only does it give baked goods, from breads to pancakes to waffles to muffins and everything in between, great flavor and texture, it is also really great for you because it has amazing probiotic benefits. Sourdough also has great sugar-reducing properties, making it a good food for those who are watching their sugar intake or just those watching their weight.
I love sourdough so much, I rarely bake without it now. And especially when it comes to pancakes and waffles, it is de rigueur in our home.
So if you don't have a sourdough starter yet, grab a bowl and your canister of flour. There's no reason why you shouldn't get started today. Here's my step-by-step and day-by-day tutorial on how to make a sourdough starter.
And now for that Sourdough Skillet Pancake.
Some of you have asked for more ideas for using discard sourdough -- the sourdough you throw away when you feed it each week -- and this pancake is perfect with the discard. In fact it is so tender, so fluffy, so melt-in-the-mouth, so awesome, that you'll be an instant convert. I've always found vegan waffles and pancakes are better than versions with eggs in it, and with sourdough -- even if you aren't vegan -- you'll be asking, who needs eggs?
This recipe is perfect for a big crowd -- you can just bung the large pancake into the oven and then feed everyone all together, instead of slaving over the hot stove making the pancakes one by one.
How do you make a sourdough skillet pancake?
- You need sourdough. A cup of it. My recipe uses my sourdough starter in the proportions I make it (1 part flour, ¾ths part water), so if you use a different starter, be sure to adjust the liquid in your recipe accordingly.
- You need a skillet, of course, preferably a cast-iron one or one that transfers from stove to oven.
- You also need some fruit, to layer at the bottom of the skillet, so your pancake has even more flavor and texture and nutrition when you eat it. I used pears, because they turn absolutely gorgeous and creamy when cooked, but you can use berries, peaches, even apples.
- This recipe makes enough for two 10-inch pancakes. So either use two skillets or bake the pancakes one after the other. Or, use half to make a skillet pancake and the other half to make little pancakes.
Here is the list of ingredients you will need:
- Sourdough starter
- Whole wheat pastry flour (can use unbleached all purpose flour)
- Sugar
- Distilled or filtered water
- Nondairy milk (I use almond but go with whatever you prefer)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Baking soda
- Applesauce
- Pears (or another fruit)
- Flaxmeal
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Looking for more vegan breakfast recipes?
Best Vegan Pancakes
Vegan Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes
Vegan Sourdough Waffles
No Knead Sourdough Bread
Vegan Sticky Sourdough Buns
Savory Leek Sourdough Pudding: Breakfast for Dinner
All Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Herby, Garlicky Sourdough Focaccia
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Vegan Sourdough Skillet Pancake
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter (unfed. See recipe link in notes on how to make a starter)
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (can use unbleached all purpose flour or half and half of whole wheat and all purpose)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups nondairy milk
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup applesauce
- 3 flax eggs (3 tablespoon flaxmeal whisked with 9 tablespoon water)
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter (or oil)
- 6 ripe pears (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- Make the sourdough sponge the previous night by mixing in a large bowl the sourdough starter with the flour, sugar, nondairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the batter to stand overnight. In the morning, it will be puffy and will have visible bubbles in it.
- Before making the pancake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Add the baking soda, applesauce and flax eggs to the sourdough sponge and mix.
- Heat a 10-inch cast iron pan on the stovetop. Add 1 tablespoon vegan butter or oil. Swirl it around to spread.
- Arrange half the pear slices on the skillet. You can either do a decorative pattern or just lay them in. They shouldn't overlap. Let the pears cook for a couple of minutes, without disturbing them.
- Turn off the heat and pour half the pancake batter over the pears. Immediately place the pan in the oven and bake 15 minutes or until the pancake appears golden-brown and the sides are pulling away from the pan.
- Being very careful while handling the hot skillet, flip the pancake upside down on a plate. Repeat one more time to make the second pancake.
- Serve the pancake hot with a pat of vegan butter and maple syrup.
Nutrition
Beth
Looks so good! I don’t have applesauce on hand. Should I make another flax egg?
Vaishali
You could use banana!
Bethany
Perfect! Thanks
Marie
Substitute for applesauce and can we add real eggs? Is the ratio the same? Thank you, this looks delicious!!!
Vaishali
Yes, same ratio!
Deborah
Thank you for motivating me to do a sourdough starter and for your detailed instructions! I am on day 4 and so excited. Like a lot of your readers I too did not want to throw away the 'discard' so used the discard to make these sourdough skillet pancakes. I did not have pears so used apples instead and it was really good (my daughter had a huge piece with honey!)). For me the pancakes were a little thick (since I made only two 10 inch pancakes per the recipe). I think it would be good to try to make a third pancake (yes thinner pancakes and see what happens). Thank you thank you!
Vaishali
Hi Deborah, you can certainly make more pancakes for a thinner consistency. Adjust bake time accordingly! Happy you enjoyed these.