Zucchini Pancakes
If you need a way to get through a lot of zucchini, turn them into zucchini pancakes! A savory treat with crispy edges and a bouncy center. Prep ahead and freeze for later!
As far as I know with the current housing market, I will likely forever live in an apartment. Which means I won’t be getting that dream garden of mine anytime soon. And even then, it seems like I still manage to accumulate too many zucchini this time of year. So, before they go bad, I like to turn them into a pancakes, which I can then freeze and enjoy whenever I want.
Why You’ll Love These Zucchini Pancakes
- A good way to use up your zucchini. This time of year everyone always ends up with way too much zucchini. You can now put that zucchini to good use by stuffing them into these savory pancakes.
- Prep and freeze. Make a big batch of these pancakes then freeze them. You can then reheat and enjoy these pancakes whenever you want.
- Egg-less batter. Instead of eggs we’re using silken tofu and starch to bind our pancakes together. This is a nice alternative if you have an egg allergy or just want to bump up the nutrition.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Silken Tofu: Provides structure to our pancakes, which makes them thick and bouncy in texture. To fit the exact measurement for the recipe without any leftovers, use a package of Nasoya’s silken tofu. If you prefer to skip the tofu all together, you can always make the batter with water or your favorite plant-based milk instead.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is best for this recipe, but you can make a gluten-free version by swapping for 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour instead.
- Potato Starch: Can be replaced with 6 tbsp of cornstarch.
- Zucchini: This is meant to help you get through an excess of zucchini, but you can make this recipe using carrots as well.
- Red Onion: White onion or shallots are a great alternative.
- Scallions: You can use more onion in place of the scallions.
- Sesame Seeds: Completely optional.
- Ginger: I prefer fresh ginger, but if needed use 1 tsp ground ginger. To make grating this easier, I like to freeze my ginger.
How to Make Zucchini Pancakes
Prep the zucchini: Thinly slice or julienne your zucchini. Transfer to a bowl with a generous pinch of salt and set aside for 5 minutes while you prep any other ingredients for the recipe. You will notice the zucchini has released some of it’s water. Place a paper towel on your cutting board, then gather the zucchini in your hands above your bowl and squeeze out as much water from the zucchini as possible. Place the bowl of shredded zucchini onto the paper towel and pat dry.
Blend your “egg”: Blend the silken tofu with salt and blend until completely smooth.
Mix up the batter: Combine flour, potato starch, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Pour in the tofu mixture and whisk to form a very thick batter. If the batter is too dry, whisk in 1-2 tbsp of water at a time until all the flour is incorporated.
Fold the veggies in: Add the zucchini, onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds, then use a spatula to fully mix and coat the veggies in the batter.
Cook the pancakes: Add 1 tbsp of oil to a small 8-inch pan over medium-low heat. Add enough batter to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Cook undisturbed for 7 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown in color. Sprinkle the top of the pancake with extra sesame seeds then drizzle with a little more oil. Flip and cook for another 6-7 minutes, again waiting for the bottom to become equally golden in color. Transfer to a wire rack, clear out the pan and repeat with the remaining batter. You should end up with 3 equal sized pancakes.
To serve: Cut the pancakes into smaller pieces (squares or triangles work). Serve those pieces alongside your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Remove as much excess water as possible from the zucchini. Draw out excess water with some salt then squeeze as much water out of your zucchini. This will give you a more crisp and bouncy texture to your pancake.
- Swapping the tofu. If you are allergic to tofu, try this instead with some cashew cream, milk, or just plain water. Use about 1 1/4 cups liquid to the flour in this recipe. Reserve extra liquid to help adjust the consistency of the pancake to your liking.
- Properly measure your flours. You can do this by either using a scale to measure it in grams or spoon and level your flour, so you don’t end up adding too much to the batter.
- Freeze your ginger. I like to peel a large piece of ginger and just keep it in the freezer. Freezing it makes the ginger much easier to grate the fibers of the ginger with a microplane.
- Texture expectations. This pancake will have crispy edges and a tender bouncy center. It will not be super crispy all around like a fried pancake as we are just using a little oil to help brown the outsides of the pancake. For a crispier texture, just use more oil and make sure the oil is hot before cooking the batter.
- Use a smaller pan to cook the pancakes. I recommend using an 8-inch pan to cook your pancakes. When filled with the batter, you end up with more crisp even edges.
How to Store Zucchini Pancakes
Allow the pancakes to fully cool on a wire rack. Place in an airtight storage container or a freezer safe back and stack the pancakes together with parchment paper layered between them. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Heat up from the fridge: Heat both sides on the stove top for 3-4 minutes on both sides, or until crisp around the edges.
- Heat up from frozen: Place the pancake preferably in an air fryer preheated to 375F. Heat for 10-12 minutes, flipping the pancake halfway. Do note, air fryers can vary in heat distribution, so depending on how thick your pancake is, you may need more time for it to heat all the way through and crisp back up.
What to Pair Your Pancakes With
I could snack on these as is, but they are even better with different condiments. Here are some of my favorites.
- Hoisin Dip: Whisk 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp agave, 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- Basil Mayo Dip: Blend 3 tbsp vegan mayo, 1 tsp mustard, 1/4 cup fresh basil, salt to taste
- Sriracha Mayo Dip: Whisk 3 tbsp vegan mayo, 1-2 tbsp sriracha, 1 tsp agave, salt to taste
Watch Me Make This Recipe
Recipe videos provide a general idea for recipe preparation. Please read the full recipe instructions and notes for the most accurate recipe results.
More Tasty Ways to Get Your Veggies In
- Grilled Corn and Smashed Cucumber Salad
- Marinated Red Cabbage Slaw
- Marinated Lemon Dill Carrot Salad
- Dan Dan Charred Cabbage
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Scallion Date Dressing
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
Print
Zucchini Pancakes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 3 large pancakes 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you need a way to get through a lot of zucchini, turn them into zucchini pancakes! A savory treat with crispy edges and a bouncy center. Prep ahead and freeze for later!
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, ~450g
- 1, 16 oz container silken tofu, 454g
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more as needed)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spoon and leveled, 188g
- 1/2 cup potato starch (or 6 tbsp cornstarch), spoon and leveled, 85g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- Avocado oil for cooking
Instructions
- If using zucchini, thinly slice or shred it using a box grater or shredding tool. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, then toss to coat. Allow the zucchini to sit for 5 minutes to help draw out some moisture. Place a paper towel beside you, then gather the zucchini in your hands above the bowl (or sink) and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place the ball of shreds onto the paper towel to pat dry, then clear out your mixing bowl.
- To a blender cup add the silken tofu and salt. Blend until completely smooth.
- To the same large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, and baking powder. Pour in the tofu mixture and whisk until you form a very thick batter. If the batter is too dry, whisk in 1-2 tbsp of water at a time until all the flour is mixed in.
- Break apart the shredded zucchini into the batter along with the onions, scallions, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds. Use a spatula to fold the vegetables into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Place a small 8-inch pan over medium-low heat, then add about 1 tbsp of oil to coat the bottom (alternatively, use a large griddle to cook all the pancakes at once). Dollop a third of the batter into the pan, then use a spatula to spread the mixture out evenly. Allow to cook undisturbed for 7 minutes, or until the bottom is golden. Sprinkle the uncooked side of the pancake with some sesame seeds and a drizzle of oil. Flip and cook for about 6-7 minutes, or until equally golden in color. Transfer the pancake to a wire rack, clear out the pan, add additional oil and cook the remaining batter. You should end up with about 3 large pancakes.
- To serve, cut up your pancake as desired. I like cutting into bite-sized squares, but you can also cut it into triangles like a pizza. Serve with your favorite dip and enjoy immediately!
Notes
Remove as much excess water as possible from the zucchini. Draw out excess water with some salt then squeeze as much water out of your zucchini. This will give you a more crisp and bouncy texture to your pancake.
Swapping the tofu. If you are allergic to tofu, try this instead with some cashew cream, milk, or just plain water. Use about 1 1/4 cups liquid to the flour in this recipe. Reserve extra liquid to help adjust the consistency of the pancake to your liking.
Properly measure your flours. You can do this by either using a scale to measure it in grams or spoon and level your flour, so you don’t end up adding too much to the batter.
Freeze your ginger. I like to peel a large piece of ginger and just keep it in the freezer. Freezing it makes the ginger much easier to grate the fibers of the ginger with a microplane.
Texture expectations. This pancake will have crispy edges and a tender bouncy center. It will not be super crispy all around like a fried pancake as we are just using a little oil to help brown the outsides of the pancake. For a crispier texture, just use more oil and make sure the oil is hot before cooking the batter.
Use a smaller pan to cook the pancakes. I recommend using an 8-inch pan to cook your pancakes. When filled with the batter, you end up with more crisp even edges.
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