These soft and delicious pancakes with Swiss chard are extremely easy to make in the blender or processor! They can be ready to eat in 15 minutes. The recipe also works with spinach.
Quick and easy!
These gorgeous little savory pancakes are made with Swiss chard, but they work just as well with spinach.
They double as a side dish or a light meal (just like risotto cakes or zucchini and corn fritters) and are a great way to eat your greens.
The poor vegetable has a very bad rep in this country, mainly because, for a long time, restaurants and shops used to sell it as spinach. Ravioli and cannelloni fillings had cheap Swiss chard instead of pricey spinach. Pig in a poke.
The best part of this recipe? The batter is made in a food processor or blender. Quick and easy, just in time for weekend brunch.
What is Swiss chard?
It is a green, leafy vegetable that can be grown most of the year but usually peaks during the summer months. It's also known as silver beets.
It can be used in soups, smoothies, tarts, pancakes, and many other recipes.
How to make chard pancakes
Prepare the chard leaves: wash them well under cold water to remove any dirt or grit. that may be trapped in the leaves. Dry on paper or kitchen towels or use a salad spinner. Remove the center rib or stems. Sometimes small Swiss chard leaves have tender ribs you might want to use; make sure you finely chop them.
Process
Put the ingredients and part of the chard in a blender jar or food processor bowl. Process until smooth and creamy.
Shallots and green onions are essential for the overall flavor, so don't omit them.
Add the chard
Add the rest of the chard and mix a bit. I like the chard to have some texture in the pancakes, so my batter is not completely smooth. Whatever you like works.
Cook
Preheat the skillet and do a test run with a little batter. Use medium to low heat so they don't burn or dry out.
Thin pancakes
These are not too thick, so they cook pretty quickly. You want a light golden brown.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
For a more wholesome pancake, use finely milled whole wheat flour, or other alternative flours such as buckwheat. Substitute all or part of the all-purpose flour.
Serving
- Seasoned sour cream: it's a favorite here for these pancakes.
- Whipped ricotta or feta cheese.
- Aioli: this is fantastic condiment for savory pancakes. I can offer you roasted garlic aioli and spicy aioli with Sriracha.
- Mayonnaise.
- Traditional hummus.
- Yogurt sauce: with lemon and fresh herbs. It's like Greek tzatziki without the cucumbers.
Related recipes you might like:
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Swiss Chard Pancakes (blender recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, you can use part finely-milled whole wheat flour, up to 1 cup
- 3 eggs, large, at room temperature
- ½ cup chopped onion, loosely packed
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
- 1 garlic clove, split, germ removed
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, fresh
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives, fresh
- ½ teaspoon salt, I like kosher
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste, freshly ground
- 2 ½ cups chopped Swiss chard leaves, about 1 bunch, washed, dried and center ribs removed (spinach also works)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter , to cook the pancakes
To serve:
- 1 cup sour cream
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- pinch smoked paprika, or tabasco if you want it spicy, optional
Instructions
Seasoned sour cream:
- Mix 1 cup sour cream mixed with pinch salt, pinch black pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives and pinch smoked paprika if you want a spicier flavor.
- Taste and adjust to your palate before serving. Reserve while making the pancakes.
Chard pancakes:
- Have ready a large skillet.
- In the jar of a blender, put 2 cups whole milk, 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 3 eggs, ½ cup chopped onion, 2 tablespoons chopped shallot, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, ½ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- With the machine running, add 2 ½ cups chopped Swiss chard leaves gradually. Blend until mixed. I like to have some small pieces for texture, but you can process it until completely smooth. It's up to you.
- Let stand while you preheat the skillet over medium heat.
- Drizzle a small amount of the 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter l on the hot skillet and test it. A drop of batter should sizzle immediately.
- Pour between ⅛ and ¼ cup of batter onto the skillet for each pancake, depending on the size you want to make them. Mine are small. And, depending on the size of your skillet, you will be able to make 3-4 at a time. Don't overcrowd, leave room to flip them.
- Cook until beginning to bubble and dry and curl at the edges, and flip over. Stack them until you finish with all the batter.
- Eat them immediately topped with the seasoned sour cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table
ahu says
I hope life continues it's path to normalcy for you and those around you! I love dishes like this where at first glance they look sweet but actually turn out savory. appeals to my inner salty tooth 🙂 sending you the best from nyc.
lynnlly.com says
Yours turn out so well...each with an amount of volume and height. I love the stack. You make them look so lovely. Great job!
Cakelaw says
Your pancake stack looks quite delicious with its dollop of creme fraiche.
Diane Balch says
A life... a roller coaster... I think whole wheat would be tasty and go with the rusticness of these pancakes great idea and healthier too.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
I'm glad to hear things are calming down on your end, Paula. And you're such a sweetheart that I'm not surprised at all so many bloggers came to your aid with guest posts when you sent out the SOS. These pancakes look incredible! I'm going to echo all the other comments here by saying that I adore savoury pancakes too. In fact, when I make pancakes that are traditionally eaten sweet, I don't add any syrup so that I can eat them plain because that's how I prefer them. I definitely want to try this recipe.
Kathy says
Hoping all the flood clean-up is pretty much over for you, Paula! Your photos are just gorgeous, and your pancakes look delectable! I just loved these little pancakes…will be making another batch tomorrow. Have a great weekend!
Guru Uru says
These savoury pancakes look delish my friend, healthy and wholesome 😀
Cheers
CCU
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
I love savory pancakes and this looks delicious and healthy! Lovely post...
Teresa says
Those are gorgeous - whole wheat was a smart substitution, too.
yummychunklet says
Lovely looking stack! Yours stayed a nice pancake-y color!
Liz Berg says
So pretty, Paula!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
These are beautiful! I've recently been wanting to make some savory waffles, and these are the perfect inspiration.
Nicole @ Daily Dish Recipes says
I am so glad things are getting better my sweet friend. You've certainly had a time of it, of late. Thinking about you a lot. In the meantime... my goodness these look fabulous. These would make the world seem better, no matter what! Beautiful photos, as usual Paula. Sending you good thoughts and positive energy (and prayers, because that's what I do) xoxox
Rosemary & Garlic says
Beautiful photos, I love swiss chard.
Renee says
Mmmm... savory pancakes and what a great use of swiss chard. I'm glad to see things are getting back to normal for you and your city after the flood.
Mary Hirsch says
Yeah, this has been a month-of-hell for you in that destructive sort-of-way. So much for the March coming in like a Lion and going out like a lamb. March never left Buenos Aires........bah, bah, bahhhhh. Upheaval is so, well, unsettling, and I suspect you are all about organization and structure and order. (My clue was your being a month ahead on food products to blog about). Your swiss chard pancakes look delicious, Paula. A little bigger (I like your size) and less-green than mine (I doubled down on the organic swiss chard because I could not bare to throw the last two stalks away) - love your "stack"
Carol | a cup of mascarpone says
So happy things are improving for you, Paula! The pancakes look fantastic! I think about whether I would like swiss chard in my pancakes...then I think how I love zucchini in baked goods, so I bet they're delicious! Have a beautiful weekend, Paula!
Cher Rockwell says
I hope that your post flood clean up is still going well. I am sure it has been very exhausting.
Your "healthified" pancakes are lovely 🙂
Mardi Michels says
So glad your life is getting back a little of its normalcy, Paula! Your pancakes look lovely and I enjoyed these too!
Rhu Sam says
I've always found swiss chard kind of boring and then bam! you come up with a brilliant pancake recipe 😉