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Cheesy Savory Pancakes with Green Onions

These Cheesy Savory Pancakes are a must-try if you're stuck in a recipe rut and looking to try something new. Made with sauteed green onions and cheddar cheese in the pancake batter, these savory pancakes are amazing for breakfast, lunch, OR dinner! Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top... YUM!

They're super easy to make and I give you lots of other savory pancake filling ideas below.

stack of savory cheesy pancakes topped with sour cream
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Savory pancakes

I've mentioned several times on this blog that I am usually more into savory foods than sweet foods. So I often play around in the kitchen and rework a traditionally sweet recipe into something savory.

These cheesy savory pancakes are one of my FAVORITE things that I've reworked into savory foods. Think soft, fluffy pancakes, sauteed caramelized green onions, crispy melty cheddar cheese... all topped with an easy lime crema made with sour cream. Enjoy my original recipe!

Related recipe: Savory Chicken Crepes

spooning lime crema onto a stack of savoury pancakes

Related recipe: Savory Oatmeal

How to serve savory pancakes

You might be thinking... OK great, but how the heck do you serve savory pancakes? Well, here's how:

For breakfast on the side with bacon and and a fried egg... or as the main star of your breakfast! Savory breakfasts are the BEST!

For lunch, dipping into tomato sauce or with a salad.

For dinner, as a side for steak, or as the main course if you add some more protein (see below for savoury pancake filling ideas to make these more hearty!)

As a snack - these are great as an after-school snack or mid-day snack for hungry kids and the whole family. These savory pancakes are GREAT for toddlers, especially if you're trying to keep them from getting used to sugary foods at an early age.

These pancakes are AMAZING with some sour cream or lime crema on top, but they're also pretty good with maple syrup if you like that sweet and salty flavor combination!

stack of savory pancakes cut open

Related recipe: Savory French Toast

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

  • 1 cup diced green onions (scallions) - from 5-10 scallions, depending on their size. This might seem like a LOT, but they cook down a LOT once they are sauteed for a few minutes. If you skip the sautéing step, then reduce the scallions a bit because a whole cup of raw scallions is too much for one batch of pancakes.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, or use white whole wheat flour for more nutrition
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups milk (any kind - 1%, 2%, whole milk, soy milk will work, as long as it's not sweetened or flavored)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted (or use olive oil or vegetable oil)
  • cup grated cheddar cheese, or any melt-able cheese of your choice. I sometimes sub some out with Pepper Jack for a nice spicy kick. You can use more cheese if you want.
  • Cooking spray or cooking oil

For the lime crema:

  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice (about ¼ of a lime)
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

Instructions

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and add the diced scallions. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until they reduce in size and start to brown. 

sauteed green onions in a pan

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. 

Dry ingredients in a bowl

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and beaten egg, and stir until combined. 

Liquid ingredients in a bowl

Add the wet ingredients (milk mixture) to the dry ingredients (flour mixture) and stir until almost combined. Add the chopped onions and the shredded cheese to the pancake mix in the bowl and stir until just combined - do not over-mix.

Adding shredded cheese and sauteed scallions to pancake batter

Cook the pancakes like you would cook regular pancakes: Place about ¼ cup of batter on a preheated oiled pan, and cook over medium-low heat for 2-4 minutes on each side, until the top starts bubbling and the bottom is golden brown. Flip, and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked .

Cooking savory pancake in a pan

Make the lime crema: Combine the sour cream, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Serve over the pancakes, garnishing with chopped scallion and shredded cheese. 

Related recipe: Cabbage Fritters

Savory pancake filling ideas

I kept these savory pancakes vegetarian and kid-friendly without a lot of spice, but there are lots of fillings you can add to switch things up. Here are some of my favorite savoury pancake fillings. You can add anywhere from a few tablespoons to a cup of these fillings to the pancake batter, and the pancakes will still hold up well: 

  • Diced ham or diced pepperoni
  • Diced jalapeno (add it raw, or sauté it with the green onions to mellow out the spice)
  • Crumbled bacon
  • Diced bell pepper (sauté it with the green onions to soften it)
  • Tuna
  • Black beans
  • Corn (in fact, try my corn fritters!)
  • Grated carrot (I microwave the carrots to soften them)
  • Grated zucchini (squeeze out the excess liquid)
  • Using spicy Pepper Jack cheese or tasty Gruyere instead of cheddar
stack of savory cheesy pancakes with scallions on a plate

Related recipe: Salmon Potato Cakes

However you decide to make these pancakes, I really hope you give them a try! They are a great option if you're trying to cut down on sugary foods and don't want to have a sugary breakfast.

Storing and freezing pancakes

These pancakes will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-5 days, if stored in an airtight container. Just allow them to cool completely before refrigerating them to prevent condensation.

You can freeze these savoury pancakes too! If you want to thaw 1 or 2 at a time at a later time, then freeze them with a piece of parchment paper between each pancake to prevent them sticking from each other. If you're OK with thawing a bunch at a time (quick breakfast for the whole family!), then you can freeze a whole stack in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.

Thaw frozen pancakes in their container in the fridge overnight, then toast to reheat.

If you try these pancakes, please take a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook. You can find me at @babaganoshblog on both. I love seeing your creations!

Looking for other fun savory foods to try?

Looking for other pancake recipes?

If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!

stack of savory pancakes with sour cream on top
Print Recipe
4.82 from 33 votes

Cheesy Savory Pancakes with Scallions

These Cheesy Savory Pancakes with Scallions make a wonderful snack, breakfast, lunch or dinner - make them anytime you want to get out of the recipe rut or don't want a breakfast loaded with sugar.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 12 pancakes
Author: Kate
Cost: $4

Ingredients

Cheesy Pancakes with Scallions
  • 1 cups diced green onions - (from ~5-10 scallions, depending on their size, see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese - (or use more if you like things cheesy!)
  • 1.5 cups all purpose flour - (or white whole wheat flour)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups milk - (any kind - 1%, 2%, whole, or vegan)
  • 1 egg - lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons butter - melted
  • non-stick spray for cooking
Lime Crema:
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice - (from about ¼ lime)
  • salt & pepper - to taste

Special equipment

Instructions

  • In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and add the diced scallions. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until they reduce in size and start to brown. 
    sauteed green onions in a pan
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. 
  • In a medium bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and beaten egg, and stir until almost combined. 
  • Add the wet ingredients (milk mixture) to the dry ingredients (flour mixture) and stir until almost combined. Add the chopped onions and the shredded cheese to the pancake mix in the bowl and stir until just combined - do not over-mix.
    Adding shredded cheese and sauteed scallions to pancake batter
  • Cook the pancakes like you would cook regular pancakes: Place about ¼ cup of batter on a greased pan, and cook over medium heat for 2-4 minutes on each side, until the top starts bubbling and the bottom is golden brown. Flip, and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked 
  • Make the lime crema: Combine the sour cream, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Serve over the pancakes, garnishing with chopped scallion and shredded cheese. 

Notes

The scallions cook down a lot when you sauté them and give the pancakes a great savory caramelized onion flavor. If you don't want to do the sauté step, then reduce the amount of scallions and add them into the batter directly.

Other savory mix-in ideas:

  • Diced ham or diced pepperoni
  • Diced jalapeno (add it raw, or sauté it with the green onions to mellow out the spice)
  • Crumbled bacon
  • Diced bell pepper (sauté it with the green onions to soften it)
  • Tuna
  • Black beans
  • Corn (in fact, try my corn fritters!)
  • Grated carrot (I microwave the carrots to soften them)
  • Grated zucchini (squeeze out the excess liquid)
  • Using spicy Pepper Jack cheese or tasty Gruyere instead of cheddar
You might also like these savory veggie-loaded breakfasts:

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal (8%) | Carbohydrates: 13g (4%) | Protein: 8g (16%) | Fat: 8g (12%) | Saturated Fat: 3g (15%) | Cholesterol: 24mg (8%) | Sodium: 88mg (4%) | Potassium: 136mg (4%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 155IU (3%) | Calcium: 81mg (8%) | Iron: 0.5mg (3%)

The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.

Comments or questions about the recipe?
Recipe Rating




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Mayz

Tuesday 5th of March 2024

Oh my gosh SO good I added about a half a cup of my sourdough discard to the dough as well and they were so delicious my baby loved them too!

Ashley

Sunday 29th of August 2021

These were really good. I topped the pancakes with fried eggs and runny yolk.

Lisa

Sunday 17th of January 2021

These were great! A big hit with the Family!!!

Kate

Monday 18th of January 2021

Woo hoo! Awesome!!

Kate

Tuesday 16th of September 2014

Kelly: Your grown up grilled cheese sounds awesome, and I love how you experimented with it! I like adding jalapeno to things as well, and I also like calling things "grown up" or "fancy" just because you added an unexpected ingredient :)

Kelly @ Trial and Eater

Tuesday 16th of September 2014

I've been loving adding jalapeno to dishes lately! AND I JUST used monterey jack with jalapeno in my latest "grown up" grilled cheese recipe! It's delicious cheese!

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