Spinach Crepes

I’ve made vegetable pancakes before, but never ones with such a vibrant color! My Spinach Crepes blend the vegetables into the batter for a bright green hue, making them immensely fun to eat as well as being delicious. The taste is sophisticated enough for adults and is also a great way to sneak some hidden veggies into the diet of a picky toddler. Call them Kermit the Frog pancakes for extra kiddie kudos.

Crepes or Pancakes?

These crepes are made from an unleavened batter (no yeast or baking powder), poured into a hot oiled pan and briefly fried on both sides. Most of the English-speaking world calls this type of flat, fried batter pancakes, and in France, they are known as crepes.

In the USA, the word pancakes usually refers to fried goods from a batter that has baking powder added. They puff up in the pan for a thicker, spongy texture. To distinguish flat pancakes from puffy ones, they usually go by the French name of “crepes” in America.

How to Make the Batter for Spinach Crepes

Making the batter is simplicity itself. All you need to do is blend the ingredients together into a smooth batter. I chose to include a bunch of basil as well as the spinach leaves which added a great additional flavor to my crepes. You could try experimenting with other soft herb leaves here as well.

Start off by pulsing the spinach and any other leaves together until roughly chopped. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until very smooth.

Frying Spinach Crepes

If you’ve ever made crepes before, you know the drill – there’s nothing different about these ones. Use a non-stick pan or a well-seasoned cast iron pan. Place it over medium-high heat and add a little oil. Pour in just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan when you swirl it.

Once the crepe is set on the edges and you see bubbles start to form – just a minute or two – flip the pancake and fry for just 30-60 seconds on the reverse side. 

What to Put Inside Spinach Crepes?

I made a quick fry-up of butternut squash and mushrooms which went very well with my spinach crepes. But the possibilities are endless. Any other vegetables would be nice, and most cheeses are tasty with spinach, especially blue cheese. 

Storage Notes

Often, when you store cooked green vegetables, they turn an unappetizing khaki color. I’m pleased to report that this is NOT the case for these pancakes, which retained their beautiful bright green hue right through to the next day. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days if not eating right away. You can reheat them in a hot dry pan or in the microwave.

You can simply slice some fresh tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella, which work particularly well if you included fresh basil, like a sort of crepe version of an Italian Caprese salad. 

Meat-eaters can try sautéed chicken or pork, perhaps with some fried onions and garlic included.

And more…

Looking for more pancakes and crepe recipes?

• Healthy Mango Crepes
• Orange Ricotta Pancakes
• Broccoli Pancakes with Spinach
• Russian Cottage Cheese Pancakes
• Upside Down Pineapple Pancakes

Conclusion

Next time you’re looking for some green on your plate, give my Spinach Crepes a try. They really are super-easy and with an endless number of fillings to try out, they’re a satisfying and family-friendly option for any season. Or try experimenting by adding different herbs to vary up the flavor a little. Let me know in the comments how you decide to make yours!