Paula Deen Vegetable Pancakes

Paula Deen Vegetable Pancakes are crispy golden skillet cakes with grated zucchini, carrots and green onions that come together in 19 minutes. Try this easy vegetable side dish for a weeknight dinner or Sunday dinner, since it's skillet-fast and a simple way to use up garden zucchini.

Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes per side over medium heat, because that gives you crisp golden edges and a tender middle. Crank the heat higher and the outside browns before the grated vegetables cook through.

Paula keeps the batter light, with only a half cup of flour for a full cup each of zucchini and carrots, so the vegetables stay the star. She also adds the remaining oil to the pan between batches, which keeps every pancake as crisp as the first.

Paula Deen Vegetable Pancakes

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Course: Side DishCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

4

minutes

Calories

130

kcal

Grated zucchini and carrots bind with a little flour, egg and milk into small tender cakes that crisp in a skillet. Each one comes out golden on the outside and soft and savory inside.

Ingredients

• 1 cup zucchini, grated
  

• 1 cup carrots, grated
  

• 1/4 cup milk
  

• 1 egg
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
  

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  

• 1/2 cup Flour
  

• 2 green onions, sliced
  

• 2 tablespoons Oil
  

Directions

• Mix the dry ingredients: Stir together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a mixing bowl. Set it aside while you get the vegetables ready.
• Prepare the vegetables: Grate 1 cup zucchini and 1 cup carrots into another bowl, then add 2 sliced green onions and toss. Everything should be evenly mixed before the egg goes in.
• Add the egg and milk: Beat 1 egg with 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl, then pour it over the grated vegetables and stir. That way the vegetables are coated before they meet the flour.
• Combine the batter: Add the vegetable mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stop as soon as no dry flour is left so the pancakes stay tender.
• Heat the skillet: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. The pan should be hot enough that a spoonful of batter sizzles right away.
• Cook the pancakes: Spoon the batter by tablespoons into the pan, making a few pancakes at a time. Cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
• Add oil and serve: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan as needed between batches. Serve the pancakes at once while they're still crisp.

Tools for this recipe

• OXO 4-sided box grater, Winco slotted fish spatula, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Do I need to squeeze the water out of the zucchini?

The recipe doesn't call for it, and the small amount of flour is balanced for the zucchini as it comes. If your zucchini is very watery, pat the grated pile with a paper towel so the pancakes crisp better.

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

It's best mixed right before cooking, since the salt pulls water out of the vegetables and the baking powder starts working once it's wet. You can grate the vegetables and slice the onions earlier in the day and keep them in the fridge.

How do I keep leftover pancakes crisp?

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days. Reheat them in a hot skillet or a 400°F oven rather than the microwave, which makes them soft.

Can I use other vegetables in these pancakes?

Grated yellow squash swaps in easily for the zucchini, and it cooks the same way. Stick with vegetables that grate fine and aren't too wet, or the batter gets loose.

Why are my vegetable pancakes falling apart in the pan?

The most common reasons are a pan that isn't hot enough or flipping too early. Wait for the edges to turn golden, about 2 minutes, then flip them gently with a wide spatula.