Wild-Rice Pancakes
intro
Hearty, nutty savory wild-rice pancakes with crisp golden edges and a chewy, tender center, ideal for pairing with roasted autumn meats and holiday spreads.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook the Wild Rice
Bring 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) of lightly salted water to a rolling boil over high heat in a small saucepan. Add 100 g uncooked wild rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30–35 minutes until grains are tender and some split open to reveal their pale inner core. Drain excess water completely and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients Together
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 120 g all-purpose flour, 4 g (1 tsp) baking powder, 3 g (½ tsp) kosher salt, 1 g (¼ tsp) garlic powder, and 1 g (¼ tsp) ground black pepper until fully combined, with no visible clumps of baking powder remaining.
Whisk in the Wet Ingredients
Create a small well in the center of the dry ingredient mixture, then pour in 2 beaten large eggs, 180 ml whole milk, and 28 g (2 tbsp) melted, cooled unsalted butter. Whisk gently just until no dry flour streaks remain—do not overmix, as this will create tough pancakes. Fold in the cooled, drained wild rice and 6 g (2 tbsp) finely chopped fresh chives until evenly distributed through the batter.
Preheat and Butter the Skillet
Place a large nonstick skillet or flat griddle over medium heat (175°C / 350°F for electric griddles) and preheat for 3 minutes. Add 5 g (1 tsp) of unsalted butter to the pan, swirling to coat the cooking surface evenly once the butter melts and foams slightly.
Scoop Batter onto the Skillet
Scoop 60 ml (¼ cup) portions of batter onto the preheated skillet, leaving 5 cm (2 inches) of open space between each portion to allow for spreading as the pancakes cook. Cook for 3–4 minutes on the first side, until small bubbles form and pop across the top surface of the pancakes and the bottom edge turns deep golden brown and crisp.
Flip and Cook Pancakes Through
Flip each pancake carefully with a thin, flexible spatula, then cook for an additional 2–3 minutes on the second side, until the center is fully set and the second side is evenly golden brown. Transfer cooked pancakes to a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 95°C (200°F) oven to stay warm while you cook remaining batter, adding 5 g (1 tsp) of fresh butter between batches as needed. Serve warm.
Tips
2.Do not overmix the pancake batter—small lumps are normal, and over-stirring develops gluten that leads to tough, dense, rather than tender, pancakes.
3.For deeper, nuttier flavor, toast uncooked wild rice in the dry saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring often, before adding boiling water to cook.
OMG these wild rice pancakes are such a game changer! I’ve been making boring regular buttermilk pancakes for weekend brunch forever, and the nutty, chewy texture from the wild rice is chef’s kiss. Even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds! 10/10 will be adding these to our regular rotation.
Threw these on the griddle for our Saturday family breakfast before my son’s soccer game, and everyone was raving. I added a little extra smoked paprika to the batter to give it a tiny kick, and it paired so well with the maple syrup we drizzled on top. Super easy to whip up too, no fancy equipment needed.
I was looking for cheap, filling meal prep ideas that don’t taste like sad dorm food, and these hit so hard. I make a big batch on Sundays, pop them in the toaster during the week, and eat them with a little peanut butter on my way to class. Cook time was totally manageable even with my tiny shared kitchen, too.
These were SO good, but my first batch came out a little soggier than I expected? Did I do something wrong? I cooked them on medium heat like the recipe said, but the middle was still a little mushy even after the edges were golden.
Brought these to my neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were literally asking me for the recipe before they even finished their first pancake! I topped them with a little cranberry compote I had leftover from Thanksgiving, and the sweet/tart combo was unreal. Who knew wild rice belonged in pancakes?!
Quick question — can I make these vegan? I tried swapping the eggs for flax eggs and the cow’s milk for oat milk, but the batter didn’t hold together quite right. Any tips for plant-based adjustments?
Meal prep win! These reheat so much better than regular pancakes — the wild rice keeps them from getting all gummy and weird in the fridge like regular flour pancakes do. I’ve been eating them for breakfast all week, and they taste just as good as the day I made them.
I’ve been making wild rice pancakes from my mom’s old recipe for 40 years, and this version is even better than the one I grew up with! The ratio of rice to batter is perfect — not too much that it’s heavy, just enough to get that lovely nutty bite. My grandkids go crazy for them when they come to visit.
Game. Changer. I made these for brunch with my girlfriends yesterday, served them with crispy bacon, maple butter, and some fresh blueberries, and we all agreed we never need regular pancakes again. The chewy wild rice adds such a nice depth of flavor that plain pancakes are totally missing. Only note: I’d recommend making a double batch, because they disappear FAST.
I was skeptical at first — wild rice in pancakes? Sounded weird, not gonna lie. But my partner has been begging me to make something with the bag of wild rice we’ve had in the pantry forever, so I gave these a shot. Man, I was so wrong. These are savory, hearty, and so satisfying. We ate them for dinner last night with a fried egg on top, and it was the perfect quick weeknight meal.
Super easy recipe for a beginner cook like me! I’ve been trying to step up my cooking game beyond frozen pizza and microwave mac, and these came out perfect on my first try. The instructions were so clear, I didn’t mess up a single step. The cook time was right at 45 minutes too, which was way shorter than I expected for something that tastes this fancy.
I made these after a long morning hike last weekend, and they were the perfect post-trail fuel! Hearty, filling, packed with carbs and a little protein from the wild rice, they kept me full for hours even when I was out doing yard work all afternoon. I added a handful of wild blueberries I picked on the trail to the last batch of batter, and it was chef’s kiss.