How To Elevate Vegan Oatmeal Pancakes

With the introduction of the many plant-based milks on the market and the different plant-based butters and egg alternatives, vegan-izing your favorite pancake recipe is as simple as trading out a few ingredients. That is unless you prefer your morning breakfast stacks with oats mixed in. While adding oats is a good way to add fiber and protein to your meal (via SF Gate), Serious Eats says that oatmeal pancakes tend to be denser, causing you to lose the light and fluffy texture you'd typically get with plain pancakes.

When eating vegan, there's a common misconception that you have to choose between important nutrients and the tastiness of your food, per SelectHealth. But, vegan oatmeal pancakes are a prime example of the impact one plant-based ingredient can have on flavor. The trick to maintaining that light and airy consistency doesn't come down to some fancy new vegan substitute, which is all too often expensive and hard to find. The secret ingredient is one you've more than likely used before and might just be sitting in your kitchen cupboard at this very moment.

Similar to how it's used to whip up store-bought hummus, aquafaba, the water that comes inside a can of chickpeas, can be used to add that fluffy texture back into your vegan oatmeal pancakes. The chickpea liquid has long been drained and used, both whisked and un-whisked, as a substitute for egg whites in various plant-based recipes (via Minimalist Baker). It's specifically folded into pancakes for the light and airy consistency it brings without the need for eggs.

Aquafaba becomes a meringue by whisking the chickpea liquid on high speed in a stand mixer, per Serious Eats. After about six minutes, the liquid should start transforming into a foamy consistency. Once it's complete stiff peaks will begin to form, and you can carefully fold the meringue into the rest of the ingredients after the liquid and dry ones — including your oats — have been mixed. Then, melt your vegan butter on top of your go-to pancake pan, flip away, and get ready for the fluffiest oatmeal pancakes you've ever had.