These savory mung bean pancakes with scallions are egg-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free, and so delicious as a savory breakfast, snack, or side dish. Make sure to plan ahead because you do need to soak the mung beans for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Soak the split yellow mung beans in 3 cups cold water for at least 6 hours, or for up to 48 hours. Keep them in the fridge if soaking for more than ~6 hours. Drain and rinse the mung beans and place into a blender.
Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a pan and add the diced scallions. Sauté for ~5-10 minutes, or until the scallions are softened and start turning golden brown, and have reduced in size in half or by third. Remove from heat.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender: 2 tablespoons olive oil, milk, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, and baking powder. Blend for 20-30 seconds, until smooth.
Add the sautéed scallions and pulse 2-3 times to combine (do NOT blend smooth).
Wipe the pan clean with a damp paper towel. Brush or spray the pan with olive oil, and ladle ¼ cup of the mung bean batter and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Use a large silicone spatula to flip the pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the center is fully cooked. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the batter.
Serve warm with a dollop of vegan sour cream and a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
The #1 tip for cooking these pancakes is to cook them over low heat so the mung beans have a chance to cook through without the bottom burning.
Make sure you use SPLIT YELLOW MUNG BEANS. Not split yellow peas, not whole green mung beans.
No scallions? Try a cup of diced leeks. Or skip the scallions and add a tablespoon of dried chives.
These pancakes are best served fresh, immediately after cooking. They do not reheat well.
You can store the batter in a jar for up to 5 days and cook fresh pancakes in under 5 minutes - pour the batter straight from the jar. Use this awesome Ergo Spout on the jar for easy pouring!
The ingredients with a star are optional. They add a little color and flavor, but I've made these pancakes without them and they turn out great either way!
Try adding a little vegan shredded cheese (¼ cup? ½ cup?) when pulsing the sautéed scallions!