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Wild Rice Pancakes
I first made these pancakes at my sister's place, where I'd accidentally grabbed wild rice from her pantry instead of white. The result was so good that she kept asking me to bring more the next morning — and I realized the chewy grains gave them a depth that regular rice just couldn't match.
Ingredients
Method
- Toast and cook the rice: Place wild rice in a medium saucepan with water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes until tender but still slightly chewy (you'll hear a soft clicking sound). Drain and spread on a baking sheet to cool completely — this prevents the pancakes from becoming gummy.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk until smooth. Add melted butter and stir in. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Pour dry ingredients into wet and stir just until combined — small lumps are fine, don't overmix. Fold in cooled wild rice gently to distribute evenly.
- Rest the batter: Let it sit for 10 minutes while you heat your griddle or large skillet over medium heat. This resting time lets the flour hydrate and baking powder activate.
- Cook the pancakes: Lightly grease your surface with butter. For each pancake, scoop about 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot surface — these will be slightly larger than typical breakfast pancakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes until bubbles form on top and edges look set, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden brown underneath.
- Keep warm: Transfer cooked pancakes to a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you finish the rest. They hold beautifully this way without getting soggy.
- Serve immediately: Drizzle with honey, sprinkle herbs and flaky salt over each pancake, and serve right away while hot. The contrast between the nutty rice interior and sweet-salty topping is where the magic lives.
Nutrition
Notes
These have earned their own permanent slot in my rotation because they're genuinely easy despite looking fancy enough for company. I usually make a double batch on Sunday afternoon so they reheat beautifully all week, but honestly any time works since the whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes once you measure everything out.
One trick that changed this recipe for me: I toast the wild rice with just a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of butter before adding liquid. The nutty flavor it develops is what makes these pancakes taste like they came from somewhere with more effort than they actually required.
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