Baked Banana Pancakes with Lentils

This recipe for sheet pan baked banana pancakes is the ultimate hack for preparing a healthy, easy breakfast in the oven! Made with oats, cooked red lentils, ripe bananas, and just a touch of maple syrup, these pancakes are higher in protein and fiber than traditional recipes. They’re great for babies, toddlers, older kids, and adults.

Three baked banana pancake squares topped with sliced bananas.

Breakfast is my least creative meal. I always want to change things up instead of relying on my usuals (eggs and fruit, yogurt, veggie muffins), but I struggle with coming up with interesting recipes or combinations.

This year, I’ve leaned into creating more breakfast recipes that are packed with nutritious plant foods all while being easy and delicious. In particular, I wanted to have good options on hand for my daughter without having to do much prep work (if any) in the morning.

That’s when I remembered how easy it is to make sheet pan pancakes! Once I settled on the method for these baked banana pancakes, I considered the popularity of my Banana Red Lentil Muffins and created a batter using similar ingredients. This recipe can be batch-cooked and doesn’t require multiple rounds of cooking pancakes on a griddle. Plus, it’s filling, freezer-friendly, and ridiculously easy to prep in advance and reheat. Read on to find out how to make pancakes in the oven, and enjoy!

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Ingredients needed to make baked banana pancakes on a sheet pan.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Cooked red lentils: This is a key ingredient. If you need tips, see my post on How to Cook Red Lentils. Since red lentils break down and form a mash/puree while cooking, they are perfect for baking recipes. You could technically substitute brown or green lentils, but you would need to mash/puree them first. Readers have had luck with these substitutions when making my lentil muffins but have mentioned that they pulsed the cooked lentils in a blender to get a puree-like consistency more similar to red lentils before adding to the batter.
Oats: Use old fashioned (aka) rolled oats.
Baking powder, cinnamon, and salt
Eggs: If you need to make your baked banana pancakes vegan, try substituting “flax” eggs. Combine 2 tablespoons milled flaxseed with 5 to 6 tablespoons water. Let it sit until thickened, about 5 minutes. (You also need to sub plant-based milk to make vegan).
Milk: I used whole milk because that’s what I had, but any milk will do.
Bananas: The riper, the better! If the skin is speckled with brown dots, the bananas will be very sweet.
Maple syrup: Omit if you are making these pancakes for baby led weaning for children under 1 year of age or other instances where you are trying to avoid added sugar. You can substitute honey if you don’t have maple syrup, but do not use honey if you are serving to children under 1.
Vanilla extract
Possible additions: Feel free to add berries, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or other fix-ins to the batter before baking.

Instructions

The full recipe card for baked banana pancakes with lentils is at the bottom of the post. Scroll down to see it. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you in the kitchen.

Banana pancake ingredients in a blender.

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender.

Blend until smooth. Then, let the batter sit for 5 to 10 minutes before baking.

Banana pancake batter poured onto a sheet pan.

Pour the batter into a thoroughly greased baking sheet.

Baked banana sheet pan pancakes after baking sliced into squares.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through.

Equipment

I highly recommend using a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix, if you have one to yield a smooth batter. However, you can still make sheet pan pancakes without a blender! Use oat flour that’s already ground, either store-bought or one you made yourself by grinding oats in a food processor or coffee grinder, instead of whole oats. You’ll also want to thoroughly mash the bananas and lentils so the batter is as smooth as possible.

For the sheet pan, I used a half-sheet pan (18 x 13 inches) but you can definitely use a smaller sheet pan, like a standard 15 x 10-inch rimmed baking sheet. If using a sheet pan smaller than a half sheet, you just need to bake the pancakes for a few minutes longer. The pancakes will also be thicker.

Baked banana pancakes sliced into squares on a white plate with sliced bananas.

Storage and Reheating

As discussed, this is a fantastic meal prep recipe. Let the pancakes cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To freeze the pancakes, I recommend putting them in a larger container or bag where they can be placed in a single layer. If that’s not possible, put a piece of parchment or wax paper in between the pancakes when stacking them to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months.

The easiest way to reheat baked banana pancakes, from the refrigerator or straight from the freezer, is to pop them in the toaster for a couple of minutes or until they’re warmed through. You can also reheat them in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.

Serving

I love serving these healthy pancakes with additional slices of banana, butter, and a small drizzle of maple syrup! They’re great spread with nut butter or garnished with other types of fruit.

More Healthy Pancake Recipes

Love these banana pancakes with lentils? Check out my favorite healthy pancakes while you’re here:

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