Delicious creamy umami mushrooms and fried leeks wrapped up in wholemeal pancakes. This easy recipe for leek and mushroom savoury pancakes doesn’t take long to make and it’s truly scrumptious. It’s a perfect meal for two on Valentine’s Day, Pancake Day or any other day you fancy pancakes. It doesn’t just have to be for two either, you can easily double, triple or quadruple the quantities.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my cookie and privacy statement for further details.
Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancakes
These savoury pancakes are not only delicious, but they’re also quite quick and easy to make. There are only four of them in the recipe, so you won’t need to spend hours by the stove flipping pancakes.
That said, you can easily double, triple or quadruple the quantities if you need to.
The leek and mushroom filling is really special. I’ve flavoured the mushrooms with French tarragon which adds a light but distinctive taste. It complements both the mushrooms and the leeks really well.
Crème fraîche gives creaminess and a subtle tang. I’ve enhanced this with a squeeze or two of lemon at the end which lifts the whole thing.
And of course, there’s garlic. You can’t have mushrooms without garlic, it’s just not right.
Oh! There’s cheese too. A little salty cheese to melt into the filling does wonders.
The pancakes make a lovely main meal for two. Just serve with a green salad or cooked green vegetable such as cabbage. It does, however, also serve as a light lunch for four people.
Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancake Ingredients
In order to make these super tasty savoury pancakes with leeks and mushrooms, I’ve listed the key ingredients you will need below. Further down the post you’ll also find a section on how to make these savoury pancakes your own. This gives some easy swaps you can make for these ingredients as well as several other ideas for savoury fillings.
- Pancakes – although you can find the recipe for pancakes in the recipe card below, I have a specific post on how to make wholemeal pancakes which you might find useful.
- Mushrooms – sliced. I’ve used chestnut mushrooms here, but you can use any you like. A mix always makes it seem a little bit more special.
- Leeks – sliced
- Garlic – finely chopped
- Tarragon – roughly chopped. Make sure you use French tarragon. It has far more flavour than the Russian variety.
- Crème fraîche – see my notes on this further down the post.
- Tamari – or your favourite soy sauce. See my notes on this further down the post.
- Cheddar cheese – grated. A sharp or mature cheddar is best for this recipe.
Top Tips For Making Pancakes
Make sure the pan is good and hot before you add the pancake batter. This way, the pancakes not only cook faster but they’ll have a crisper finish.
Stack the cooked pancakes on a plate and keep in a warm oven until you’ve cooked them all. Alternatively fill the pancakes as you go and place them in a warm oven. This works particularly well if you have a cheese filling, such as this leek and mushroom one. The warm oven, ensures the cheese melts through.
To Toss Or Not To Toss?
Although I’ve tossed a few pancakes successfully in my time, I’ve also had my fair share of mishaps. These days, I flip them over with a spatula. It’s easy and more reliable. But there is a certain satisfaction when you toss a pancake and it lands back in the pan and the right way up. I leave the decision to toss your pancakes – or not – entirely up to you.
Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancakes: Step-by-Step
You will need two standard sized non-stick frying pans for this recipe. I use a non-stick for the pancakes and my cast iron skillet* for the filling.
Neither the pancakes nor the mushroom and leek filling take long to cook, but as with most things the secret is in the timing.
You’ll need to start with the pancake batter as it needs time to rest. Whilst it’s resting, you can make the filling. You’ll then need to keep that warm whilst you cook the pancakes.
Once you’ve cooked the first pancake, fill it, but get the second pancake on first.
Step 1. Pancake Batter
Weigh out the flour and place it in a large bowl together with the salt. Stir or whisk to combine.
Make a well in the centre and crack in the egg. Add the oil and milk, then stir from the inside out until everything’s well combined and you have a thick, but still runny batter.
You can see step-by-step images of this in my wholemeal pancakes post.
Cover the bowl with a tea towel or large plate and leave it to rest for thirty minutes.
Step 2. Fry Mushrooms
To clean the mushrooms, wipe them with a clean damp cloth or dust them with a dedicated mushroom brush*. I often clean them by running the tops under the tap. The key though, is not to get the undersides wet.
All you then need to do is slice them.
Heat half of the oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium high heat. I use my cast iron skillet*. It’s one of my favourite cooking implements, though it is a bit on the heavy side.
Add the sliced mushrooms and let them cook, stirring occasionally. Initially they’ll release water and seem rather wet, but keep going until the pan is dry and most of the mushrooms are nicely caramelised. This takes about ten minutes.
Remove from the pan and place in a bowl.
Step 3. Fry Leeks
Clean your leeks thoroughly. They often hold dirt and grit under the leaves and you really don’t want to take a tooth out. I tend to cut the white part off, as that’s usually quite clean, run it under some water, then slice it. The green parts are the tricky ones. I sort of wash them as I slice.
Add the remaining oil to the pan, then stir-fry the sliced leeks for three to four minutes until they’re soft.
Finely chop the garlic and roughly chop the tarragon.
Add them both to the pan and stir-fry for a further minute.
Step 4. Complete Filling
Stir in the crème fraîche and tamari along with the mushrooms and allow the mixture to heat up and bubble for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat, grind in some black pepper and squeeze in the lemon juice.
Taste to ensure the filling is to your liking. If you feel it needs, more pepper, lemon, crème fraîche or tamari, add a little extra. But go carefully.
Cover the pan to keep the filling warm whilst you cook the pancakes.
Step 5: Cook Pancakes
Place a non-stick pan with an 18 cm (7 inch base) over a medium heat. When it’s good and hot, brush the base with a little oil or butter to ensure the pancakes won’t stick.
Give the batter a quick stir, then pour a quarter of it into the pan. Quickly swirl it around so that it covers the base in a thin layer. Let it cook for about three minutes or until it’s set, then flip it over with a fish slice or similar implement. Allow it to cook for a further thirty seconds.
Step 6. Fill Pancakes
Place the pancake on a warm plate. Then spoon a quarter of the warm filling onto one half of the pancake.
Scatter with a quarter of the grated cheese, then fold the empty half over the top.
Pop the plated pancake into a warm oven whilst you cook the remaining pancakes. This will not only keep the pancake and its filling hot, but it will also help to melt the cheese.
Repeat the process until you’ve finished up the batter, filling and cheese. You should get four decent sized filled savoury pancakes.
Savoury Pancakes: Make Them Your Own
Savoury Pancakes: Mushrooms
Use any type of mushrooms you like for the leek and mushroom filling. I like a mix of chestnut mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms best. Shiitake mushrooms aren’t always the easiest to get, however and they can be expensive too. So more often than not, I go for good old chestnut mushrooms.
Savoury Pancakes: Herbs
There are several herbs that pair well with mushrooms. I most often use thyme, mostly because we have plenty of it in the garden. Or at least we did have until I killed it all off a couple of months ago, by pruning it too harshly.
I used tarragon this time as it goes so well with both mushrooms and leeks. You can, however swap this for the aforementioned thyme. Or use oregano or fresh parsley instead. You can use either dried or fresh thyme and oregano, but parsley is best as a fresh green herb.
Savoury Pancakes: Leeks
Leeks are in season in the winter and give a lovely mild onion flavour to this savoury pancake filling. If you don’t have leeks, you can easily use shallots, spring onions or even foraged onion weed instead. It’s nice to get some sort of oniony flavour in there though as mushrooms seem to have a natural affinity for it.
Savoury Pancakes: Crème Fraîche
Crème fraîche is my favourite type of dairy to go with mushrooms. It’s beautifully creamy, but with a tangy edge which really enhances the fungi. If you use crème fraîche regularly, it’s easy to make your own. Head over to my post on how to make your own crème fraîche to find out just how easy it is.
Having said that, double cream works really well too, especially if you add a little lemon juice to the leek and mushroom filling. I’ve used lemon in the recipe, even though it already contains crème fraîche. It just gives it a nice lift, without making it sour.
Cream cheese is also a good contender, though you might need to loosen it with a bit of milk.
Savoury Pancakes: Cheese
When I was growing up, my mum used to make the best savoury pancakes. She filled them with cheese sauce and I absolutely loved them.
It might have something to do with their fungal qualities but cheese and mushrooms make a perfect match. I’ve scattered a little grated cheddar over the top of the leek and mushroom filling. It melts into the pancakes and imparts a salty tang. A good mature cheddar works particularly well.
However, any good melting cheese will make a good fit. Go with your favourite.
Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancakes: Tamari
Tamari is a fantastic ingredient to have to hand. It’s one of my pantry staples. This premium Japanese fermented soy sauce is not only full of umami goodness, but it has less salt in than most other varieties. It’s also gluten-free.
Because it’s good quality, it does cost quite a bit more than many varieties. But you’ll find a little goes a long way.
However, feel free to swap it for your favourite soy sauce, though you might need to add a little more. As is always the case with these things. Taste test, then add a little extra if you feel it needs it. But be careful, you don’t want the filling to taste of soy sauce.
Soy sauce pairs beautifully with mushrooms. They both seem to enhance each other’s taste profile. However, if you can’t eat soy, then substitute with sea salt. Half a teaspoon should do it, but taste test and see how you go.
Other Creamy Mushroom Variations You Might Like
Feel free to go with your favourite creamy mushroom filling instead of the one I’ve given in the recipe below. Here are a few more to choose from:
Other Savoury Pancake Fillings You Might Like
Of course, you don’t have to stick to leek and mushrooms as a filling for your savoury pancakes. There are many others to try out. Here are a few ideas:
- Aloo gobi
- Asian style cabbage
- Broccoli or cauliflower cheese
- Marinated tempeh with roasted grapes and fennel
- Pulled jackfruit
- Spiced lentil dhal
Vegan Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancakes
It’s quite easy to make these leek and mushroom pancakes vegan. A Virtual Vegan has a recipe for English style vegan pancakes. I haven’t tried it yet, but I will do one day. I’ll make mine with wholemeal flour though.
For the filling, simply swap the crème fraîche for a vegan version and the same for the cheddar cheese. Alternatively, omit the cheese and stir two tablespoons of nutritional yeast into the mushroom filling whilst it’s still hot.
Gluten-Free Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancakes
The leek and mushroom filling is naturally gluten-free. Well it is as long as you use tamari rather than ordinary soy sauce.
As for the pancakes, you can swap the wholemeal flour for buckwheat flour. The French often use buckwheat for their crêpes and it works really well.
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these savoury pancakes, with or without the leek and mushroom filling, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?
If you’d like more pancake recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancakes. PIN IT.
Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancakes – The Recipe
Leek And Mushroom Savoury Pancakes
Equipment
- 1 non-stick frying pan
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 60 g wholemeal flour (2 oz (I use wholemeal spelt flour))
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ tbsp neutral cooking oil + a little extra for oiling the pan (I use sunflower oil)
- 120 ml milk (4 fl oz)
Leek and Mushroom Filling
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 250 g mushrooms (I use chestnut mushrooms or a mix of chestnut and shiitake)
- 2 leeks or one large leek – sliced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 4-6 sprigs tarragon roughly chopped
- 50 ml crème fraîche (2 tbsp)
- 1 tsp tamari (affiliate link) or your favourite soy sauce
- ¼ lemon juiced
- good grinding of black pepper
- 50 g mature cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
Pancake Batter
- Start by preparing the pancake batter. It needs to rest for thirty minutes before you start to cook with it.
- Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk or stir to combine.60 g wholemeal flour, 1 pinch sea salt
- Make a well in the centre and break in the egg. Add the oil and milk and whisk or stir from the inside out to combine the ingredients and make your pancake batter.1 large egg, ½ tbsp neutral cooking oil, 120 ml milk
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel or large plate and leave to rest for thirty minutes whilst you get on with making the filling.
- When it's time to cook the pancakes, put a medium sized non-stick pan (base measuring 18cm, (7")) over a medium heat. When it's good and hot, brush the base with a little oil or butter to ensure the pancakes won't stick.
- Give the batter a quick stir, then pour a quarter of it into the pan. Quickly swirl it around so that it covers the base in a thin layer. Let it cook for about three minutes or until it's set, then flip it over with a fish slice or similar implement. Allow it to cook for a further thirty seconds.
- Place on a warm plate. Spoon a quarter of the filling onto one half of the pancake, scatter with a quarter of the grated cheese, then fold the empty half over the top.50 g mature cheddar cheese
- Pop into a warm oven whilst you cook the remaining pancakes. This will not only keep the pancake warm, but will help to melt the cheese too.
Leek And Mushroom Filling
- Heat one tbsp of oil in a large pan over a medium high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and let them cook, stirring occasionally. Initially they'll release water and seem rather wet, but keep going until the pan is dry and most of the mushrooms are nicely caramelised. This takes about ten minutes.Remove the mushrooms to a bowl.2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 250 g mushrooms
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan along with the leeks and stir-fry for three to four minutes or until the leeks have softened.2 leeks
- Add the garlic and tarragon and stir-fry for a further minute.2 cloves garlic, 4-6 sprigs tarragon
- Stir in the crème fraîche and tamari along with the mushrooms and pepper. Allow the mixture to bubble for a minute or so. Take off the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice.50 ml crème fraîche, 1 tsp tamari (affiliate link), ¼ lemon, good grinding of black pepper
- Cover to keep warm, whilst you cook the pancakes.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sharing this recipe for leek and mushroom savoury pancakes with #CookBlogShare. It’s hosted by Sew White this week.
This post contains affiliate links which are marked with an asterisk* or (affiliate link). If you buy through a link, it won’t cost you any more, but I might get a small commission. Thank you for your support of the brands and organisations that help to keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging.
nancy says
i love this savoury take on pancakes loaded with mushrooms!!
Choclette says
These mushroom and leek pancakes are just so good Nancy.
Emily says
These savory pancakes with mushrooms and leeks are so good, this such a delicious combination! The fresh tarragon takes it to the next level!
Choclette says
Thanks Emily. I’m so with you on the fresh tarragon. It makes a real difference to the overall deliciousness of these pancakes.
Katie says
These savory pancakes are so perfect! Definitely will make again!
Choclette says
So pleased you like them Katie and thanks for letting me know. They’re a bit of a regular on our table.
Janice says
I love savoury pancakes. This filling sounds delicious.
Choclette says
They’re good aren’t they. I’m not sure why they’re not more of a thing.
Veronica says
Stuffed pancakes are a favourite in our house. Your filling sounds delicious – I love the combination of leeks and mushrooms.
Choclette says
Ooh that’s good to hear Veronica. What do you put in yours?
angiesrecipes says
So different and delicious! Love the combo!
Choclette says
If you love mushrooms and pancakes, this is the perfect combination. The tarragon is almost the star of the show though.
Sandhya S says
Mushroom Pancakes sounds fantastic!! My daughter loves mushrooms and she is going to be over the moon with these pancakes.
Choclette says
If your daughter likes mushrooms, she’ll love these pancakes. Surprise her on pancake day.