Pizza pancakes are fluffy buttermilk pancakes made savory instead of sweet. They're made with mozzarella, Italian herbs, and pizza toppings, then served with warm marinara sauce for dipping. Pancakes for dinner done right!
If you are looking for more breakfast for dinner ideas, try my baked eggs in skillet recipe next!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Savory Pizza Pancakes
🕒 Ready In: ~15 minutes
👪 Makes: 8 pancakes
🧑🍳 Main Ingredients: All purpose flour, buttermilk, eggs, mozzarella, parmesan, Italian seasoning and marinara sauce.
📌 Difficulty: Easy pancake recipe
Why you’ll love these savory pizza pancakes recipe?
These pizza pancakes are a fun mashup of two family favorites—fluffy buttermilk pancakes and classic pizza! They're loaded with gooey mozzarella, savory Parmesan, Italian herbs, and your favorite pizza toppings, so every bite is packed with pizza flavor. The buttermilk adds a subtle tang that pairs perfectly with the cheese and marinara sauce.
Unlike traditional pancake recipes, these are cooked in olive oil and served with warm marinara instead of maple syrup, making them perfect for dinner. Customize them with your favorite pizza toppings and you've got a fun Friday night meal that kids (and adults!) will love.
Best of all, there's no waiting for pizza dough to rise or calling for takeout. Pancake batter comes together in minutes, so you get all the flavors of pizza in a soft, fluffy pancake that's ready in no time—making it a perfect weeknight dinner for kids!
- maria doss
Jump to:
We usually think of pancakes as sweet because they're served with maple syrup. But the pancake itself isn't very sweet. Once you skip the sugar and vanilla and replace them with savory ingredients, it becomes a soft, fluffy base for bold flavors—much like flatbread or focaccia.
These pizza pancakes aren't trying to replace pizza. Instead, they're a fun, kid-friendly mashup of two comfort food favorites. The buttermilk adds a subtle tang that pairs beautifully with cheese and marinara, much like the flavor of traditional pizza dough. Shredded mozzarella melts into gooey pockets, while parmesan adds a rich, salty, umami flavor without weighing the pancakes down.
Italian herbs and seasonings transform the batter from breakfast to dinner, and serving the pancakes with warm marinara instead of maple syrup brings everything together. Every bite has the familiar flavors of pizza—but in a soft, fluffy pancake that's fun to eat.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Flour - Regular all purpose flour as in all pancakes recipes.
- Leavening - Baking powder provides the necessary lift, while baking soda and buttermilk ensure a fluffy texture in the pizza pancakes.
- Eggs - It play a vital role in creating a soft texture.
- Butter - It is crucial to use room-temperature or softened butter to ensure it mixes seamlessly with the dry flour.
- Cheeses - Classic mozzarella and parmesan cheese
- Buttermilk - Buttermilk imparts a subtle tang.
Pizza mix-ins
Get creative with a blend of your preferred pizza toppings or opt for a simpler approach by omitting them altogether. Here are some recommendations for the savory pizza pancakes recipe -
- Chopped pepperoni
- Olives
- Crumbled sausage
- Diced veggies such as onion, bell peppers or jalapenos
- Chopped pineapple
- Diced ham
How to make pancake pizza?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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Tips for Success
- Olive oil - Do not reduce olive oil. It not only enhances the flavor but also aids in creating a thin, crisp crust on the pizza pancakes.
- Add-ins - Do not add more than ¼ cup of total add-ins.
- Buttermilk – If you are out of buttermilk, then refer to our buttermilk substitute recipe.
More Fun Kid-Friendly Dinner Ideas
Savory Pizza Pancakes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
- 3 tablespoons olive oil for cooking pancakes
- marinara sauce for serving
Optional add ins (Use a total of ¼ cup or less)
- chopped pepperoni
- chopped black olives
- diced green bell pepper
- chopped basil
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, salt, Italian seasoning, oregano and baking soda into a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the softened butter and mix with your fingertips until it resembles coarse sand.
- Finish batter. Mix the egg and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Pour it into the flour mixture and gently stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the mozzarella, parmesan, and any other pizza toppings you'd like to use.👉Keep the total amount of mix-ins to about ¼ cup. Adding more than that can weigh down the batter, making the pancakes dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Cook pancakes. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, drizzle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.Spoon about ¼ cup of batter into the skillet, then gently spread it into a small circle with the back of a spoon. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the bottom is deep golden brown and small bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the other side is golden brown and the pancake is cooked through.
- Serve. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, adding a little more olive oil to the skillet as needed. Serve warm with marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Serving suggestions
As previously mentioned, these savory pancakes are perfect for dinner and are ideally accompanied by a flavorful marinara sauce. Personally, I find that a spicy arrabbiata sauce takes the pizza experience to the next level. Serve with a side salad or grilled veggies to make a complete dinner.
These are also perfect if you are looking for a savory breakfast with pancakes!
Looking for more vegetarian dinner recipes? Check out our collection which includes curry recipes, pasta dishes, tacos and wraps.
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Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
Yes!! Pizza and pancakes! My two favorite foods. Totally loving how this is for dinner too!