Protein Waffles (Vegan)
I’ve made a lot of vegan waffles in my time, but these vegan protein waffles may just be my new favorite go-to recipe. Whole wheat flour, plant-based protein powder, vegan vanilla Greek yogurt and JUST Egg give this breakfast treat a surprisingly healthy twist and make this vegan protein waffle recipe a protein powerhouse!
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B knows how much I like waffles, so I guess she thought I would be ecstatic when she tasked me to create a recipe for vegan protein waffles. But the first thing I said was “But those are healthy waffles! I don’t want healthy waffles, I want regular waffles that taste good!”
I’d had some protein waffles before that tasted nothing like normal waffles, so I was scared.
But maybe that’s exactly why I was the perfect person to make them. I am so happy to report that now we have healthy and delicious high-protein waffles.
These were similar but very different from other waffle recipes I’d made. I mean whole wheat flour and no sugar?! But after just a couple attempts, these were absolutely perfect. I was in absolute shock how tasty they were.
These may be the only waffles I make from now on. I mean, why not? They’re healthy, right?
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Waffles (Vegan):
- This vegan protein waffle recipe is as packed with flavor as they are with grams of protein (14 grams to be exact!).
- They are almost as enjoyable to make as they are to eat, and you can choose your personal favorite toppings.
- This may be the best part: They are so freezer friendly and will make breakfast meal-prep a breeze.
Protein Waffle Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need 11 simple ingredients to make these vegan protein waffles:
- Wheat flour – Whole wheat flour has more protein than all-purpose flour…and these are protein waffles, so use whole wheat. Trust me, they’re still delicious
- “Old fashioned” oats – also called “rolled oats”
- Plant-based protein powder – to add an extra pack of protein
- Baking powder – to help give some rise and make fluffy waffles
- Baking soda – also to aid in rise and fluffiness
- Salt
- Plant-based milk – we love using the unsweetened plant milks from Elmhurst
- JUST Egg – This is a vegan liquid egg substitute for binding and extra protein.
- Vegan vanilla Greek yogurt – I like to use Silk Greek vanilla yogurt for its thickness and taste
- Vanilla extract
- Melted vegan butter – We like Country Crock plant-based butter sticks
Best Vegan Protein Powders
Great-tasting vegan protein powders can be hard to find! And different protein powders react differently. You want to read the ingredients of your favorite protein powder to make sure it contains no egg, dairy, or other animal products. Stay away from anything with the phrase “whey protein” in it.
And if you’re like B who doesn’t like the taste of stevia, you’ll want to watch out for that too. Look instead for a protein powder sweetened with cane sugar or one that’s unsweetened.
Some of our favorite vegan protein powders:
- Vega’s Protein Made Simple line (This line has no stevia!)
- Unsweetened Soy Vanilla Protein Powder made by Whole Foods’ store brand
- Octonuts walnut protein powder
- Orgain Protein Powder also makes an unsweetened vanilla if you’re looking to avoid extra added sugar.
Substitution Options for This Protein Powder Waffles Recipe
If you don’t have or can’t tolerate one of the above ingredients, here are our best substitution tips. Remember: substituting any of the ingredients may lead to a difference in the final product that is not always a positive one. Let us know in the comments if you try any subs and how they work out for you!
For the whole wheat flour: You can use all-purpose flour or gluten free flour if you need. Remember, whole wheat flour requires a bit more liquid than its counterparts, so you’ll need to adjust for that. Pay attention to the texture of the waffle batter iin the process shots below. You might try oat flour or almond flour also, but again, the liquid would need to be adjusted here.
For the oats: You can use quick oats or steel cut oats as a substitute for the rolled oats. Again, these may change the texture of the finished product. I would not recommend using instant oat
For the plant milk: If you happen to find you’ve run out of plant milk, fear not. Water can be used in place of the milk, but the texture of the waffle may suffer.
For the JUST Egg: You can use another egg substitute like flax egg, applesauce, banana, etc. We haven’t tried any of these in this particular recipe, but we’ve used them interchangeably before with good results.
For the vegan Greek yogurt: Regular vegan yogurt might work, but I feel the texture of the batter would be thinner. You might also try using silken tofu in place of the Greek yogurt, but again, we haven’t tried this.
For the vegan butter: You can make it oil-free, but the oil adds to the crispiness of the final product and helps keep it from sticking to the pan. For an alternative, try sunflower, safflower, vegetable oil or even a little melted coconut oil.
How to Make Vegan Protein Waffles
These healthy vegan waffles take some time to make, but they make a lot which makes them perfect for meal prep. Cook once, have waffles for weeks!
Step 1: Make the waffle batter.
First you want to add the flour, oats, protein powder, baking soda and powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Then create a small well in the middle.
In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk the plant milk, Just Egg, vegan yogurt, and vanilla extract. Pour this wet ingredients mixture into the well in the dry ingredients.
Add the melted vegan butter. Stir well to combine, but be careful not to overmix.
Step 2: Make the vegan waffles.
When you’re ready, heat your waffle maker. You may want to spritz a little cooking spray on the heat elements.
Ladle the mixture, a little less than 1/4 cup at a time, onto the hot waffle maker. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until a nice golden brown.
Most waffle-makers have a “done” light that lets you know when it’s done.
How to Serve This High Protein Waffles Recipe
Serve these vegan protein waffles hot with vegan butter and maple syrup for a classic treat made healthier.
Other serving ideas:
- Top them with fresh berries or fresh fruit and some of our coconut whipped cream
- Spread some peanut butter or almond butter on them for a quick on-the-go snack or breakfast
- Serve them topped with our brown sugar cinnamon sauteed apples
- Use them as the “bread” in a vegan ice cream waffle sandwich
How to Store Healthy Vegan Protein Waffles
This recipe makes about 12-14 delicious vegan waffles depending on the size and shape of your waffle maker. We use the Dash waffle iron, which is a single, one-at-a-time waffle maker. It takes a little longer to make them one at a time, but I find it meditative and therapeutic.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to freeze: Alternatively, the waffles can be kept frozen for up to a month. Allow waffles to cool completely, then place in an airtight, freezer safe bag. I like to cut some parchment paper squares to place between each so they don’t freeze together.
How to reheat: You can reheat these in the oven at 350°F for about 7-10 minutes for unfrozen and 15-17 minutes for frozen, flipping once halfway through. But I find it much easier to just put them in the toaster, especially on those busy mornings or if you’re just reheating a couple for yourself. Don’t forget to tap the “frozen” button on the toaster if toasting waffles from the freezer.
More Vegan Healthy Breakfast Recipes
We’d love to hear what you think about these healthy protein waffles when you make them! Leave a comment and star rating below, or show us your pictures on Instagram by tagging us at @theplantpowercouple with the “the”.
Happy breakfasting!!
Vegan Protein Waffle Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup whole wheat flour flour 195g;6.75oz
- 1/2 cup “old fashioned” oats
- 1/4 cup plant-based protein powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 cup plant-based milk
- 1/4 cup JUST Egg
- 1 5.3-oz container vegan vanilla Greek yogurt (or 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp melted vegan butter
Instructions
- Make the waffle batter: Add the flour, oats, protein powder, baking soda and powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Create a small well in the middle. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk the plant milk, Just Egg, vegan yogurt, and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the well in the dry mix. Add the melted vegan butter. Stir well to combine, but don’t overmix.
- Make the waffles: Heat your waffle maker. Ladle the mixture, a little less than 1/4 cup at a time, onto the hot waffle maker. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes. Most waffle-makers have a “done” light that lets you know when it’s done.
- Serve/store: Serve hot with vegan butter and syrup. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- How to freeze: Alternatively, the pancakes can be kept frozen for up to a month. Allow pancakes to cool completely, then place in an airtight, freezer safe bag. I like to cut some parchment paper squares to place between each so they don’t freeze together.
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