These high-protein ricotta pancakes are fluffy, moist, and perfectly sweetened! If you’re looking for a delicious way to get in a great protein-rich breakfast, you gotta try these out!

You’ve probably seen your fair share of “high protein” recipes buzzing around TikTok, Instagram, and honestly pretty much anywhere. Protein is in the spotlight right now, and for some very good reasons. Keep reading as we discuss some benefits of getting in enough protein, and, well, the recipe too, cause that’s why you’re here, right?

Protein - is it worth the hype?

Now, as a dietitian, I always advocate for balance (meaning getting in carbs, fats, fibre, and yes, our beloved protein), however there are a few reasons why ensuring you do get enough protein is very important. To name a few:

• proteins are made up of amino acids, which are essential building blocks for things like our muscles, bones, skin, hair, hormones, and immune system, to name a few. They’re very important for muscle repair and recovery during sports and activities, so if you’re an avid outdoorsperson or gym-goer, getting enough protein to support your muscles is essential.

• protein provides satiety, meaning fullness. To keep you feeling full and satisfied longer and help prevent big ups and downs in your blood sugars (hello sugar high and hanger crash), getting protein in every meal (and ideally every snack too) is super helpful.

• supports a healthy metabolism. This is somewhat linked to muscle mass, as our muscle mass has a large impact on our metabolic rate (how much energy we need to function/stay nourished). The greater muscle mass we have, generally the higher our metabolic rate will be. Additionally, protein has a higher thermic effect of food than carbs and fats, meaning it takes more energy to digest and utilize protein than it does the other two (equalling a slightly higher energy usage when eating higher protein).

Okay, so you get the gist, protein is kinda an important thing for a few reasons. Now, let’s FINALLY talk about the recipe.

Ingredients

Apart from all your standard pancake ingredients (flour, baking powder, egg, milk, vanilla, etc.), there’s a few specifics I want to point out:

Ricotta is a great high-protein dairy source and I love to use it in things like pancakes, pasta sauces, snack dips, etc. It also provides moisture so the pancakes aren’t dry, as well as just a slight amount of tang, kinda similar to buttermilk. You can just as easily use cottage cheese in place of ricotta in this recipe.

Sweetener of choice: I chose honey because I love the flavour so much (I eat it almost every morning on my toast with PB) but you can sub for your choice of maple syrup, agave, sugar, or whatever you prefer.

Toppings: this is all on you! Pick what you prefer. A quick tip: if you’re wanting to boost protein even more, top with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or peanut butter and your choice of fruit! Oh and of course, a drizzle of maple syrup.