Last updated on May 12th, 2023

Ricotta Crepes (Low-Carb English-Style Pancakes)

Low-Carb Ricotta Crepes are easy to make and the perfect grain-free recipe substitute for the old-fashioned pancakes everyone in England goes crazy about on Pancake day, i.e. Shrove Tuesday. Do you miss making them? I certainly do.

These crepes are versatile, from fruit and whipped cream-filled crepes for dessert to a savoury protein wrap for lunch; this recipe is handy for Shrove Tuesday and beyond.

thin handkerchief-like pancakes…

This is one of my favourite recipes because making these delicious crepes reminds me of a childhood memory growing up in England. An innocent time when I thought Pancake day was the only time people made thin handkerchief-like pancakes. When the locals talked about racing down the street with them, it meant they’d be flipping pancakes in the air with a crepe pan, a customary English tradition that goes back many years.

Ricotta Crepes are versatile…

These Ricotta Crepes can be served like English-style pancakes, traditionally sprinkled with sugar and lemon juice, except with these low-carb crepes, all you have to do is replace the white sugar with a natural sweetener to keep the carbs low. Ricotta crepes are versatile, too and need very few ingredients, with the bonus of using them for savoury wraps.

sprinkled with sweetener and lemon juice…

While I won’t be racing down the road tossing pancakes in the air, I may toss them at home with no one looking and enjoy them English style, sprinkled with sweetener and lemon juice, with a cup of coffee in hand.

What’s to love about Ricotta Crepes

• If you miss eating English pancakes, then these delicious crepes come very close to tasting like the original. 
• These crepes are low-carb, with 1g net carbs per crepe, and they are also gluten-free, made without flour and replaced with coconut flour.
• Psyllium husk in this recipe amps up the fibre, so there’s no need to add grains.
• Make these crepes with a few easy steps, and once you’ve mastered swirling the batter in the pan, you may even get the infamous TOSS out of a few of them.
• These crepes are pliable enough to be folded or rolled up, so you can customize them for savoury and sweet dishes. Fill them with deli meats for lunch or ice cream and low-carb fruits for dessert. Sometimes, I’ve used them as roti (flatbread) to accompany curry dishes.
• Ricotta Crepes keep well in the refrigerator and are easy to freeze, convenient for meal prep.
• This recipe does not leave you with an ‘eggy’ taste as it uses liquid egg whites instead of whole eggs.

What is Shrove Tuesday?

Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake day, is the last day on the Christian calendar before the start of Lent (Ash Wednesday), when fasting begins 40 days before Easter.

Traditionally, it’s a time for feasting, when all dairy and fatty foods like milk, eggs, flour, and butter are used up, which coincidently became the main ingredients in making flat cakes; hence the pancake, to avoid the temptation of eating them during the fasting period. 

Shrove Tuesday is also called Carnival Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday, depending on where it is celebrated worldwide. It is most famously celebrated in New Orleans as Fat Tuesday, with a huge colourful carnival known as Mardi Gras, where Creole and Cajun dishes like Tiana’s Low-Carb Jambalaya become the main fare of the day.

tossing and flipping pancakes…

In England, tossing and flipping pancakes in the air while racing down streets to get to the finish line goes hand in hand with Pancake day. 

The pancake race has been an English celebration since 1445 and began in Olney. In this English town, a local woman ran to the Parish church while tossing a pancake in the air to prevent it from burning and avoid being late for service, thus beginning the tradition of the pancake race. 

Communities all over England participate in the pancake race, usually in fancy costumes, for an exciting, fun-filled activity and charity fundraising event. 

Ingredients to make Ricotta Crepes (Low-Carb)

Liquid egg whites – make the crepes light and soft without an eggy taste.

Ricotta Cheese – blends easily into the mixture, keeping the batter smooth.

Coconut Flour – adds a little bulk to thicken the batter, so it spreads evenly.

Ground Psyllium husk – provides fibre and helps to bind all the ingredients. Look for it in specialty stores or ask for it in South Asian grocery markets – it’s usually behind the cashier 😉

Salt – adds flavour to the batter.

Butter – for coating the pan.

Let’s make Ricotta Crepes (Low-Carb)

Bring a flat crepe pan or frying pan to medium heat. Blitz all the ingredients (except butter) using an electric stick blender or food processor. The batter should be thin and smooth, so keep blending until there are no lumps left from the ricotta cheese.

Melt about a teaspoon of butter in the pan. I use the end of a butter stick, it’s so much easier to coat the pan. Pour ⅓ cup of the batter into the centre of the pan, the batter will cook quickly as it hits the hot pan, so swirl the pan around quickly to cover the whole surface. You may need to fill in some gaps or shake the pan to and fro to let the batter spill into the gaps.

Now leave it alone to cook on one side until it has browned, flip it over when the edges start to curl or wait until the edges start to shrink, then use a spatula to lift one side to see if it’s browning on the underside. Slide the spatula underneath and flip the crepe over.

Cook the crepe for a few minutes more on the flipped side. You may need to reduce the heat to prevent the crepe from burning. Remove the crepe from the pan and transfer it to a warm plate. 

Melt butter in the pan and repeat, making crepes with the rest of the batter. Serve the crepes folded or rolled up and sprinkled with lemon juice and sweetener.

How to Get Perfectly Round Crepes

If you’re anything like me, there’s always one edge of the pan with a gap without batter, so I add a dab of extra batter in the gaps to fill them up. It’s not cheating, and no one will know. Shh!

Another way to get a perfectly round shape is to swirl the batter quickly until most of it covers the pan right up to the edge. If there are a few gaps where the batter has fallen short, stop swirling and keep the pan straight, then give it a slight nudge or shake in a to-and-fro motion to help the batter fill in the gaps. It’s quite a neat trick!

Helpful tips for making the best Ricotta Crepes

• Preheat the pan to medium heat while you make the batter.
• Use a ⅓ cup measuring jug or a ladle to pour the batter. 
• Ensure the batter doesn’t overcook the first side because the middle part will get crispy and won’t be pliable. 
• While making the crepes, the batter may begin to thicken as it sits in the container. I add a bit of extra egg white one spoonful at a time to bring it back to a pourable consistency.
• Once you flip the crepe over, let the flipped side cook for a few minutes. You may need to turn the heat down a little bit.
• Coat the pan with a bit of butter for each crepe to get a golden colour.
• Keep the pan at a constant temperature for the crepes to brown evenly.

How to Serve Ricotta Crepes

Traditionally, English pancakes are served with lemon juice, sprinkled with sugar and rolled up, but you may like to try these ideas:

Sweet fillings:

• Strawberries and Keto Vanilla Ice cream
• Peanut butter and Chia Jam
• Blueberries with Whipped Cream
• Bananas (in moderation for low-carb) & Keto Maple Syrup
• Low-Carb Raspberry Cheesecake Mousse

Savoury fillings:

• Deli meats: Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Salami
• Cheese Slices
• Samosa filling (rutabaga, carrots & peas)
• Scrambled eggs, bacon and avocado
• Tex-Mex shredded chicken with tomatoes and guacamole.

Storage Tips

Storage:

Store ricotta crepes in a ziplock bag and keeps them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing:

Lay parchment paper or wax paper in between the crepes and place them in a ziplock bag or container, and freeze for up to 1 month.

Did you make this recipe?

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