Jamie Oliver’s Brilliant 3-Ingredient Recipe Is Great for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver usually keeps things simple. His first cooking show, "The Naked Chef," celebrated the power of "stripped down" cooking using primarily essential ingredients. He still advocates for uncomplicated cooking, and in a recent interview, he shared the easiest recipe for pancakes, which he says "works every single time." This is one recipe you probably don't need to write down—it's that simple.

Jamie Oliver’s 3-Ingredient Pancake Recipe

In an interview posted on Instagram, Oliver gives the ingredients for what he calls "One Cup Pancakes."

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
  

In a YouTube video demonstrating the same recipe, he calls these "foolproof pancakes." To cook them, he butters a preheated skillet, ladles in the batter until the pancake is the desired size, and cooks it on one side until bubbles form on the top. Then, he lifts the pancake slightly to ensure it's ready to flip before flipping it.

Once he flips the pancake, he spreads butter on the cooked side while it's still cooking, which seems like a genius move to make sure every inch of the pancake is covered in melted butter. 

"Been using his method for years, never fails," said one commenter on Instagram, "Perfect pancakes every time." Another said, "Made it...amazingly delicious with butter and maple syrup. Use any cup... mug..tea cup…same equal measurements..simple."

The Versatility of Jamie Oliver’s Foolproof Pancakes

There are endless possibilities for putting your own spin on these pancakes. You can make a thinner batter, one that would result in a more crepe-like texture, simply by increasing the amount of milk until the batter is to your desired consistency.

In the video, Jamie says the finished pancake is now ready to be served sweet or savory. Here are some ideas for serving it either way.

Sweet:

• Add fruit to the pancake mix or on top of the pancakes when they’re done: bananas, blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries work well.
• Top the pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries.
• Sprinkle on chocolate chips right after you add the batter to the pan. 
• Spread hazelnut spread on the cooked pancakes.
• Top with brown sugar and cinnamon. 

Savory:

• Add crumbled, cooked bacon to the batter.
• Make the pancakes thin like crepes, top with diced ham and grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese until the cheese melts, and serve the pancakes folded in half or quarters.
• Use the pancakes instead of an English muffin to make a version of eggs Benedict. 
• Top with salsa and guacamole.