Korean Kimchi Pancake
Well-fermented kimchi is chopped fine and mixed into a batter of Korean pancake mix, kimchi brine, and chili flakes, then fried in oil until both sides turn golden. Adding the kimchi brine directly into the batter is the key step, as its lactic acid tang brings depth that plain water cannot. Cooking four minutes on the first side and three on the second produces a crisp exterior while the interior stays moist from the kimchi moisture.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Chop kimchi into small 1 cm pieces.
- 2
Mix pancake mix, kimchi brine, water, gochugaru, and sugar.
- 3
Fold in kimchi and adjust to a pourable batter consistency.
- 4
Add oil to a hot pan and spread the batter thinly.
- 5
Cook 4 minutes on medium-high, flip, and cook 3 more minutes.
- 6
Drain briefly on paper towel, then slice and serve.
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Tips
Nutrition (per serving)
More Recipes
Korean Kimchi Potato Jeon
Potatoes are grated to release their starch, then combined with chopped napa kimchi, Korean pancake mix, green onion, and Cheongyang chili to form a batter. The mixture is spread thinly in an oiled pan and fried on both sides until golden and crisp. Pouring off the potato water and keeping only the settled starch before mixing intensifies the crunch. The tangy fermentation of the kimchi plays against the potato's mild sweetness in every bite.
Korean Tuna and Kimchi Pancake
Chamchi-kimchi-jeon is a Korean pancake made from drained canned tuna and finely chopped aged kimchi mixed into a simple batter of Korean pancake flour, water, and egg. The tuna provides mild protein bulk while the fermented kimchi delivers tangy acidity and deep umami, and the minimal batter lets both flavors come through without being muted. Using well-aged kimchi intensifies the sour depth that offsets the tuna's mildness, and the egg in the batter helps the pancake hold together during flipping. The whole dish comes together in under ten minutes from pantry staples, making it one of the quickest jeon varieties for a casual meal or drinking snack.
Korean Scallion Pancake
Pa-jeon is a Korean scallion pancake made by cutting scallions into six-to-seven-centimeter lengths, laying them across an oiled pan, and pouring a batter of Korean pancake mix, water, egg, and salt over them before frying on medium heat. Placing the scallions down first and adding batter on top ensures one side of the onions sits directly against the hot pan surface, caramelizing them and drawing out their natural sweetness. Batter consistency is the critical variable-too thick and the pancake becomes bread-like with too little scallion presence, too thin and the edges never crisp. Adding an extra drizzle of oil around the edges midway through cooking fries the rim almost like a fritter, creating a sharp textural contrast against the soft scallion center when dipped in soy dipping sauce.
Korean Kimchi Ramen Pancake
Kimchi ramyeon jeon is a Korean pancake made by mixing slightly undercooked ramen noodles (boiled for only two minutes) with chopped fermented kimchi, green onion, red chili flakes, and pancake-mix batter, then pan-frying until golden on both sides. Undercooking the noodles keeps them firm so they do not fall apart in the pan, maintaining a chewy bite. The kimchi's sourness and the chili flakes' heat layer over the batter's mild flavor, and spreading the mixture thinly ensures the edges fry to a crisp. The curly ramen strands create an uneven surface that produces pockets of extra crunch.
Korean Chive Kimchi Jeon (Spicy Fermented Kimchi Pancake)
Buchu-kimchi-jeon is a Korean pancake combining well-fermented aged kimchi and garlic chives in a batter made with cold water and a splash of kimchi brine. The brine does double duty: it tints the batter red and infuses it with the deep, tangy umami that only long-fermented kimchi produces. Cold water is essential here because it limits gluten development, resulting in a shatteringly crisp exterior rather than a chewy one. Thinly sliced hot green chili adds a sharper heat on top of the kimchi's sour spiciness, and the pancake must be cooked on a well-preheated pan over medium-high heat until the edges darken to a deep golden brown.
Korean Sweet Pumpkin Pancake
Steamed kabocha squash is mashed and mixed with glutinous rice flour and a small amount of all-purpose flour, then shaped into rounds and pan-fried. The glutinous rice flour gives each piece a pleasantly chewy, mochi-like texture, while the squash provides enough natural sweetness to keep added sugar minimal. The exterior crisps up in oil, encasing a soft, creamy center. Served warm, the squash's sweet, earthy aroma is at its most pronounced.