Korean Kimchi Pancake

Quick answer

Total time: 22 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Kimchi-jeon is a Korean savory pancake made by chopping well-fermented kimchi into small pieces, mixing it into a batter of pancake flour, kimchi brine, and chili flakes, then frying the batter in oil until both sides turn golden and crisp.

Using kimchi brine instead of plain water is the central technique: the lactic acid from fermentation adds a tangy depth to the flour base that water simply cannot provide. The batter consistency varies with how wet the kimchi is, so the target is a texture that runs slowly rather than puddles, which usually requires less liquid than might seem necessary. Neutral cooking oil or perilla oil suits the flavor profile better than olive oil, preserving the characteristic savory aroma of Korean pan-fried foods. Four minutes on the first side over medium-high heat followed by three minutes after flipping produces a crust that is genuinely crisp at the surface while the inside stays moist from the kimchi's own liquid. Pressing lightly with a spatula before flipping helps confirm that the underside has set firmly enough to hold its shape. A pancake that is too thin burns before it develops flavor, and one that is too thick leaves the interior underdone. Kimchi-jeon is at its best immediately off the pan, but a brief return to a dry skillet restores most of the crispness when reheating leftovers.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

well-fermented kimchi180 gg

kimchi brine60 mlml

Korean pancake mix120 gg

water80 mlml

gochugaru½ tbsptbsp

cooking oil2½ tbsptbsp

sugar½ tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Shake off excess brine from 180 g well-fermented kimchi, then chop it into even 1 cm pieces.

Keep the pieces fairly small so they mix through the batter without tearing the pancake as it spreads.
2

Season

In a bowl, loosen 120 g Korean pancake mix with 60 ml kimchi brine and 80 ml water.

Stir in 0.5 tablespoon gochugaru and 0.5 teaspoon sugar until no dry flour pockets remain.
3

Prep

Fold the chopped kimchi into the batter with chopsticks or a spoon, mixing only until evenly distributed.

The batter should run slowly from the spoon but not spread like water when it lands.
4

Control

Heat the pan over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, then add 2.5 tablespoons cooking oil and spread it across the surface.

Pour in the batter thinly and evenly, tidying the edges before they set.
5

Heat

Keep the heat at medium-high and cook the first side for 4 minutes.

Flip only when the edges look browned and dry and the top feels set enough to support with a spatula.
6

Finish

After flipping, cook for 3 more minutes and press the center lightly to check that it feels crisp rather than soft.

Rest briefly on paper towel, then slice and serve immediately while the crust is still crisp.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Kimchi-jeon utilizes fermented brine within the batter to mix tangy depth into every bite.
Finish cue: After flipping, cook for 3 more minutes and press the center lightly to check that it feels crisp rather than soft.
Avoid this: A thick batter layer can make the pancake soggy.
Substitution: Using kimchi brine instead of plain water is the central technique: the lactic acid from fermentation adds a tangy depth to the flour base that water simply cannot provide.
Storage and reheating: Kimchi-jeon is at its best immediately off the pan, but a brief return to a dry skillet restores most of the crispness when reheating leftovers.