Bringing you not one, but 2 recipes for these KOREAN PANCAKES!
These Savoury Vegan Korean pancakes are of course vegan and really simple to put together. The bases are basically the batter and from there you can opt to mix-in other vegetables of your choice. I have here two recipes: 1) a classic scallion pancake or pa jeon, that you can easily make into vegetable pancakes or yachaejeon by mixing other vegetables of choice and 2) kimchi pancakes or kimchi jeon!
2 Korean Pancakes: Pajeon and Kimchi Jeon
These two are probably my favourite Korean pancakes out of the many different varieties. Both recipes are easily customisable and you can opt to add extra veggies if your choice to the batter.
First up is—a pajeon, which literally translates to green onion/scallion (pa) and pancake (jeon).
The main ingredient is of course the green onions/scallions but for this Korean scallion pancake, I also add in some other vegetables and mushrooms to go with the scallions.
With this, my Pajeon basically becomes Yachaejeon, which literally translates to Vegetable Pancake because of the addition of other vegetables. So this is a really flexible recipe. The batter is the base and you can pretty much add in other vegetables of your choice or just stick to green onions!
THE KOREAN SCALLION PANCAKE OR PAJEON BATTER
This is a thick batter–almost similar to regular pancakes you’d make for breakfast!
SCALLIONS OR GREEN ONIONS AND OTHER VEGETABLES OF CHOICE
Sliced up the veggies and mushrooms of choice. Again, this is a very flexible recipe. The essential ingredient here is the green onions or scallions but I love to add more vegetables to mine to make a vegetable pancake (Yachaejeon).
COOKING THE PANCAKES
I find that using a non-stick pan when cooking these pancakes really helps with ease of flipping and making sure the Korean pancake batter doesn’t stick.
Heated up a pan with enough oil to almost coat the surface.
And then when it’s hot, I added in some of the veggies and the batter:
Layer those veggies!
Covered the veggies with some of the batter.
Topped with more veggies:
Flipped the pancake over! Look at that golden brown bottom:
When the other side is golden brown too, remove it from the pan. ◡̈
Another option: simply mix all the vegetables into the pancake batter mix and cook it by spreading the pancake evenly!
NEXT UP: THE KOREAN KIMCHI PANCAKES OR KIMCHI JEON
The second one is a kimchi-jeon, my personal favourite which is a kimchi pancake. I honestly love kimchi so much and I was so happy I got to recreate and veganize one of my favourite dishes I grew up enjoying from korean restaurants here.
So yeah, a kimchi-jeon is basically made with kimchi and a little scallions as base—it’s made thinner but packed with so much flavour from the kimchi!
HOMEMADE VEGAN KIMCHI
I love to make my own kimchi, but if you’re looking to purchase kimchi, make sure it has no fish sauce!
See how I make my kimchi pancake in the video here!
Get my homemade vegan kimchi recipe here.
Here’s a bottle of vegan kimchi I get from groceries here in Manila:
The kimchi pancake batter:
The kimchi pancake batter is runnier and not as thick as the pajeon batter.
COOKING THE KIMCHI PANCAKE
Kimchi pancakes are also a bit thinner than pajeon.
Flip over to cook the remaining side.
DIPPING SAUCE
You can enjoy your pancakes with some dipping sauce. See the dipping sauce recipe here.
Check out the full recipes for both Korean pancakes below along with the dipping sauce!
You might enjoy these other vegan and Korean recipes:
- Sundubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)
- Kimchi Noodle Soup with Dumplings
- Kimchi Noodle Stir-Fry
- Jjajangmyeon
- Crispy Wontons
- Vegetable Dumplings
- Chinese Chive Pies
- Pan-Fried Cabbage and Noodle Buns
- Wontons in Chili Broth
- Scallion and Sesame Buns
- Scallion Bing or Flat Bread
Looking for more Vegan Asian recipes?
You can get a copy of my upcoming cookbook, Vegan Asian!
If you crave vegan-friendly versions of classic Asian dishes, this cookbook is packed with Southeast and East Asian dishes inspired by those I grew up enjoying at home and those I’ve tried from my travels. From iconic Thai dishes to piping-hot Japanese fare and everything in between, the recipes in this will take your palate on a delicious food trip across Asia, and hopefully keep you coming back for more!
KOREAN PANCAKE RECIPES
Vegan Pajeon 파전 (Korean Scallion/Green Onion Pancakes)
Ingredients
Batter
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour , 130g
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp corn starch or potato starch, 27g
- 1 tsp salt or black salt (kala namak), see notes
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder optional for colour
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup room temperature water , plus additional 2-4 tbsp water to adjust consistency
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
Vegetables and Mushrooms
- 1 small white onion sliced
- 1 small carrot peeled and thinly julienned
- 1 bunch scallions or green onions ends removed and sliced
- 2 large king oyster mushrooms halved then thinly sliced (see notes)
- 2 green chiles or japaleños thinly sliced (optional for heat)
- Neutral oil for cooking
To Serve and Enjoy
- Homemade dipping sauce or store-bought sauce mix (dipping sauce recipe here)
- Vegan kimchi
- Sundubu Jjigae or Korean Soft Tofu Stew
Instructions
- You can check out the a complete step-by-step on how to make the pajeon in the photos above or in the video below.
Preparing the pancake batter
- In a large mixing bowl, add in all the dry ingredient. Mix well.
- Slowly pour in the water while mixing. Mix until you’ve reached a batter consistency. Add the sesame oil and then mix. If the batter is still too thick, you can add 2-4 tbsp more water.
- Another option for the batter is to mix in the veggies into the batter and mix evenly to coat. If doing so, you'll just need to evenly spread the batter with the veggies later on when cooking.
Cooking the pancake
- Heat a medium/large non-stick pan over medium high heat. Note that the size of your pancake will depend on the size of your pan.IMPORTANT: I highly recomment using a non-stick pan for the best results and so that your pancakes do not stick to your pan.It's also important that your pan has been preheated well and is hot before you add in the oil and the veggies/batter.
- Add enough oil to add to coat the surface of the pan. Once hot, add in the sliced onions, carrots, scallions, chiles, and mushrooms—basically enough veggies to almost cover the pan. Leave to cook to a tender crisp for 1-2 minutes.Skip this step if you mixed the veggies into the batter.
- Scoop around half of batter into the pan and carefully spread to cover the vegetables. Note that the amount you add will depend on the size of your pan.
- Place more veggies on the top of the pancake and carefully press down onto the batter. Lower the heat to medium. You can cover the pan to allow the inside of the pancake to cook especially if you’re making a thicker pancake. Cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
- Once the sides start to dry up, carefully scrape the sides and the underneath of the pancake with a spatula to ensure it hasn’t stuck to the pan. Once it’s golden brown underneath and crisp to your liking, carefully flip the pancake with a spatula. Cook the other side until golden brown and crisp. Repeat this for the rest of the batter.
- Slice your pancakes into small squares or bite-sized pieces. This is best enjoyed with a good dipping sauce but you can enjoy it plain too! See dipping sauce recipe here.I also find it a lot easier to cut the pancakes using a pair of scissors.
- How to enjoy your jeon? I love mine with a hearty Sundubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew) or Jjajangmyeon. Best enjoyed with some Vegan Kimchi, too!
Storage and reheating tip
- Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate. Pan fry the pancakes or pajeon on a pan for 2-3 minutes on each side until crisp.
WATCH Video
Notes
Mushrooms
- I personally prefer king oyster mushrooms for this recipe because these have a rubbery texture, similar to squid and scallops so I find these are a good vegan substitute.
Other mushrooms I can recommend are oyster mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms.
Salt
- black salt or kala namak has an egg-like taste and smell due to its sulphur content. This can definitely add a layer of ‘egg’ flavour to your pancakes.
NUTRITIONAL INFO
Vegan Korean Kimchi Pancakes, 김치전 or Kimchi-jeon
Ingredients
Kimchi Jeon
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp potato starch or corn starch
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste* see notes
- ¾ cup chopped vegan kimchi** see notes , homemade kimchi recipe here
- 1/2 cup room temperature water , add 1/8 to 1/4 cup or more as needed
- ½ cup kimchi juice , I squeezed my kimchi well to get lots of liquid!
- ¼ cup chopped scallions or spring onions, optional
- 3 tbsp neutral oil or more for cooking
To Serve and Enjoy
- 1 serving homemade dipping sauce , see the dipping sauce recipe here
- Vegan kimchi
- Sundubu Jjigae or Korean Soft Tofu Stew
Instructions
Preparing the Batter
- You can watch the video below to see how to make the pancakes.
- In a mixing bowl, add in flour, potato or corn starch, and salt. Mix well. Mix the kimchi liquid and water together. Slowly add the liquid to the dry mixture while mixing. Mix until you’ve reached a batter consistency. Fold in the sliced kimchi and scallions.
- Mix the batter until well incorporated.
- If your batter is a little too thick, feel free to add around 1/8 to 1/4 cup or more water and then season with a bit of salt if needed. You'll want a batter that's not too thick and easy to spread to be able to make thin and crisp pancakes.
- Mix the batter well and then prepare a large spoon or ladle for cooking.
Cooking the Pancakes
- Heat a medium-sized non-stick pan or skillet over medium high heat. Note that the size of your pancake will depend on the size of your pan. Add a generous amount of oil.
- Pour in around 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the batter. Note that this will depend on the size of your pan. You can evenly spread out the batter and piece sof kimchi until you have a pancake that should be around be around ¼ to ½-inch thick. Cook the pancake for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
- Once the sides start to dry up, carefully scrape the sides with a spatula to ensure it hasn’t stuck to the pan. Once the pancake is crispy and has some brown spots underneath, carefully flip the pancake with a spatula. Cook the other side until brown and crisp. Repeat this for the rest of the batter.
- Transfer the pancakes on to a plate or chopping board. You can slice them into smaller pieces. This is best enjoyed with a good dipping sauce! See the dipping sauce recipe here.
- How to enjoy your jeon? I love mine with a hearty Sundubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew) or Jjajangmyeon. Best enjoyed with some Vegan Kimchi, too!
WATCH Video
Notes
NUTRITIONAL INFO
You can pin these images:
This Post Has 12 Comments
I never leave comments on recipes because they ask for my email and it just seems like a lot…but I did it this time because I wanted you to know that the pajeon recipe (the only one I’ve tried so far) is SO AMAZING!!!! I add some spices into the pancake mix as well and it’s so delicious. Thank you for making this recipe so that one day I could find it and cook and eat this excellent food!
Hii!! This really makes me so so happy. Thank you so much, I appreciate it a lot! 🙂
I had to run over here after making the kimchi jeon–I made this with your dipping sauce tonight for my fiance, who is white American but lived in Korea for years and loves Korean food. I was nervous to make it for him but he loved it and said “Success!!” after he was done. So thank you!
Both are bookmarked and I’ll make them again 😀
Hi!! So happy to hear that he enjoyed it ?thanks so much!!
Love the flavour but the inside was a bit mushy in texture. Any suggestions?! If I cooked it any longer it would have burned and I had it on medium-low. Is it supposed to be fluffy like pancake batter ?
Hi Rachel! The inside is really a bit mushy especially if the batter isn’t spread as thin. It’s not supposed to be fluffy, but more of a fritter-type consistency if that makes sense. ◡̈
Absolutely delicious !! Thank you for this
i have been dreading making asian recipes but this year i am determined to conquer my fear – your recipes are a BREEZE to follow and super easy and extremely delicious – i appreciate your work!
Thanks Jheel and so glad you fave them a try this year hehe
I just made these for dinner and they were excellent! Even my kid gobbled them up. They went really well with the dipping sauce, some store bought Korean dumplings, fresh cucumber slices and rice. Will definitely make again!
Easy to make, just takes a little bit of time to cut up the veggies. The taste and texture were amazing, even better than I expected! I used the dipping sauce recipe as well and highly recommend it. Will definitely be making these again. Thank you!
Thanks as well, Lindsey! ◡̈