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I love the combo of kimchi and cheese. I really love how versatile kimchi is and from these Vegan Kimchi Cheese & Sweet Corn Pancakes you’ll get that somewhat crisp, tangy bite from the kimchi, rich saltiness from the cheese, and the sweetness from the corn.
These pancakes are inspired by my love for Korean Kimchi Pancakes or Kimchi Jeon that I wanted to add a little twist to!
THE INSPIRATION: MY LOVE FOR KOREAN PANCAKES OR JEON 전
If you’ve been following this blog or my Instagram for a while, you’ve probably noticed how often I make some form of Korean Pancake or Jeon (전).
I love how easy it is to mix in whatever vegetables you have or pack it in with lots of green onions to make 파전 or green onion pancakes so making a pancake is in my weekly rotation of go-to recipes.
Making pancakes in big batches is great for meal-prep too, since I get to just reheat leftovers on a pan until they’re nice and crisp again.
CHECK OUT MY OTHER KOREAN PANCAKE (JEON 전) RECIPES:
- Kimchi Pancakes or Kimchi Jeon
- Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancakes)
- Yachaejeon (Korean Vegetable Pancakes)
For these kimchi, cheese and sweet corn pancakes (kimcheese and sweet corn pancakes, as I like to call them):
- Are packed with a delicious bite and hint of acidity and spice from the kimchi, saltiness from the cheese, and sweet ness from the corn
- Are easily customisable–you can add other vegetables of your choice
- Can be made into smaller pieces (like fritters!) if you like
- Can be made in big batches for meal prep
LET’S MAKE THESE KIMCHI, CHEESE & CORN PANCAKES!
PREPARE THE BATTER
- In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Add in the the 1/2 cup corn water/water, 1/2 cup kimchi juice, and gochujang. Mix well until you have thick batter consistency.
- Add in the kimchi and cut up into smaller pieces, if desired. I simply used a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the kimchi. Add in the corn and green onions/scallions (if using).
- If your kimchi and corn kernels don’t have much liquid, add more kimchi juice or water until you have a runnier batter consistency.
TO MIX OR NOT TO MIX THE CHEESE?
- If you want to mix the vegan cheese into the batter, go ahead! If not, set it aside for topping later on (during cooking).
- Do note that some vegan cheese brands can be quite salty to you can taste the batter and adjust accordingly. If your batter is a bit bland, feel free to season with a bit more salt. Mix everything well into the batter.
MIXING THE CHEESE IN THE BATTER yields a more even cheese distribution throughout the pancake. It’s really up to you! I tried both options and of course the faster more hands-off method is to just mix it all in the batter. But I wanted to test it out too.
COOKING THE KIMCHI PANCAKES
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Note that the size of your pancakes will depend on your pan. I like to use a non-stick pan so I can use less oil when cooking. If you’re using a skillet or cast iron pan, you’ll need to cover the surface of your pan with oil to prevent the pancake from sticking.
- Add a generous amount of oil on the pan. I find that the oil adds to the nice crispness you’ll want in pancakes.
- Add enough batter to cover the surface of the pan and then evenly spread out. IF you didn’t add cheese into the batter, sprinkle a generous amount over the top of the pancake. Afterwards, you can scoop a bit more patter to spread evenly on top.
- Cook the pancake over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until the sides start the dry up and the bottom is golden brown and crisp.
- Flip over and cook the other side til golden brown and crisp.
- Repeat this for the rest of the batter until you’ve cooked all your pancakes. I cut mine into smaller pieces using a pair of scissors.
- These are best enjoyed while hot!
You’ll find the full recipe below. Enjoy!
KOREAN VEGAN RECIPES YOU MIGHT LOVE:
- “Beef” Bulgogi Bowls
- Vegan Kimchi
- Korean Beansprout Salad
- Bibim Guksu (Korean Mixed Noodles)
- Sundubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)
- Kimchi Noodle Soup with Dumplings
- Kimchi Noodle Stir-Fry
- Jjajangmyeon
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!
Vegan Kimchi Cheese & Sweet Corn Pancakes (Korean Kimchi Jeon-Inspired!)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (130 g)
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp corn starch (27 g)
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more if needed
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup corn water liquid from the can or room temperature water
- 1/2 cup vegan kimchi juice plus more if needed
- 1/3 cup kimchi juice or water if needed (see notes)
- 1 tbsp gochujang or Korean chili paste (see notes)
Mix-Ins
- 1 cup cooked sweet corn kernels
- 1 cup vegan kimchi chopped (see homemade kimchi recipe here)
- 2 green onions or scallions chopped
- 1-1 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella shreds or other type of choice (see notes)
For Cooking & Serving
- Neutral oil (I used vegetable)
- Chopped scallions or green onions , for topping (optional)
- Homemade dipping sauce , optional (see the dipping sauce recipe here)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Add in the the 1/2 cup corn water/water, 1/2 cup kimchi juice, and gochujang. Mix well until you have thick batter consistency.
- Add in the kimchi and cut up into smaller pieces, if desired. I simply used a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the kimchi. Add in the corn and green onions/scallions (if using).
- If your kimchi and corn kernels don’t have much liquid, add more kimchi juice or water until you have a runnier batter consistency.
- If you want to mix the vegan cheese into the batter, you can add it at this point. Do note that some vegan cheese brands can be quite salty to you can taste the batter and adjust accordingly. If your batter is a bit bland, feel free to season with a bit more salt. Mix everything well into the batter.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Note that the size of your pancakes will depend on your pan. I like to use a non-stick pan so I can use less oil when cooking. If you’re using a skillet or cast iron pan, you’ll need to cover the surface of your pan with oil to prevent the pancake from sticking.
- Add a generous amount of oil on the pan. I find that the oil adds to the nice crispness you'll want in pancakes.
- Add enough batter to cover the surface of the pan and then evenly spread out. IF you didn’t add cheese into the batter, sprinkle a generous amount over the top of the pancake. Afterwards, you can scoop a bit more patter to spread evenly on top.
- Cook the pancake over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until the sides start the dry up and the bottom is golden brown and crisp.
- Flip over and cook the other side til golden brown and crisp.
- Repeat this for the rest of the batter until you’ve cooked all your pancakes. I cut mine into smaller pieces using a pair of scissors.
- These are best enjoyed while hot!
WATCH Video
Notes
VEGAN CHEESE
- If you want to mix the vegan cheese into the batter, you can. This yields a more even cheese distribution throughout the pancake. If not, you can simply sprinkle the cheese over the pancakes while they cook.
- Do note that some vegan cheese brands can be quite salty to you can taste the batter and adjust accordingly. If your batter is a bit bland, feel free to season with a bit more salt. Mix everything well into the batter.
KIMCHI JUICE
- I highly recommend using kimchi juice over water since it packs more flavour.
BATTER CONSISTENCY
- This is a thick pancake batter consistency. But if your kimchi and corn kernels don’t have much liquid, add more kimchi juice or water until you have a runnier batter consistency that’s easier to work with and spread over the pan during cooking.
GOCHUJANG
- The gochujang or Korean chili paste here adds that extra umami flavour and bit of spice. If you don’t have gochujang, I recommend adding 1/2 tbsp miso paste and some chili or hot sauce of choice.
This Post Has 4 Comments
So yummy thank you! I realized last minute my corn was creamy corn and that I was out of gochujang, but I replaced it with fried chili crisp and oil and still was amazing!
Oooh that creamy corn must’ve made the batter a lot creamier?? and chili crisp is def a good idea too! Thanks isa! ◡̈
These really are easy. I made it as is the first time but after that I cut the bp back to 2 t the sugar in half since syrup is sweet enough and the salt in half. I use melted butter instead of oil.
Thanks Galilea!! ◡̈