These vegan kimchi pancakes or kimchi-jeon 김치전 are my personal favourite.
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 in the Philippines. I love the flavour of kimchi and how well its spice and tanginess go with these pancakes.
KIMCHI PANCAKES OR KIMCHI JEON
Kimchi-jeon is basically made with kimchi and a little scallions as base—it’s thinner than pajeon but packed with so much flavour from the kimchi!
전 or jeon is Korean for pancake/fritter. There are many different types of 전/jeon and you can make other types of jeon such as yachaejeon (vegetable pancakes - recipe here) and pajeon (scallion/green onion pancakes - recipe here)
I also enjoyed my pancakes with some dipping sauce that adds that extra tastiness to cap off this delicious dish.
VEGAN KIMCHI 김치 FOR THE PANCAKE BATTER
I highly recommend using really fermented kimchi that really packs a flavourful punch.
I like to ferment my homemade vegan kimchi in room temperature first before I store it in the refrigerator to ferment at a slower pace.
Do note that fermentation time can vary depending on your room temperature!
I love to make my own kimchi, but if you're looking to purchase kimchi, make sure it has no fish sauce or shrimp paste.
You can get my homemade kimchi recipe here.
KIMCHI PANCAKE BATTER
You'll need:
- all purpose flour
- potato starch or corn starch
- salt
- vegan kimchi, homemade kimchi recipe here
- room temperature water
- kimchi juice, I squeezed my kimchi well to get lots of liquid!
- chopped scallions
Full detailed recipe is in the card down below!
To make: I just mix everything up in a bowl. You may need to add a bit more water if needed, especially if your batter is a bit too thick.
COOKING THE KIMCHI PANCAKES
I love to pan-fry my kimchi to a crisp on the sides before I flip them over. You'l see that it starts to dry up while cooking and then when the batter on top is no longer wet or runny, you can flip it.
After cooking, I like to cut my kimchi pancakes into bite-sized pieces to be able to eat them easier since I eat with chopsticks.
You can also see how I make my kimchi pancake in the video below along with other kimchi recipes!
You'll find the kimchi jeon and dipping sauce recipes below!
Are you looking for more delicious, vegan recipes?
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!
If you make this recipe, please tag me on my Facebook or Instagram and use the hashtag #thefoodietakesflight :)
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
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