Vegan Kimchi Cheese & Sweet Corn Pancakes (Korean Kimchi Jeon-Inspired!)

5 from 2 votes

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!

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Asian, Fusion, Korean

Servings eight-inch pancakes

Calories 189 kcal

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.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

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