Kimchijeon
Tangy kimchi pancake, crisp at the edges.
Ingredients
- 250 g Kimchi
- 120 g All-purpose flour
- 3 Scallions
- 4 tbsp Neutral oil
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Gochugaru (optional)
- 1 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)
Method
- Drain the kimchi over a bowl, reserving the juice. Chop the kimchi and thinly slice the scallions.
- Whisk the flour and gochugaru with the reserved kimchi juice and about 120 ml cold water to a thin, just-pourable batter, then fold in the chopped kimchi and scallions.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high until it shimmers.
- Pour the batter into the hot oil and spread it thin. Fry undisturbed about 4 minutes until the underside is set and golden, then flip and fry 4 minutes more until crisp and golden.
- While the pancake fries, whisk the soy, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame seeds into a dipping sauce.
- Cut the pancake into pieces and serve hot with the dipping sauce.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Kimchijeon
Kimchijeon is the Korean kimchi pancake, a member of the wide jeon family of savory pan-fried batters and one of the simplest ways to turn a jar of aging kimchi into something crave-worthy. A thin flour batter is loosened with the reserved kimchi juice itself, which colors and seasons the whole pancake, then folded with chopped kimchi and scallions and fried flat until the edges go lacy and crisp. It is tangy, savory, and faintly spicy from the gochugaru, with a contrast between the crackly exterior and the soft, tender center. This version happens to be vegan, relying entirely on the kimchi and batter for its flavor.
The secret to the right texture is using the kimchi's own drained juice in the batter and keeping that batter thin and just pourable, then spreading it thin in hot oil and frying it undisturbed so the underside sets into a proper golden crust before flipping. A generously oiled, hot pan is what delivers the prized crisp edges. Kimchijeon is classic drinking and snacking food, cut into wedges and shared, and it is traditionally served with a dipping sauce of soy, rice vinegar, and sesame that adds a sharp, salty counterpoint. Ready in under twenty minutes from pantry basics, it is a rewarding way to use up kimchi that has grown too sour to eat on its own.
Kimchijeon: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Kimchijeon?
A serving has about 517 calories — 10.4g protein, 55.9g carbs, 29.3g fat, 3.3g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Kimchijeon gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains All-purpose flour, Light soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Kimchijeon?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out gochugaru, sesame seeds — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Kimchijeon make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.