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The Cook Up with Adam Liaw
series • cooking
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series • cooking
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Golden, savoury and endlessly versatile, Korean pancakes (jeon) are among the most popular Korean street food snacks. From the much-loved spring onion pancake (pajeon) to punchy kimchi versions and seafood-studded haemul pajeon, these crisp-edged, chewy-centred dishes are best served with a soy-based dipping sauce and a glass of chilled makgeolli.
If you're not sure about how to make Korean pancakes at home, it may seem easiest to reach for a packet of ready-made Korean pancake mix – but as these recipes show, it’s just as easy to whisk together your own batter with a handful of pantry staples. Additions such as gochujang, kimchi, garlic chives, vegetables and even pork belly result in pancakes that are as adaptable as they are comforting.
And it’s not just the classic pajeon: yachaejeon is packed with vegetables, kimchi jeon brings a little heat and funk and bindaetteok are a naturally gluten-free style made from ground mung beans.
Whether served as a snack for friends, or alongside other Korean icons like fried chicken and tteokbokki, these Korean pancakes sit proudly in the canon of savoury pancakes around the world, like Japanese okonomiyaki and Indian dosa – each with their own distinctive character and culture.
A true Korean classic, the batter for this spring onion pancake comes together in a matter of minutes. Fry for around five minutes on each side, then serve it cut into squares with dipping sauce for an easy snack or appetiser.
Korean spring onion pancake Credit: Billy Law
A bar-food favourite, haemul pajeon brims with tender seafood. This recipe combines rings squid, fresh prawns and thinly sliced vegetables, and uses a mixture of both wheat and glutinous rice flour to deliver extra crispness and satisfaction.
Credit: Jiwon Kim
A splash of sparkling water aerates the batter here, producing a lighter pancake. Carrot and chilli bring colour and flavour, and a honey-tinged sesame dipping sauce brings a little sweetness for contrast.
Credit: Let's Brunch
Kimchi-jeon is a great way to use extra-fermented kimchi and kimchi juice, as the stronger fermented flavour deepens the savoury appeal of the pancakes. This version adds kimchi juice and bicarb for extra lift, producing a thin, crisp-edged pancake.
This pajeon is all about texture, with salted cabbage pressed and folded into the batter. A touch of turmeric adds colour to the golden finish
Vegetable pancake Credit: Kitti Gould
Think of this as kimchi jeon meets fried noodles: chewy rice noodles are bound in a spicy kimchi and gochujang batter, cooked until golden and cut into squares and served with a sweet-sour dipping sauce. It’s a filling pancake that’s as good for a weeknight dinner as it is on a Korean-inspired party table.
Briny seafood, sweet spring onions and a crisp batter – it’s no wonder haemul pajeon is one of Korea’s most-loved pancakes. Best eaten hot, shared straight from the pan.
Gochujang is a Korean spicy-sweet fermented paste of chilli, rice and soybeans and a popular ingredient in a range of dishes. Added to these pancakes it brings boldness and extra umami, balanced by the sweetness of fresh vegetables and a sesame dipping sauce.
Credit: Jiwon Kim
A gluten-free cousin of pajeon, bindaetteok uses ground soaked mung beans instead of flour, producing a nutty, hearty pancake. The batter keeps in the fridge for days, so you can fry fresh pancakes whenever the craving strikes.
Credit: Hardie Grant Books / Nikki To
Korean chef Mika Chae’s version makes use of kohlrabi stems – often thrown away – in a quick pajeon. It’s a clever, waste-conscious spin that tastes just as good as the classic, boosted with garlic and fresh red and green chillies.
Credit: Jiwon Kim
In this playful fusion recipe, kimchi brings spice and tang, goat’s cheese adds creamy contrast and julienned cucumber cools things down with a crunch of freshness. Drizzled with sesame oil, it’s a bold yet balanced pancake that feels both familiar and new.
Credit: Adam Liaw
Brimming with mixed seafood and thinly sliced onion, this haemul pajeon gets a little lift from bicarb soda in the batter. A tangy dipping sauce rounds it out for the full Korean restaurant experience.
Credit: Billy Law
Kimchi’s tang and heat meet the sweet richness of seared pork belly. Using kimchi juice in the batter intensifies flavour for a Korean comfort food dish.
Korean kimchi pancake Credit: Billy Law
A clever use for extra sourdough starter, these pancakes are fragrant with spring onion and sesame and have a touch of earthiness from the sourdough starter. A chilli-soy dipping sauce rounds them out for an easy zero-waste snack.
Credit: Alan Benson
Looking for fun and creative ways to eat more veg, or entertaining vegetarian friends? This hearty pancake does the job with batons of zucchini, carrot, onion and spring onion added to the mix.
Credit: Jiwon Kim
A twist on tradition, this recipe layers smoky, sticky strips of Sriracha-glazed bacon over tangy kimchi pancakes. A fried egg on top makes it a full meal, perfect for a bold brunch.
Beloved from Korea to Japan – chijimi is the Japanese name for pajeon. This version pairs crisp batter with the aromatic lift of garlic chives in addition to spring onions. A scatter of sesame seeds before serving adds a toasty finishing touch.
Garlic chive and spring onion chijimi Credit: Adam Liaw
