Best Korean Kimchi Pancakes Recipe. The next time you're at a Korean mart, go ahead and reach for that extra large bag of kimchi. Of course, you'll eat some right away - when the Kimchi marinade is fresh, spicy and assertive. But if you leave some to sit in the refrigerator - say about 3 or 4 weeks - the kimchi turns slightly sour as it ages. It's this sour taste that translates to a deep, refreshing flavor when cooking. With >1-month aged Kimchi, I highly recommend trying three recipes: Kimchi Pancakes (known as Kimchi Jeon in Korean), Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew) or Kimchi Jjim (Braised Kimchi with Pork). These 3 recipes will make you fall (further) in love with Kimchi! Today, I'll show you how to make the Best Kimchi Pancakes!
I got the inspiration for this recipe from a Seolleongtang restaurant in Seoul called Shinseon Seolleongtang. Their Kimchi Pancakes are amazingly good! The pancake batter is light and crispy, with just the right amount of thinly shave pork, chives and beansprouts. I've been telling myself to replicate this recipe on Future Neighbor for the last few months ... and well I finally did it!
Note: This is version 2 of our Kimchi Pancake Recipe. The 1st version is good too - use it if you're vegetarian
Cooking Notes:
- This recipe will make 3 large pancakes.
- The overall taste of the pancakes depends heavily on your Kimchi. We recommend cooking one pancake at first - taste it, then add a few shakes of salt if it tastes bland.
- In our recipe, we're working with 1-month-old aged Kimchi. If your Kimchi has been aging for much longer than that and tastes very sour, add in one teaspoon of sugar. This will make the pancake taste much better.
- Likewise, add in 1 Tablespoon of gochugaru if you want the Kimchi pancakes to be spicier.
- Feel free to swap out the thin slices of pork with BACON, beef, or thin slices of squid
Neighbors, I KNOW you'll enjoy this one!! Thank us later 🕺

Ingredients
- 2 Cups Aged Kimchi
- 1 Cup Korean Pancake Mix (All Purpose Flour works too)
- ⅓ Cup Kimchi Juice (If you don't have enough, fill with water)
Fresh Toppings
- Few stalks of Asian Chives
- Small handful Mungbean Sprouts
- Few slices of Red Chili Pepper (optional)
- Few slices of Thin Slices of Pork (beef, squid, bacon work well too)
Instructions
Make Kimchi Pancake Batter
- Measures 2 cups of aged Kimchi. Place into a mixing bowl. Then use kitchen scissors and cut into small bite-sized pieces. Add in 1 cup of Pancake Mix (or flour).
- Then measure ⅓ Kimchi Juice. If you don't have enough, it's fine to mix it with water. Add it to the mixture and give it a thorough mix.
Prep Fresh Ingredients
- Cut asian chives into pinky-length pieces. Trim the ends off the mungbean sprouts. Cut red chili peppers into small pieces. Thaw the thin slices of pork.
Make Pancake
- Place frying pan on medium heat. Then place in some oil. Once the oil is hot, use a soup ladle to drop a few ladles of the kimchi batter down. Pat it down with the bottom of the soup ladle and form it into a circle.
- Then add a few pieces of chives, mungbean sprouts, red chili pepper and thin slices of pork on top.
- Carefully flip the pancake over in one motion. Let it cook on the other side for a few minutes. Then give it one last flip so you can plate it with the ingredients showing upward.
- Option: Eat it straight or optionally, serve with a small soy-sauce dipping sauce. To make the dipping sauce: mix soy sauce, few drops of vinegar and a dash of water.
Scarlett says
I added cornstarch and used less flour and it came out so crunchy! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Anna says
Oh boy... I have a major issue with kimchi jeon. I can't flip it over! My kimchi pancake seem to be very soft, not cripsy at all... Not keeping a shape, easily fall apart on pan while atepmt to flipping it. I have no clue what I'm doing incorrectly ㅠㅠ
Daniel do you have any idea how to fix it? I need an advice!