What is a common breakfast banchan? Well, the simple answer is that there are no breakfast banchans.
Koreans usually eat whatever is leftover from the night before. Typically includes leftovers of a stew like doenjang jjigae or kimchi jjigae. However, in the mornings, I like to eat banchans that are easy on the stomach. The banchans we will make today have become my go-to side-dishes in the morning: (1) Potato stir-fry (2) Sticky garlic chips (3) Green-onion eggs. The first two require some prep work and should be made the night before. You can then pop them in the microwave in the morning. The last dish is the only one you will make fresh in the morning. Simple, tasty and healthy!
I purposely left out meat from these banchans. I assume that most will have some form of protein at lunch - so it's good to start the mornings light. Bon appetit!

Breakfast Banchan - Skip the Morning Cereal
Ingredients
Potato Stir-fry
- Potato - 2 I'm using 2 palm-sized potatoes
- Onion - ½ a whole
- Carrot - ¼ a whole
- Bell pepper - ⅕ a whole
- Salt - ½ teaspoon
- Black pepper - few shakes
Sticky Garlic Chips
- Garlic - 30 cloves
- Corn syrup - 2 tablespoon or use honey
- Soy sauce - 1.5 Tablespoon or any cooking wine
- Mirin - 1 Tablespoon
- Sesame seeds - garnish
Green Onion Eggs
- Eggs - 2
- Green onion - 10 inch piece include lot of the white portion
- Sesame oil - 1 Tablespoon
- Soup soy sauce - ½ teaspoon
Instructions
Potato Stir-fry
- Cut the potatoes, onion, carrot and bell pepper into thin (julienne) pieces.
- Then get a pot and fill it with water. Bring it up to a boil and season the water with a sprinkle of salt. Place potatoes pieces in and cook for 2 minutes. Then strain the potatoes and run under some cool water. Let it sit in the strainer to get rid of excess water for a few minutes.
- Take out a large frying pan and place on medium heat. Pour oil in and once it is hot, place onion and carrots in. Stir around for 1 minute.
- Then add potatoes and add some extra oil. Stir around for 1 additional minute. Add in green pepper and stir for another 1 minute. (Total of 3 minutes).
- Season with salt and black pepper. Turn off heat and plate. Enjoy with rice!
Sticky Garlic Chips
- Cut the stems off 30 garlic cloves. Split each clove into three pieces with a knife.
- Take out a mixing bowl and place in corn syrup, soy sauce and mirin. Mix together well.
- Then take out a frying pan and place it on a medium heat. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then place the sliced garlic cloves in. Mix around in the pan until most of the garlic slices get a nice golden brown color. Then take them out of the pan and onto a plate.
- Now mix the sauce one more time and place into the frying pan. The sauce will begin to reduce and get bubbly. At this time, pour the garlic cloves back into the frying pan with the sauce. Mix the garlic pieces around coat them thoroughly in the sauce. Turn off the heat. Garnish with sesame seeds.
- Wait until it cools down a bit and then enjoy with rice.
Green Onion Eggs
- Cut spring onions into small round pieces.
- Take out a frying pan and place on a medium heat. Put in some sesame oil. Once the oil is hot, place green onion pieces in.
- When the oil begins to sizzle in the green onion, crack two eggs into the pan. Try to separate the two eggs with your spatula. Gently pour some of the soup soy sauce over the eggs.
- Cook it to the consistency you like.
- Then eat with rice!
Notes
- Feel free to mix and match other banchans as you see fit.
- Watch video below for more details
Deb says
All yummy. My family loves it all, especially the garlic!
Martha Smith says
I made all four things! I make traditional vegetarian Korean or Japanese breakfasts now everyday. I love your recipes! The garlic is delicious and the stir fry is amazing! Please keep making vegan and vegetarian recipes that are healthy for weight loss.
Eva says
How long can you keep these banchan for in the fridge?
Cc says
May I know for those bancan store in Tuperwear we need to reheat?
Jessie says
The Sticky Garlic Chips were amazing! Thank you so much for sharing these recipes.
Diandra Bachelor says
There is no part of this that is not delicious! Thanks for the banchan ideas.
Dan-yul says
Awesome! Happy that you trying out banchans for breakfast!