Savory Korean kimchi pancakes paired with irresistible Korean pancake dipping sauce! Simply delicious!
Kimchi pancakes is one of my go to dishes I create when I have a large volume of old sour pungent kimchi in my fridge. It’s such a great way to use it up as I can use as much as my heart’s desire. 🙂
Kimchi pancakes are a savory pancake commonly made with wheat flour. It is made with a bit of seasoning and loads of kimchi!
The Korean name for kimchi pancakes is Kimchi Buchimgae (김치 부침개), but some people might also call it Kimchi Jeon (김치전).
Kimchi pancakes are super easy to make and versatile. Also, if you make a large volume of batter (like my recipe – you can make 4 large pancakes), it can be refrigerated for later cooking (within 2-3 days).
If so, just stir the batter around a bit as the water and the flour mixture may have separated.
I hope you give it a go right away so you do not miss out on this heavenly food! 🙂
P.S. If you’re looking for more ways to use up your sour kimchi, check my how to eat kimchi article!
Ingredients for Kimchi Pancakes (makes 4 large pancakes)
- 2 & 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 & 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 cups kimchi (about 420g / 15 ounces)
- 1 Tbsp kimchi liquid
- 5 ice cubes (about 100g / 3.5 ounces)
- 2 green chili (optional)
- 1 red chili (optional)
- Some vegetable cooking oil (I used rice bran oil)
- Homemade Kimchi pancake dipping sauce to serve
* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml
**If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check my essential Korean cooking ingredients list.
How to Make Kimchi Pancakes
1. Make the pancake batter per the following. Sieve the flour and the salt. Add the water and whisk it well. Add the beaten egg, Kimchi, Kimchi liquid and chilies. Mix them well. Add the ice cubes to keep the batter cold.
2. Pre heat a pan / skillet until well heated. Put a generous amount of cooking oil into the pan. Make sure the oil is spread all the way over the pan.
3. Scoop out the pancake mixture with a ladle, pour it out on the pan. Make sure it is evenly spread.
4. Cook the mixture on high heat initially for 10 to 20 seconds then reduce the heat to medium to low. (Cook and finish with this temperature setting.)
5. Turn the pancake over when 70% of the pancake is cooked. (Per the above picture – Meaning the bottom of the pancake is cooked and the top of the pancake is also partially cooked. This makes it easy to turn the pancake. ). Press the pancake with the spatula a couple of times to make it crispy.
6. When both sides are cooked, slice it into easy to bite-size. Serve. (Don’t forget to serve it with some Korean pancake dipping sauce.)
Note
- I find that Korean pancakes cook faster, taste better and get crisper when cooked on a gas burner rather than electric burner. As I don’t have a built-in gas burner, I used a portable gas burner to cook these pancakes and I’m very pleased with the result.
- If you have Korean pancake mix, which is pre-seasoned, you can use it instead of flour. In this case, omit the salt.
- I made 4 large Kimchi pancakes with the ingredients above, but you can make more but smaller sized pancakes if you prefer. (Turning the pancakes will be easier if the pancake size is smaller.)
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Kimchi Pancakes (Kimchi Buchimgae)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 large egg , beaten
- 2 cups Kimchi (about 420 g / 15 ounces)
- 1 Tbsp Kimchi liquid
- 5 ice cubes (about 100 g / 3.5 ounces)
- 2 green chili (optional)
- 1 red chili (optional)
- Some vegetable cooking oil , I used rice bran oil
- Homemade Kimchi pancake dipping sauce
Instructions
- Make the pancake batter per the following. Sieve the flour and the salt. Add the water and whisk it well. Add the beaten egg, Kimchi, Kimchi liquid and chilies. Mix them well. Add the ice cubes to keep the batter cold.
- Pre heat a pan / skillet until well heated. Put a generous amount of cooking oil into the pan. Make sure the oil is spread all the way over the pan.
- Scoop out the pancake mixture with a ladle, pour it out on the pan. Make sure it is evenly spread.
- Cook the mixture on high heat initially for 10 to 20 seconds then reduce the heat to medium to low. (Cook and finish with this temperature setting.)
- Turn the pancake over when 70% of the pancake is cooked. Meaning the bottom of the pancake is cooked and the top of the pancake is also partially cooked. This makes it easy to turn the pancake. Press the pancake with the spatula a couple of times to make it crispy.
- When both sides are cooked, slice it into easy to bite-size. Serve. (Don’t forget to serve it with some Korean pancake dipping sauce.)
Notes
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi Sue! I’m totally going to make these when my latest batch of kimchi finishes fermenting (about a week and a half to go, why do I always wait until I have almost no kimchi left to make more? ^>__<^;; ). One question though: is it OK to use rice flour instead of regular flour? I don't know what I have against regular flour, but I never use it. Maybe I am just weird? (good thing I don't bake desserts then huh? :op )
Yes, you can use rice flour. Though bear in mind that the texture will be different. I’ve tried using rice flour in small dose (e.g. regular flour 1 cup and rice flour 1 cup) and the texture was definitely different. A lot lighter and less chewier. Can you imagine the texture I’m talking about? 🙂 I also tend to make Kimchi once it runs out as well. >__<
Just popped over to grab this….. I’m going to make this for lunch today!
Oh, I hope you like it! I’ve been making Korean pancakes almost every second day since last Wednesday – for recipe testing. I’m having a break today. 🙂 Make sure you use icy cold water! Enjoy!
Hello i have a question. Ive been making these for years but i always run into the same problem, they are not as flat as yours mine always thick and puffy I don’t know if I’m putting too much flour or not enough flour. could you tell me if it really matters if I use all purpose flour or self rising maybe that could be the problem
Hi Jennlynn, I think your self rising flour is the problem. Just use the plain flour that should fix the problem you’re having. Thanks.
Oh great thank you
http://youtu.be/9OzpKKUD-HQ
Hi Sue! My name is Susan as well! I just made a recipe video on my version of kimchi buchimgae but with pork belly instead! I tried out your recipe and loved adding the egg. It’s njce to see other recipes of this dish and how different everyones is! ❤️
It sounds interesting making Kimchi buchimgae using pork belly. I’m very curious to find out how it turns out. 🙂
my Halmeoni and Mom always made them soft, but since the time I had crispy (heavenly) ones at a restaurant, I am always trying to get mine to come crispy. My mouth is watering!
I always prefer mine to be crispy! Never the soft ones. They taste different and I think crispy ones are yummier. 🙂
Ok, figured I’d report back quickly!!
Just what I was looking for, absolutely wonderful.
A few things. I cook with cast iron, so keeping the heat closer to medium worked better for me (Also, cooking with cast iron meant that I didn’t need cold cold batter for crispy pancakes! We don’t have ice in this house.. I don’t know why not.) I am glad I found this one, sadly I didn’t have all the kimchi I’d have liked since I wasted most of it on the other recipe that wasn’t good 🙁
Thanks!!
Hi Amanda, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed my Kimchi buchimgae recipe! I’m sure you will try it more with your new batches of Kimchi soon. 🙂
Going to try these right now! I found a recipe for them out of childhood cravings, and the recipe was poorly-constructed. The flour to water ratio was double. This sounds more correct to my memories of what grandma used to make. I’m excited to give them a try!
Hi Sue!
We tried your recipe last night, tastes really nice! We had to make some amendments though (we’re going to try it again) but here’s what didn’t work for us:
– If the kimchi is in large pieces, it can make flipping the pancake as one piece quite difficult (the large chunks of kimchi creates cracks in the pancake, so the pancake rips easily)
– If the kimchi is not very hot, we would substitute some of the water for more kimchi liquid (also, since you live in Australia, are your tablespoons 20ml? I’m not sure if it’s specified somewhere what your cup/tablespoon/teaspoon measurements are, but it’s good to specify this, as UK/US are around 15ml so it can make things quite different.)
– It’s winter at the moment in Australia, so the ice cubes didn’t melt. Chilling the water with ice, then straining the cubes out and using 2.5 cups of chilled water would work better.
Hope that helps!
Hi Ming, Thanks for trying out my recipe and giving your feedback! I should have specified it more clearly. Yes, Kimchi should be smaller size (thumnail size is good) to turn pancakes easier. As mine is always chopped in smaller size, I didn’t make the point of mentioning it. I think my Tbsp is 15ml. Though I’m not 100% sure as it’s not mentioned on the spoon itself. I’ll reference check with my scale next time.
Looks so good! I love Korean pancakes. I’ve never added kimchi in the pancakes. I have to try that out!
I hope you try this Kimchi pancakes. You’ll love it! 🙂
Hi sue,
I love kimchi so much and I even tried to make them at home. This pancake looks so yummy! I will try to make one at home.
Hi Elaine, Yeah, I just saw your homemade Kimchi recipe. This Kimchi pancakes will be one of enjoyable ways to consume it. 🙂
It looks fantastic. Another excellent way to use kimchi! Until now I have only used it in soups and fried rice (and of course on its own). I see now that kimchi is much more versatile than I have ever suspected. I have constantly kimchi in the fridge and actually all the ingredients are my staples too, so it’ll be a wonderful meal without bothering about grocery shopping! I’m really impatient to make this pancake.
Absolutely! Kimchi is super versatile. I think you’ll love Kimchi pancakes. You should definitely give it a go! 🙂
This looks so delicious! I would have kimchi pancakes over pizza anytime ;)!
Thanks!
Who wouldn’t want the simple kimchi pancakes made with love? It is wonderful that you shared the pancakes with your husband and your sister. Love the photos!
I was so close to not sharing it with my husband and my sister. lol Thanks Holly!
Oh Sue, you made them so, so delicious! Also those are really tempting pictures..job well done by making your reader drool! 😛
Thanks Sandra!
Can I make this using Korean pancake batter instead of the all-purpose flour?
Hi Sarah, yes you can. I mentioned that at the end of the post, in the “note” section. Just skip the salt if you’re using the pancake pre-mix. Enjoy!