Kimchi Jeon [김치전] — Crispy Korean Kimchi Pancake
Kimchi Jeon (김치전) is Korea’s ultimate “fridge-raid” pancake — crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and made with kimchi you already have at home. No fancy equipment, no hard-to-find ingredients. Just simple pantry cooking that tastes amazing.
There’s a reason Koreans reach for this dish specifically on rainy days. The sound of the batter hitting a hot, oiled pan is said to mimic the sound of rain falling on a rooftop — it’s practically a national ritual, best enjoyed with a bowl still warm and a glass of makgeolli nearby. Growing up, this was the dish that appeared without anyone even discussing it whenever it started pouring outside.
Kimchi Jeon Ingredients
Main Ingredients (Serves 2)
- Sour Kimchi (신 김치) — 150g
- Green Onion (대파) — 20g
Batter Ingredients
- Kimchi Juice (김치 국물) — 100ml
- All-Purpose Flour (중력분) — ¾ cup (150ml)
- Potato Starch (전분) — ½ cup (100ml)
- Fish Sauce (참치액) — ¾ tbsp
- Water (물) — 100ml
- Sugar (설탕) — ½ tsp
📏 Measurement Reference: 1T (tbsp) = 1 full rice spoon | 1t (tsp) = ⅓ rice spoon | 1 cup = 200 ml
How to Make It
Step 1 — Prep the kimchi
Chop the kimchi into bite-sized pieces (about 2–3 cm). Slice the green onion diagonally. Set both aside.
Step 2 — Make the batter
In a bowl, mix the flour and potato starch together. Add the kimchi juice, water, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir until smooth — the batter should pour easily but not be watery. Fold in the chopped kimchi and green onion.
Step 3 — Heat the pan
Put a pan on medium-high heat. Add 2–3 tablespoons of cooking oil and wait until it’s hot. To test: drop a tiny bit of batter in — if it sizzles right away, you’re ready.
Step 4 — Cook
Pour the batter into the pan and spread it into a round, about 1 cm thick. Cook for 4–5 minutes without touching it. When the edges look dry and the bottom is golden brown, flip it once. Cook the other side for 3–4 minutes.
Step 5 — Serve
Slide the pancake onto a cutting board, let it rest for 1 minute, then cut into pieces. Eat right away while it’s hot and crispy.
Dipping Sauce (Optional)
Mix together: soy sauce + rice vinegar in a 1:1 ratio, with a few drops of sesame oil and a pinch of sesame seeds. Simple and perfect alongside the pancake.
3 Things That Make a Big Difference
Use older kimchi. Kimchi that’s been in the fridge for a few weeks is tangier and gives much better flavor — the same aged kimchi you’d want for a good Kimchi Jjigae. Fresh kimchi works, but older is better.
Don’t skip the potato starch. This is what makes the edges crispy. All-purpose flour alone will give you a soft, doughy result.
Get the pan hot before you pour. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the pancake absorbs the oil and turns greasy instead of crispy.
Why This Recipe Works
The secret isn’t just the kimchi — it’s the ratio. Most home versions go heavy on flour, which is exactly what gives you that soft, doughy texture instead of a crispy one. This recipe leans on potato starch specifically because it fries up light and shatters slightly at the edges, closer to what you’d get at a real Korean home kitchen than at a restaurant chasing a thicker, bread-like pancake.
The kimchi juice in the batter isn’t optional either — it’s doing double duty. It adds the tang and color you want, and because it’s already salty and fermented, it means you need almost no additional seasoning. One bowl, five minutes of mixing, and the flavor is basically built in before the pan even gets hot.
If you’re feeding more than two people, this recipe scales easily — just keep the batter-to-kimchi ratio the same and cook in batches rather than overcrowding one pan. A crowded pan is the fastest way to end up with a soggy center.
Leftovers?
Skip the microwave — it makes the pancake soft. Instead, reheat in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side, or use an air fryer at 180°C for 4–5 minutes.
If you’re on a kimchi-heavy cooking streak, this pancake pairs naturally with a simple Korean spread — try it alongside Japchae for a fuller, fridge-clearing meal.
