Korean Pancakes (Buchimgae or Jeon)

The ultimate easy recipe for versatile Korean pancakes or buchimgae or jeon! Plus, tips and tricks to make foolproof crispy pancakes every time.

Whenever I have leftover vegetables that I don’t know what to with, I make this: Buchimgae or Jeon, also known as Korean Pancakes. This is a beloved dish that’s as versatile as it is delicious! Bursting with flavor and easy to customize, Buchimgae is a staple in Korean households and street food stalls alike. The version I’m making in this recipe is with chives, leftover from making Char Kway Teow and Pad Thai. This is otherwise known as (Buchujeon 부추전).

You can throw in an array of vegetables, seafood, or even meat, making it the perfect dish to clean out your fridge or cater to picky eaters. Plus, who can resist the irresistible crunch that comes with every bite? Best of all, making Buchimgae is surprisingly simple! Whether you’re craving a savoury snack or a hearty meal, these pancakes never disappoint.

Why People Will Love Korean Pancake

Versatility: Buchimgae is incredibly versatile, allowing you to use a wide variety of vegetables, seafood, or meat. It’s perfect for cleaning out the fridge, or catering to different tastes.
Simply Irresistible: With very few ingredients that are pantry staples, you can whip up delicious savoury pancakes!
Crowd Pleaser: With its savoury flavours and crispy texture, Buchimgae will easily capture hearts (and taste buds)! Trust me, everyone will love these!

Key Ingredients

Now, let’s talk about the stars of the show: the key ingredients that give Buchimgae its signature flavor and texture.

Batter

A basic Buchimgae batter typically consists of flour, soy sauce (or fish sauce or even salt!) and water! That’s all you need. I like to add either rice flour or corn flour – this makes the pancake EXTRA CRISPY!

Flour
Rice Flour or Corn Flour: This is my main secret to getting an extra crispy and light batter! If you don’t have it, you can absolutely work with just the plain flour.
Soy Sauce: Fish sauce or plain salt will work as well, adjust to taste.
Water: Add enough water to create a batter that can coat the spatula, but still runny.

Vegetables

Garlic Chives: I have my chives chopped into 2-inch lengths, but feel free to chop it to shorter bite sized pieces.
Onion, sliced thin

While garlic chives and onions are my vegetables of choice today, you can get creative with your veggie selection. Kimchi, carrots, potatoes, cabbages, mushrooms, bell peppers are some delicious vegetable options. Julienne, slice or chop thinly for the best results, and make sure to adjust the cook time to fully cook the vegetables. Generally this recipe will work with about 1 to 1.5 cups of loosely-packed prepared vegetables.

The Jeon Dipping Sauce

Korean Pancakes (Buchimgae or Jeon) - Nomadette (2)

The sweet, savoury and tangy dipping sauce is extremely easy to make! You need equal parts soy sauce, water and vinegar, with a touch of sweetness from sugar.

Just whisk everything together until the sugar dissolves, and the sauce is ready. The quantities mentioned here are for 1-2 servings, but I recommend making a bigger batch and storing in the fridge for instant dipping sauce for next times!

Optional, but I like to top my dipping sauce with chilli oil for some heat!

Key Steps to Making Korean Pancakes

1. Prepare the Batter

In a mixing bowl, combine plain flour, rice flour, soy sauce and water. Whisk until smooth and free of lumps. The batter should be able to coat the spoon or spatula, but still runny. This will serve as the base for your Buchimgae.

Korean Pancakes (Buchimgae or Jeon) - Nomadette (3)

2. Add the Vegetables

Fold your prepared vegetables into the batter, ensuring that they’re evenly coated.

Korean Pancakes (Buchimgae or Jeon) - Nomadette (4)

3. Cook the Pancakes

Heat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Drizzle oil and swivel the pan to spread the oil around to coat the surface evenly. Once the pan is hot, ladle a scoop of the batter onto the skillet, using the back of the spoon or spatula to spread it into a round shape. Do not touch the pancake once it’s spread, and let cook. Once the pancake is ready, it should swivel in the pan easily. This can take about 3-5 minutes per side.

Korean Pancakes (Buchimgae or Jeon) - Nomadette (5)

4. Flip the pancake!

Flip the pancake to the other side to finish cooking. If needed, drizzle more oil on the edges of the pan and swivel the pan around to spread the oil. Lift a few sides of the pancake with a spatula so the oil can fry the bottom of the pancake. Once pancake is golden brown and crispy.

5. Serve and Enjoy Korean Pancakes!

Transfer your freshly cooked Buchimgae to a plate and serve hot, alongside your favourite dipping sauce or a side of kimchi. Cut into pieces, for easier snacking. FYI, you can serve this as a banchan or side dish!

Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Buchimgae

Adding Rice Flour or Corn Flour for Extra Crispiness: My favourite trick to getting extra crispy and light pancakes is to add rice flour or corn flour into the batter. Simply substitute a portion of the all-purpose flour with rice flour or corn flour to elevate your pancake game.
Flatten Out the Vegetable Batter: When preparing your vegetable batter, be sure to flatten it out as much as possible before cooking. Creating a thin layer of batter allows for quicker and more even cooking, resulting in a perfectly crispy pancake every time. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to spread the batter thinly across the skillet, ensuring maximum surface area for that golden brown crunch.
Maintain a Medium Heat: When cooking Buchimgae, it’s essential to maintain a medium heat throughout the process. Cooking at too high of a temperature can lead to a pancake that’s burnt on the outside but still doughy in the middle.

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