Crispy Cabbage Kimchi Pancakes (Printable)

Tangy kimchi and napa cabbage pan-fried to golden crisp with soy-sesame dipping sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
02 - 1 cup kimchi, chopped and well drained
03 - 2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced

→ Batter

04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 3/4 cup cold water
10 - 1 large egg, lightly beaten

→ Sauce

11 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
14 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - 1/2 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), optional

→ For frying

18 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and ground black pepper until evenly combined.
02 - Add the cold water and beaten egg to the dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep the batter light.
03 - Gently fold the sliced napa cabbage, chopped and drained kimchi, and sliced green onions into the batter until ingredients are evenly distributed.
04 - Warm a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, swirling to coat the surface.
05 - Pour approximately one quarter of the batter into the skillet and spread to form a 6-inch round; cook 2–3 minutes per side, adjusting heat as needed until both sides are golden and crisp; repeat with remaining batter, adding oil in 1 tablespoon increments as required.
06 - While pancakes cook, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, toasted sesame seeds, minced garlic and optional gochugaru in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
07 - Transfer pancakes to a serving plate, cut into wedges, and serve immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Your kitchen will smell absolutely incredible from the very first batch frying in the pan.
  • The crisp edges and tangy kimchi make this an addictive, anytime comfort snack that's hard not to finish in one sitting.
02 -
  • The first time I overloaded the batter with kimchi juice, my pancakes steamed instead of crisping and turned out disappointingly floppy.
  • Switching to a mix of cornstarch and flour changed everything—the exterior turns golden and crackly, while the insides stay tender.
03 -
  • Always drain your kimchi and cabbage well; too much liquid will sabotage crispiness every time.
  • The shatteringly crisp edges happen when you resist the urge to move the pancake while it fries—wait until you see a dark golden rim before flipping.
Go Back