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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Main Dishes / Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancake)

    Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancake)

    Posted: May 2, 2022 Last Modified: Apr 23, 2022 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Crispy, flavourful, and easy to make, this Pajeon recipe is perfect as part of a meal, appetizer, or snack! All you need are a few pantry staples to make this Korean scallion pancake. Pan-fried until crispy, you can have restaurant-quality pajeon in a few simple steps.

    Whenever I have a bunch of scallions that need to be used up, this pajeon is my go-to recipe. Pa translates scallion, and jeon translates to pan-fried battered food which is essentially a combination of two of my favourite things! It only takes a few minutes to prepare and it fries up quickly.

    A platter of pajeon with dipping sauce.


     

    Soft and tender on the inside but crispy on the outside, these scallion pancakes are perfect for any occasion.

    While you can buy a pre-made pancake mix for this green onion pancake, this recipe makes the batter from scratch. This way, you can make it at home if you cannot find the mix. Also, I like being able to season the batter to my liking (in other words, extra garlic powder!). See below for a photo of the pre-mix pancake mix.

    Korean pancake mix.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients needed to make pajeon.
    • flour — all-purpose flour is perfect for these Korean green onion pancakes.
    • potato starch — potato starch increases the crispiness of the pajeon but if you don’t have any, you can use cornstarch instead.
    • seasoning — I season the pancake batter with salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
    • water — I recommend icy cold water or bubbly water.
    • egg — you just need one egg. Two eggs will make the pancake too eggy.
    • gochugaru — this is a Korean red chili pepper flake powder. Don’t worry, the amount added doesn’t make the pancakes spicy.
    • green onions — I like to cut my green onions into 2 to 3 inches long but you can also cut them into smaller pieces.
    • oil — I like to use olive oil but you can use any netural oil of your choice.

    How to Make Pajeon

    Batter mixed.
    Green onions added to pajeon batter.
    • In a large bowl, combine the flour, potato starch, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, water, and egg.
    • Add the green onions to the batter and mix until fully coated.
    Korean green onion pancake batter added to a pan.
    Korean scallion pancake in a pan.
    • In a non-stick pan over medium heat, add around 2 tablespoons of oil and allow it to heat up. Add between half a cup to one cup of the batter, depending on the size of your pan. The pancake batter should sizzle when added. Working quickly, try to spread the batter out as thinly as possible, making sure the green onions are in a single layer.
    • After 3 to 4 minutes, or when the bottom of the pancake turns crispy and golden brown, flip the pancake. Add more oil to the edge of the pan if needed.
    • Pan fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. Then transfer the pajeon onto a plate or a cutting board as you repeat the process with the rest of the batter.
    Close up of pajeon.

    How to Make a Dipping Sauce

    Pajeon is usually served with a dipping sauce. Here’s what you’ll need if you want to make a dipping sauce. Simply stir to combine and then taste to adjust it to your liking.

    • ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
    • ¼ cup water
    • 1 tbsp mirin
    • 1 tbsp sugar, or more if you prefer it sweeter
    • 2 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 tsp sesame seeds

    Recipe Tips and Notes

    • I use a large spatula to flip the pancake. You could also use tongs to flip the pancakes as the tops of the pancake should be partially cooked.
    • Be generous with the oil as it really helps make the pajeon crispy, like the ones you get at the restaurants. I have tried to make this with less oil but it doesn’t crisp up as well.
    • I like to cut mine into square pieces to make serving and dipping easier.
    Close up of cut pieces of pajeon.

    FAQs

    Is this the same as Chinese Scallion Pancakes?

    Not to be confused with Chinese scallion pancakes (cong you bing), Chinese scallion pancake is made from dough whereas the Korean scallion pancake recipe calls for a liquid batter. This means you can whip up a batch in seconds!

    What else can I add to pajeon?

    It’s a versatile dish that I love making as you can add so many things to the batter. Grate up carrots, slice up mushrooms, or thinly cut some cabbages to go into the batter. Kimchi is another great addition.

    Haemul pajeon is the seafood version of this so if you have shrimp, mussels, oysters, clams, etc. feel free to add that as well. Just be sure to chop them up into bite-sized pieces.

    How do I store leftovers?

    I store leftover pajeon and dipping sauce in individual airtight glass containers. When ready to eat, I reheat the pajeon in the air fryer so they stay crispy! Usually, 2 to 3 minutes is enough at 350F.

    What’s the difference between scallions and green onions?

    There’s no difference between green onions and scallions! They’re the same thing but they just have two different names. Not to be confused with spring onions though as those have bulbs at the bottom, unlike scallions/green onions.

    A platter of pajeon with dipping sauce.

    Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancake)

    Crispy, flavourful, and easy to make, this Pajeon recipe is perfect as part of a meal, appetizer, or snack! All you need are a few pantry staples to make this Korean scallion pancake. Pan-fried until crispy, you can have restaurant-quality pajeon in a few simple steps.
    5 from 31 votes
    Print Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
    Total Time: 40 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 servings

    Ingredients

    For the Pajeon

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 tbsp potato starch, or cornstarch
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp garlic powder
    • 2 tsp onion powder
    • 1 cup icy cold water, or cold bubbly water
    • 1 large egg
    • ½ tsp gochugaru
    • 1 bunch green onions, washed and cut into 2-3 inches pieces, roots removed
    • 6 to 8 tbsp oil

    For the Pajeon Dipping Sauce

    • ½ cup soy sauce, low sodium
    • ¼ cup water
    • 1 tbsp mirin
    • 1 tbsp sugar, or more
    • 2 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

    Equipment

    • Non-stick skillet

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, combine the flour, potato starch, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, water, and egg.
    • Add the green onions to the batter and mix until fully coated.
    • In a non-stick pan over medium heat, add around 2 tablespoons of oil and allow it to heat up. Add between half a cup to one cup of the batter, depending on the size of your pan. The pancake batter should sizzle when added. Working quickly, try to spread the batter out as thinly as possible, making sure the green onions are in a single layer.
    • After 3 to 4 minutes, or when the bottom of the pancake turns crispy and golden brown, flip the pancake. Add more oil to the edge of the pan if needed.
    • Pan fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. Then transfer the pajeon onto a plate or a cutting board as you repeat the process with the rest of the batter.

    Notes

    • This recipe makes between 3 to 4 pancakes, depending on the size of your pan. This serves 2 as a main or 4 as an appetizer or side dish.
    • The calorie estimate does not include the pajeon dipping sauce.
    Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Calories: 671kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1215mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 4mg
    Author: Carmy
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Korean
    Nutrition Disclaimer
    • Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken (or my double fried Korean Fried Chicken)
    • Japchae
    • Korean Cheese Corn
    • Seasoned Spinach
    • Mayak Eggs
    • Silken Tofu Recipe
    • Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
    • Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
    • Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice
    • Bulgogi
    • Spicy Pork Stir Fry (Jeyuk Bokkeum)
    • Gochujang Chicken

    Other places to connect with me
    @carmyshungry on Instagram
    Facebook
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    Email: [email protected]

    5 from 31 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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    Carmy is a healthy-ish living blogger based in Ontario. Here, you can find healthy-ish recipes including meal prep recipes, Instant Pot recipes, air fryer recipes, and lightened-up family favorites! Follow along for easy, straightforward recipes for any cooking level.

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