Tender zucchini with a crispy outside served with a tangy and savory dipping sauce. These quick and easy Korean zucchini fritters are ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. A great side dish to enjoy vegetables. [Gluten-free adaptable]
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Korean Zucchini Fritters features sliced zucchini coated in flour or starch and beaten egg, then pan fried in oil and served with a tangy sesame soy dipping sauce.
This Korean food is also known as "Hobak Jeon" or 호박전. "Hobak Jeon" means "squash pancake" in translation.
This zucchini side dish has a crispy exterior with a tender middle making it such a delicious way to enjoy this type of squash.
It's most commonly served in the summer or on Korean New Year's Day or Korean Thanksgiving day when squash season is in peak.
These fritters also served hot or at room temperature with steamed rice with other banchans (aka Korean side dishes).
This vegetable dish is quite popular in Korean cuisine and very simple to make at home, thanks to the minimal ingredients! I also share how to make these gluten-free with ingredient substitutes below.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Fresh Green Zucchinis: or substitute with yellow zucchini. Look for ones with firm skin, unbruised and vibrant in color. Squash season is usually between May to August.
- Large Eggs
- Salt: to draw out the excess moisture in the zucchini's so they can crisp up.
- Sesame Oil: to season the beaten eggs. If you're allergic, omit this ingredient.
- Potato Starch or cornstarch or all-purpose flour. I've updated this recipe to use potato starch or cornstarch for a crispier exterior and it's a gluten-free substitute. But if you only have all-purpose flour, feel free to use that.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
Dipping Sauce
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Rice Vinegar: or substitute with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Sesame Oil: or substitute with sesame seeds. If you're allergic to sesame, omit this ingredient.
- Sesame Seeds: this is optional and if you're allergic, omit this ingredient.
- Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Flakes): or substitute with red chili flakes, or sliced red chilli or green chilli for spice. If you're intolerant to spice, omit it.
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh zucchini with firm and vibrant colored skin for best results.
- Thinly slice zucchini into ¼-inch thick pieces and don't slice them any thicker or they will take longer to cook.
- Let the zucchini sit in the salt for at least 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture to make the fritters crispier.
- Generously coat zucchini in starch or flour, ensuring no bald spots. But shake off any excess.
- Dip the zucchini into the beaten egg just before lowering them into the pan so the egg doesn't drip off.
- Wait until the oil is hot enough before lowering the coated zucchini into the pan for an even golden brown color.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Korean zucchini fritters:
- Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch-thick slices and remove the ends. Place sliced zucchini onto cutting board in a single layer.
- Evenly sprinkle salt on both sides of the zucchini slices. Let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess liquid. Then lightly dab zucchini with a clean kitchen paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Prepare a shallow bowl of potato starch or all-purpose flour and evenly coat zucchini slices in it, ensuring no bald spots. Shake off any excess starch or flour.
- Then transfer floured zucchini in a single layer onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. Do not overlap them.
- Then in a small mixing bowl, beat eggs and sesame oil and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon or 15 ml of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Then dip a zucchini slice into the egg batter and lower it into the pan. Repeat this until three-quarters of the pan is filled and do not over crowd. You'll need to fry in batches.
- Fry fritters each side until yellow golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer cooked fritters onto a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate for excess oil to drain off to prevent soggy fritters.
- Lastly in a small bowl, combine dipping sauce ingredients as listed above and enjoy with fritters.
Storage
- These are best enjoyed fresh for the crispy texture as they will naturally become soggy with time.
- Leftovers will last up to 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes or reheat on the stovetop in a pan on medium heat until hot.
- Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing Korean zucchini fritters because the squash will become soggy.
Pairing Suggestions
Korean zucchini fritters serve well with:
FAQ
These are best made fresh so you can enjoy them when they're crispy. However, if you don't mind a less crispy crust, this can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
Yes! However, I recommend any squash that are similar in in size such as Gourmet Gold (yellow squash), Gadzukes, Cocozelle, Zephyr, or Black beauty squash.
I don't recommend it because the egg will drip into the air fryer basket and won't stay on the fritters. It's best to pan fry these.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Korean Zucchini Fritters (Hobak Jeon)
Ingredients
- 0.885 lb zucchini or 2 x 7-inch long zucchinis
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil toasted
- ¼ cup potato starch or cornstarch for gluten-free, or all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Dipping Sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce or tamari sauce or coconut aminos for gluten-free
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar/apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon gochugaru or red pepper flakes/sliced chilis
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch-thick slices and remove the ends. Place sliced zucchini onto cutting board in a single layer.
- Evenly sprinkle salt on both sides of the zucchini slices. Let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess liquid. Then lightly dab zucchini with a clean kitchen paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Prepare a shallow bowl of potato starch or all-purpose flour and evenly coat zucchini slices in it, ensuring no bald spots. Shake off any excess starch or flour.
- Then transfer floured zucchini in a single layer onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. Do not overlap them.
- Then in a small mixing bowl, beat eggs and sesame oil and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon or 15 ml of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Then dip a zucchini slice into the egg batter and lower it into the pan. Repeat this until three-quarters of the pan is filled and do not over crowd. You'll need to fry in batches.
- Fry fritters each side until yellow golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer cooked fritters onto a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate for excess oil to drain off to prevent soggy fritters.
- Lastly in a small bowl, combine dipping sauce ingredients as listed above and enjoy with fritters.
Amy
I've made this so many times already! I really love this recipe. Made like this, I eat a whole zucchini at once. Thank you for sharing!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe Amy! So glad you've enjoyed it on multiple occasions 🙂
Petra
Made these last week!!! Easy and very delicious!!!!
christieathome
Awesome! So glad to read that! Thank you for making it!