A crispy, savory Korean scallion pancake served with a delicious dipping sauce. This quick and easy pajeon recipe is made with simple ingredients - ready in 15-minutes! A great snack, side dish, or appetizer that's restaurant-quality!
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Pajeon (pronounced as "pa-jun" in Korean) is a popular Korean green onion pancake. The exterior is crispy and golden, while chewy on the inside.
You can find savory pancakes served at many Korean restaurants with a savory tangy dipping sauce. I love ordering this dish whenever I can!
In Korean cuisine, there are all sorts of savory pancakes, like Korean Seafood Pancake, Kimchi Pancakes, Korean Tuna Pancakes, Kimchi Potato Pancakes and more!
Koreans love to enjoy this dish with Makgeolli (a Korean milky rice wine), especially on rainy days as it's cozy and comforting.
Why you'll love this recipe:
- Easy to make with simple ingredients!
- Ready in 15-minutes.
- Perfect for busy weeknights as a side dish.
- Family-friendly.
- Better-than-takeout!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Neutral Oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke point oil.
Pancake Batter
- Green Onions (aka scallions)
- All-purpose flour: or substitute with gluten-free baking flour.
- Potato Starch: or substitute with cornstarch.
- Baking Powder: to make the pancake crispy.
- Salt
- Chicken Bouillon Powder: for extra flavor! Omit if you're vegan or vegetarian.
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Very Cold Water
Dipping sauce
- Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos.
- Rice vinegar: or substitute with white vinegar.
- Sesame Oil: or substitute with sesame seeds.
- Green Onions
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or check online.
Expert Tips
- Pat dry washed scallions with paper towel to remove moisture.
- Split the green onions down the middle for a crispier texture.
- Use a large non-stick pan to spread out the batter thinly.
- Use enough oil for a crispy texture.
- Swirl the oil in the pan before adding batter to create a golden crust.
- Occasionally swirl and press down on the pancake to crisp it up.
- Use a large spatula to flip the pancake when the bottom has formed a crust.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Pajeon:
- Prepare green onions. Wash green onions and pat dry with paper towels. Trim off the roots, split it vertically and chop into 2-inch-long pieces. Transfer into a large mixing bowl.
- Make the batter. Add the remaining batter ingredients into the bowl and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Fry the batter. Heat 2.5 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan on medium-high heat and give it a swirl. Add green onions from the batter first and evenly spread across the pan. Then scrape out the remaining batter to fill in any holes. Reduce to medium heat and fry until the bottom is crispy, golden brown with slight charring, about 4-5 minutes.
- Flip pancake over. Flip over with a large spatula and pour remaining oil around the pancake. Occasionally swirl the pancake around and press down on it.
- Slice pancake. Transfer the pancake to a cutting board and slice with a sharp knife into small pieces.
- Make dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine the dipping sauce ingredients and enjoy with the pancake.
Storage & Reheating
- Pajeon will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
To enjoy, reheat on the stovetop or in the air fryer at 350 degrees F until hot throughout. - Freezer-friendly? Pajeon can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag, once cooled. To enjoy, reheat on the stovetop or in the air fryer at 350 degrees F until hot throughout.
Pairing Suggestions
Pajeon serves well on its own or with Korean side dishes, like:
- kimchi
- Korean cucumber salad
- beansprout salad
- zucchini fritters
- gamja jorim
- Korean spinach
- japchae
- gyeran mari
- fish cake stir fry
FAQ
Pajeon is is best enjoyed fresh or same day for that crispy texture, but you can make it up to 4 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. To enjoy, reheat on the stovetop or air fryer at 350 F until hot throughout.
I don't recommend air frying pajeon as the runny batter will slip through the air fryer basket.
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📖 Recipe
Easy 15-min. Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancake)
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Pancake Batter:
- 1 cup green onions packed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup potato starch or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup water very cold
Dipping sauce:
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon green onion finely chopped
Instructions
- Wash green onions and pat dry with paper towels. Trim off the roots, split it vertically and chop into 2-inch-long pieces. Transfer into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining batter ingredients into the bowl and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Heat 2.5 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan on medium-high heat and give it a swirl. Add green onions from the batter first and evenly spread across the pan. Then scrape out the remaining batter to fill in any holes.
- Reduce to medium heat and fry until the bottom is crispy and golden, with slight charring on the onions, about 4-5 minutes.
- Flip over with a large spatula and pour remaining oil around the pancake. Occasionally swirl the pancake around and press down on it.
- Transfer the pancake to a cutting board and slice with a sharp knife into small pieces.
- In a small bowl, combine the dipping sauce ingredients and enjoy with the pancake.
Kora
Great recipe, thank you ! I added grated zucchini, which gives more texture. One question: what happens if you add an egg to the batter? Curious if anyone has tried adding an egg.
Christie Lai
Thanks Kora! Glad you enjoyed it. I've actually tried the batter with an egg and it's not as crispy without the egg. But if you prefer that texture, feel free to give it a go!
Jenna L McKeever
I made it for the first time and it was a slam dunk. I added at least three times the oil and I noticed it wasn't browning so I just pressed with my spatula and then wiped away the oil. Crispy in no time! For the sauce I didn't have chicken bouillon but I added cumin and I was perfectly happy with the result. I tore up the entire thing for my dinner. Quick, inexpensive and packed with flavor.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe Jenna! Very pleased to read that it was a slam dunk 🙂 Appreciate this kind and positive review. Have a lovely day!
Robin S.
We felt like switching up Saturday morning breakfast with something savory. Your scallion pancake recipe was such a hit that they are on the menu for tomorrow as well! Made it in a bit cast iron skillet, and had no problem with the pancake sticking. Plan on keeping the scallions separate from the batter; adding them to the pan; and then pouring in the batter to see if we can make a more symmetrical pancake that way. This morning's first experiment was a bit misshapen, but still tasted ever so nice.
Christie Lai
Amazing! Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving this positive review, Robin! I also appreciate you sharing your cooking experience here for others to learn from 🙂
Gillian
Your recipes are excellent keep them coming
Christie Lai
Aww thank you so much for the kind words! Will do!