Crispy Korean Zucchini Pancake (Aehobak Chaejeon)
If you love Korean food, you’ve probably had those cute, coin-shaped slices of pan-fried zucchini (Hobak Jeon) at restaurants. While delicious, individually dipping and frying each slice takes patience! Enter the Korean Zucchini Pancake, or Aehobak Chaejeon.
"Chaejeon" refers to pancakes made with shredded or julienned vegetables. This version is rustic, incredibly simple, and frankly, much crispier than the sliced version. It uses the natural sweetness of the zucchini and onion to create a savory, addictive snack that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
This recipe is perfect for using up summer squash, and because it relies heavily on vegetables with just enough batter to hold them together, it feels light and healthy. Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love This zucchini jeon
If you love the idea of a savory pancake that’s mostly vegetables (and doesn’t require you to painstakingly dip and fry slice-by-slice), zucchini jeon is about to become your new weeknight hero.
This version is the “shredded” style—think matchsticks of zucchini and onion bound together with a light batter—so it’s faster, simpler, and wonderfully snackable. Fresh off the pan, it’s crispy at the edges, tender with a little crunch in the middle, and dangerously good with a quick cho ganjang dipping sauce.
- Minimal ingredients, big payoff. Just zucchini, onion, a simple batter, and hot oil.
- Salting is the secret. A short salt-rest seasons the zucchini and helps it hold together.
- Flexible. Add shrimp, scallions, or chili—or keep it clean and veggie-forward.
(If you’re curious about the traditional Korean squash often used, it’s commonly called [Korean zucchini (aehobak)]—regular zucchini works great, too.)
Ingredients (with simple swaps)
To get that authentic taste, we recommend using Korean Zucchini (Aehobak), also known as grey squash. It has a thinner skin and sweeter flesh than standard green zucchini. However, regular zucchini works perfectly fine too!
- Korean Zucchini (Aehobak): 1 medium-sized (about 250-300g)
- Onion: 1/4 to 1/3 medium onion (adjust based on the size of your squash)
- Salt: 2/3 teaspoon (for salting the veggies)
- Korean Pancake Mix (Buchimgaru): 1 and 1/3 cups
- Water: 1 cup (ice cold water is best for crispiness)
- Cooking Oil: Generous amount for frying (vegetable or canola oil)
Optional but recommended:
- Dried Shrimp or Fresh Chopped Shrimp: A handful adds a premium, umami-rich seafood flavor.
- Dipping Sauce: Soy sauce mixed with a little vinegar and sesame seeds.
How to Make Zucchini Jeon (Step-by-Step)
1. Prep the Vegetables
Wash your zucchini thoroughly. Cut the zucchini into thin matchsticks (julienne). You want them thin enough to cook quickly but thick enough to have a nice bite—about the size of a standard french fry, but thinner.
Slice the onion thinly to match the thickness of the zucchini strands.
2. The Secret Step: Salting
This is the most important part of the recipe! Place your julienned zucchini in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle 2/3 teaspoon of salt over it and toss to coat.
Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Pro Tip: Salting does two things. First, it seasons the squash all the way through. Second, it draws out excess moisture so the zucchini becomes pliable and doesn't snap when you mix it. It creates a texture that is "salgang-salgang" (a Korean term for crisp-tender).
3. Make the Batter
Do not drain the liquid released from the zucchini! That liquid is full of flavor.
Add the sliced onions and the Korean pancake mix directly into the bowl with the salted zucchini. Pour in the 1 cup of water.
Mix everything together gently. You aren't looking for a thick, cake-like batter. The batter should just barely coat the vegetables. This ratio ensures a vegetable-heavy pancake rather than a doughy one.
(Note: If you are adding shrimp, toss them in now!)
4. Fry to Golden Perfection
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Be generous with the oil—this is a fritter, so it needs oil to get crispy!
Ladle half of the mixture into the pan. Spread it out thinly and evenly. If it's too thick, the inside might get gummy.
Fry for about 3–4 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy. Flip carefully. Add a little more oil around the edges if the pan looks dry. Fry the other side until golden and crispy.
Repeat with the remaining batter (this recipe makes about 2 large pancakes).
Quick Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce (Cho Ganjang)
Stir together:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp water
- Optional: pinch sugar, sesame seeds, sliced chili, chopped scallion
This is a great excuse to link your dedicated [cho ganjang dipping sauce] page if you have one.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the pancake immediately while it's hot and crispy!
While the pancake mix and salt provide plenty of seasoning, you can pair this with a simple dipping sauce if you prefer a tangy kick. Mix 1 tablespoon of soy sauce with 1 teaspoon of vinegar and a pinch of roasted sesame seeds.
This dish works perfectly as:
- An appetizer for a Korean BBQ night.
- A side dish (Banchan) to rice and stew.
- A rainy day snack (a Korean tradition!).
Variations
- Spicy Kick: Slice one Jalapeño or Korean Cheongyang chili pepper and mix it into the batter.
- Seafood Version: As mentioned in the ingredient list, adding dried shrimp transforms this into a savory umami bomb.
- No Pancake Mix? If you can't find Korean pancake mix, use a blend of all-purpose flour (1 cup) and cornstarch or rice flour (1/3 cup), plus a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, and extra salt.
Tips for the Best Results
- Don’t over-batter. This is a vegetable pancake, not a bread pancake—keep it veggie-heavy.
- Use enough oil. Jeon wants a shallow fry, not a dry pan.
- Control the heat. Too hot = browned outside, raw onion inside. Medium/medium-high is the sweet spot.
- Knife skills help. If you want a neat, even texture, a quick refresher on [how to julienne vegetables] makes prep faster.
