What’s better than a big heap of vegetables in pancake form? Exactly. Nothing! These Korean vegetable pancakes with zucchini, scallions, and carrots are the ultimate comfort food.

No matter the shape or flavor, pancakes always win me over. There’s just something cozy and comforting about those hot, flat cakes, right?

Although I grew up with very simple pancakes filled with either applesauce or spinach, Korean Yachaejeon still spark nostalgic feelings in me. Pancakes are so similar around the world that the preparation process and even the smell while frying can feel familiar.

I once read that Koreans love to make vegetable pancakes on rainy days. That brings us right back to that cozy, comforting feeling—which I can really use these days with the wild swings between scorching heat and sudden thunderstorms.

For our version of Yachaejeon, we’re using zucchini (currently in peak season), crisp scallions, and bright carrots. But feel free to toss in whatever vegetables you have in the fridge or whatever you’re craving. Bonus: It’s perfect for using up leftover veggies.

We season our batter with Korean soybean paste (Doenjang) for an extra umami kick. If you don’t have it, you can easily substitute with miso paste—or just season with salt. The sweet-sour-salty and slightly spicy dipping sauce, however, is a must. It’s the perfect pairing! For it, we mix soy sauce, vinegar, agave syrup, sesame oil, and Korean chili flakes (Gochugaru), then dip bite-sized pieces of pancake into it before each mouthful. So good.

In Korea, instead of a knife, people often use kitchen scissors to cut their pancakes. It’s way more fun than I expected—next time I might even cut pizza with them (just don’t tell anyone!).

How to make Korean vegetable pancakes – Yachaejeon

Tips & Tricks for Really Good Korean Vegetable Pancakes

Use ice-cold water for the batter—place the water in the freezer for about 10 minutes beforehand. When the cold batter hits the hot oil, the outside turns crispy while the inside stays tender.
If you don’t have Doenjang, use regular miso paste or simply season with salt.
You’ve got the right consistency when the mixture looks like salad coated in a creamy dressing that sticks well to the vegetables.
Use a non-stick pan and enough oil so the pancake flips easily. A well-seasoned cast iron pan also works great.
Leftovers? (Unlikely!) These pancakes freeze well in an airtight container. Reheat in a pan with a bit of oil, in the microwave, or in an air fryer.
Yachaejeon pairs beautifully with rice, kimchi (fast or slow), watermelon kimchi, or cucumber salad.

rice.

Korean Vegetable Pancakes – Yachaejeon

These crispy Korean vegetable pancakes (Yachaejeon) are cozy, quick, and the ultimate comfort food. Made with zucchini, scallions, carrots, and a savory batter, they’re perfect for rainy days—or anytime you crave something crunchy and flavorful.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min

Servings: 3

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INGREDIENTS

For the Pancakes:

65 g scallions (about 4–5 stalks)
75 g zucchini (about ½ medium zucchini)
50 g onion (about ¼ medium onion)
65 g carrot (about ½ medium carrot)
2 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp Doenjang (Korean soybean paste) – or 1 tsp miso paste / pinch of salt
180 ml ice-cold water (¾ cup)
100 g all-purpose flour (¾ cup + 2 tbsp)
1 pinch turmeric (optional, for color)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp sesame seeds (white + black)
2–3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil, for frying

For the Dipping Sauce:

1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp agave syrup (or honey/sugar)
1 tsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, or red pepper flakes)
½ tsp sesame oil

👉 Tip: Don’t skip the dipping sauce—it balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice scallions, zucchini, onion, and carrot into thin strips about 8–10 cm long. Slice mushrooms thinly and set aside 4–5 slices for topping.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together Doenjang, water, flour, turmeric, and salt until smooth. Stir in the vegetables.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spread the pancake mixture evenly in the pan. Top with reserved mushroom slices and sesame seeds. Fry for about 5 minutes.
Check if the underside is golden brown. If yes, flip, add a little more oil, and cook another 3–5 minutes. Flip once more so the prettier side faces up.
Meanwhile, mix all dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Cut the pancake into bite-sized pieces (kitchen scissors work great!) and serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Tips for Crispy Pancakes

Use ice-cold water for crunch.
Batter should look like salad lightly coated in creamy dressing.
Don’t skimp on oil—it helps crisp the edges.
Store leftovers in the fridge (2–3 days) or freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in a pan, microwave, or air fryer.
Delicious with rice, kimchi, watermelon kimchi, or cucumber salad.