If your kimchi pancake turns crispy around the edges but stays soft or soggy in the center, the key is adjusting both the batter and the way you use oil while cooking.
Kim Kang-woo’s crispy kimchi pancake recipe combines Korean pancake mix with potato starch and sparkling water for a lighter batter, then adds a little extra oil directly to the center of the pancake so it cooks evenly and crisps up all the way through. Mix the batter only until the dry flour disappears, and avoid pressing it down with a spatula while it cooks so the small air pockets remain intact.
Well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi, onion, green and red peppers, and tuna extract sauce give this kimchijeon a tangy, savory flavor, while the potato starch and sparkling water help create a distinctly crisp texture.
⏱️ Cooking Time: About 20 minutes
🍳 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
✓ Ingredients
🥣 Main Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi
- 1/2 onion
- 1 green chili pepper
- 1 red chili pepper
🧂 Batter & Seasonings
- 1 Korean paper cup Korean pancake mix (180 ml / 6.1 fl oz)
- 0.8 Korean paper cup potato starch
- 1 Korean paper cup sparkling water (180 ml / 6.1 fl oz)
- 1/2 Korean paper cup kimchi juice (90 ml / 3 fl oz)
- 2 tbsp tuna extract sauce
- Cooking oil, as needed
- Sesame oil, as needed
(Measurement guide: 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml, 1 Korean paper cup = 180 ml / 6.1 fl oz)
✓ How to Make Crispy Kimchi Pancakes
- Cut the kimchi: Place 300 g (10.6 oz) well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi on a cutting board and cut it into pieces about the thickness of your little finger.
- Prepare the vegetables: Thinly slice 1/2 onion into evenly sized strips. Thinly slice 1 green chili pepper and 1 red chili pepper into rounds.
- Make the batter: Add the kimchi, onion, green pepper, and red pepper to a mixing bowl. Add 1 Korean paper cup pancake mix, 0.8 cup potato starch, 1 cup sparkling water, 1/2 cup kimchi juice, and 2 tbsp tuna extract sauce. Mix gently only until no visible dry flour remains.
- Heat the pan and add the batter: Add 5 swirls of cooking oil and 1 swirl of sesame oil to a skillet. Heat over high heat, then add the batter and gently spread it into a relatively thin pancake without pressing it down.
- Add oil to the center: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Once the bottom has started to cook, make a small opening in the center of the pancake and pour 1/2 tbsp cooking oil into the gap. This helps the center crisp up as evenly as the edges.
- Flip and finish cooking: When you gently shake the skillet and the pancake slides freely, flip it confidently. Add 1 more swirl of cooking oil and 1/2 swirl of sesame oil around the pan, then cook for another 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp.
✓ Key Tips for Success
- Do not overmix the batter: Stirring or kneading the pancake mix and potato starch too aggressively can encourage gluten development, resulting in a dense, sticky pancake rather than a crisp one. Mix gently and stop as soon as the dry flour disappears.
- Add oil to the center and do not press the pancake down: Pressing the batter firmly with a spatula compresses the air pockets and can make the pancake soggy. Opening a small gap in the middle and adding extra oil allows the center, where oil does not naturally reach as easily, to become crisp like the edges.
✓ Serving Tips
- Serve the kimchi pancake with chilled makgeolli (Korean rice wine) or sparkling water. The refreshing drink pairs well with the rich, crisp pancake.
✓ How to Choose Good Napa Cabbage Kimchi
- Appearance and leaves: Look for kimchi with firm white cabbage stems that are not overly soft. The seasoning should be evenly distributed between the leaves rather than sitting only on the surface.
- Fermentation and acidity: For this recipe, choose well-fermented kimchi with a pleasantly sour aroma and balanced acidity, without any unpleasant fermented odor.
- Texture: The leaves and stems should still have some crispness and resilience rather than feeling excessively limp or mushy.
✓ Napa Cabbage Kimchi Nutrition per 100 g (3.5 oz)
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 38.00 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 6.49 g |
| Protein | 1.98 g |
| Fat | 0.43 g |
| Sodium | 551.00 mg |
Based on 100 g of napa cabbage kimchi. Actual nutritional values may vary depending on the ingredients, product, and preparation method.
Source: Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Nutrition Database – Raw Ingredient Foods
✓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Why add oil to the center of a kimchi pancake?
Oil naturally tends to move toward the outer edges of the pan, leaving the center with less direct contact. Adding a little oil through a small opening in the middle helps the center cook more evenly and become as crisp as the edges.
Q2. Why does my kimchi pancake turn soft or soggy instead of crispy?
The batter may have been mixed too much, which can develop too much gluten, or the pancake may have been pressed down firmly with a spatula while cooking. Both can reduce the light air pockets that contribute to a crisp texture.
Q3. Why use sparkling water instead of regular water in kimchi pancake batter?
The bubbles in sparkling water create tiny air pockets in the batter. As the pancake cooks and moisture evaporates, these pockets help produce a lighter, crisper texture.
Using sparkling water and potato starch in the batter gives this crispy kimchi pancake recipe a noticeably different texture, with crispness extending from the edges all the way to the center. Adding a little cooking oil directly to the middle helps the part that normally receives less oil cook more evenly, while the tanginess of well-fermented kimchi pairs naturally with the savory tuna extract sauce and nutty sesame oil.
If your kimchi pancakes often turn soggy or stay soft in the middle, try using sparkling water and potato starch while keeping the mixing to a minimum. Spread the batter thinly without pressing it down, and make sure some oil reaches the center for a crisp exterior with a moist interior.
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This recipe was prepared after referring to a recipe introduced on the YouTube channel “Fun-Staurant X,” and this post was written based on the cooking process and results.