Scallion Pancakes with Zucchini are so simple and so satisfying! Easy to whip together in just minutes. Serve as an appetizer or light meal with a quick dipping sauce and kimchi. Vegetarian and gluten-free. Video
When I rise up, let me rise up joyful like a bird. When I fall, let me fall without regret like a leaf.~ Wendell Berry
These Korean-inspired Scallion Pancakes with Zucchini are a simple tasty treat! No-fuss preparation and ready to serve in minutes. Packed with zucchini and scallions, held together with rice flour and eggs, heavy on the veggies.
The texture is tender with toasty edges, kind of similar to a crepe or omelet.
Seasoned with gochujang chili paste and a touch of rice wine, they are filled with savory flavor. Sesame seeds add savory crunch and flavor. Change up the veggies to what you have on hand. We added a few purple carrots here for color and a touch of sweetness.
Scallion Pancakes | Video!
Ingredients in Zucchini Scallion Pancakes:
- rice flour
- eggs
- zucchini
- scallions
- gochujang fermented pepper paste
- mirin
- white pepper
- salt
How to make Zucchini Scallion Pancakes:
Step one:
Mix rice flour with water, egg and seasonings, set aside to hydrate while you prepare the veggies.
Step two:
Cut zucchini into narrow strips- spiraling or grating works too. Cut scallions in strips by slicing in quarters long ways, creating strips about 4-5 inches long.
Step three:
Mix zucchini, scallions and any other veggies into the rice flour batter. The water has a tendency to separate from the batter- make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl when you mix.
Step 4:
Spread a thin layer of batter and veggies on a cast iron or well-seasoned pan. It is easier to flip if you keep the pancake no larger than 6 or 7 inches. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden.
3Tips for cooking Scallion Pancakes:
- Use tongs to place battered veggies onto the pan, spreading out so they are not piled on each other. Spoon on the batter to fill in any holes.
- Keep them thin so that they cook through.
- After flipping, press the pancake down with a metal spatula to flatten and cook more evenly on the underside.
Serve with kimchi and soy dipping sauce.
Other recipes you may like:
- How to Make Kimchi! A Quick Easy Authentic Kimchi Recipe
- Kimchi Fried Rice
- Seasoned Japanese Rice with Furikake
- Farmers Market Fried Rice
- Chinese Sesame Noodles with Veggies!
- Kung Pao Zucchini
- Zucchini Curry
Hope you enjoy these savory Zucchini Scallion Pancakes!
~ Tonia
Print
Scallion Pancakes with Zucchini
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 6
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 3 pancakes 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Scallion Pancakes are so simple and so satisfying! Easy to whip together in just minutes. Serve as an appetizer or light meal with a quick dipping sauce and kimchi. Vegetarian and gluten-free.
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons gochujang hot pepper paste (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons mirin
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 medium zucchini, cut in thin strips or grated or spiralized
- 1 bunch scallions, slice in quarters long ways, creating strips about 4–5 inches long
- 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds, untoasted
- avocado oil or other high heat cooking oil
Dipping Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar, maple syrup or honey (optional)
- a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired
Instructions
- Mix together water, rice flour, eggs, gochujang, mirin, white pepper, and salt. Set aside to hydrate while you prepare the veggies.
- Mix prepared veggies into the rice flour batter.
- Heat a cast iron or other non-stick pan to medium high heat, oil the pan with a teaspoon or so of oil. Use tongs to place battered veggies onto the pan, spreading out so they are not piled on each other. Spoon on batter to fill in any holes. Keeping it thin and no bigger then 7 inches.
- Sprinkle on a teaspoon of sesame seeds. Cook for 3 minutes per side. After flipping, press pancake down with a metal spatula to flatten and cook more evenly on the underside.
- Serve with kimchi and dipping sauce.
Notes
Substitute for gochujang: 1 teaspoon white miso paste and 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
The finished texture is more crepe or sturdy omelet like.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 167
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 663.2 mg
- Fat: 7.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.7 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 5.3 g
- Cholesterol: 93 mg
Excellent flavors and beautiful presentation! This recipe made 5 pancakes for me. I added some purple carrot as well as a few roasted sliced shiitakes. The dipping sauce and kimchi were a perfect accompaniment. Next time I will double the dipping sauce recipe, since it was a such a hit.
Happy you enjoyed this Karen!
it`s super!
What adjustments need to be made if I use white or whole wheat flour as I am allergic to rice? Thank you!
It should work fine with the same measurement of white flour.
Hi, can I use white or whole wheat flour to make these?
Hi Wai, we’ve only tried it with rice flour but white should work, not completely sure about whole wheat. Maybe try a blend?
These are now at the top my list for taking advantage of zucchini bounty season! So good. We roasted a little pork tenderloin and wrapped a few slices, along with kimchi and a little cilantro and some pea shoots in the pancakes. Delicious and so easy and fast to pull together!
love the yummy additions! So glad you enjoyed!
Sorry, forgot to put my rating! 🙃
Delicious pancakes! Great with an egg for breakfast. Just a little observation….the method says Kirin but it should read mirin.
Love your blog here in Oz.
thanks Jane! fixed it 🙂
I think I see carrots- what are the other veggies that are deep red?
Can’t wait to make these.
they are red carrots!
Looks delicious! And uses zucchini! Will definitely try this recipe, thank you for publishing it.
Mine have come out very floppy so I have to roll them up to dip them. Perhaps it would be better to have a weight or volume measurement for the zucchini to get it right the next time? There are a heck of a lot of different “mediium-sized” zucchinis around right now! 🙂
They are a soft pancake, more crepe like in texture or a sturdier omelet. It helps to cut them into 3-4 inch pieces. The amount of vegetable you add is really up to you, you can play around and find the texture you like! It may also help to make them smaller. Hope that helps!
Thanks for your awesome recipes, we love them. Is there a possible substitute for gochujung, the recommended 1 pound container (amazon) would last me a life time and the smaller option is not the same product and contains MSG which I am allergic to.
Thanks
I think miso and sriracha would work great. I’ll include it in the recipe notes. You could also just leave it out, especially when eating with kimchi.
Could regular flour be used instead of rice flour if ok with gluten?
yes!