The Variety of Korean Savory Pancakes: A List

Why Korean pancakes are more versatile than the American counterpart

Jun (or jeon, chun) are pancake-like Korean dishes. They can be made from almost anything. This includes meat, seafood, vegetables, and kimchi, and they are either coated with an egg, flour, or combination batter before they are pan-fried. There are even sweet dessert or snack versions of jun.

Jun can be a side dish, snack, main dish, dessert, or anju (drinking snacks). They're a long way from American-style pancakes, which are not as versatile.

  • 01 of 04

    Pan-Fried Zucchini (Hobak Jun)

    Hobak Jun

    The Spruce / Naomi Imatome

    A delicious and healthy Korean side dish, hobak jun (or jeon) is easy to prepare and goes well with almost every Korean meal. What a treat! The zucchini is coated in a thin batter of flour and egg, sauteed on both sides and served with soy sauce for dipping. So while, zucchini is a very healthy vegetable to consume, fried and battered, it isn't so much.

  • 02 of 04

    Scallion Pancake (Pa Jun)

    Scallion pancakes with soy sauce

    The Spruce

    This Korean scallion pancake recipe is easy to make and is always a big crowd-pleaser. It works as a hearty snack, an appetizer, or a side dish to a Korean or Asian meal.

    As with most Korean recipes and dishes, you can tweak it to your own tastes. If you have time, for example, you can add sliced red chili peppers and white onions to pa jun. Carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, and kimchi are also popular fillings for Korean scallion pancakes. Research other possible fillings you can swap out for your favorite vegetable.

  • 03 of 04

    Pan-Fried Fish (Saeng Sun Jun)

    Korean fried fish

     

    ma-no / Getty Images 

    We usually like to make this with fresh flounder or cod but almost any white fish works well in this recipe. The best option is a fresh fish with delicate white flesh like flounder, cod, pollack, sea perch, halibut, orange roughy, and yellow croaker, but even frozen fish tastes good cooked this way.

    The thin coating of egg and flour make it easy to eat and prepare. Good with spicy dipping sauces or just soy sauce, kids and even meat-eaters love this sauteed fish. If you're trying to give up meat or know someone who is, wean them off with this dish.

  • 04 of 04

    Kimchi Jun (Kimchi Pancake)

    Korean kimchi pancake (Kimchee Jun)

    The Spruce / Naomi Imatome

    This kimchi pancake recipe is a great use of leftover kimchi and is very easy to make. Kimchi Jun works as a hearty snack, an appetizer, or a side dish to a Korean or Asian meal. As with most Korean recipes and dishes, you can tweak it to your own tastes with the addition of other vegetables, meat, or seafood. If you are going to be using the ready-made batter available at Korean and other Asian groceries, see the bottom note for directions.