A simple, egg-free vegan Korean cabbage pancake (Baechu Jeon).
Lightly pan-fried napa cabbage is served with a clean, refreshing Korean dipping sauce (yangnyeomjang), making this cabbage pancake well suited to everyday meals or sharing on a large platter.
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☃️ From the Winter Kitchen｜About Korean Cabbage Pancake
This New Year, I suddenly found myself wanting to make Korean cabbage pancakes.
Not the kind made with finely chopped vegetables,
but whole napa cabbage leaves, gently flattened and cooked slowly in a way inspired by traditional Korean yachaejeon.
I cooked them one after another for my family,
and before I noticed, the large platter was already empty.
With the batter that remained, I made a few butternut squash pancakes.
They didn’t last long either.
The special Korean dipping sauce (yangnyeomjang) was light and clean,
adding just enough brightness to each bite.
As I cooked, tasting along the way,
I stood in the warmth of the kitchen, simply enjoying the moment.
🧺 About This Recipe
- Easy napa cabbage side dish – a simple way to use up a whole cabbage
- Egg-free yachaejeon – vegan and vegetarian friendly
- Platter-style cabbage pancake – beautiful for sharing
- Yangnyeomjang dipping sauce – versatile Korean sauce for tofu or vegetables
🍊 Ingredients
- Napa cabbage:
Use the soft inner leaves rather than the firmer outer ones. They fit more easily in the pan and cook into a tender, gentle texture. - Oil:
Add a small amount at a time when frying. Because the batter is light, too much oil can easily make the pancakes greasy.
▶︎ Batter
- Cake flour
- Potato starch
- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Water
▶︎ Yangnyeom Dipping Sauce：A simple Korean-style dipping sauce that pairs beautifully with this pancake. It also works well with chilled tofu, vegetable sides, or steamed tofu dumplings.
👇 Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below
🥣 Tools
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Knife & cutting board
- Spatula
- Frying pan
📖 Instructions
- Make the batter
- Combine flour and potato starch in a bowl.
- Add water, soy sauce, and salt. Whisk until smooth and free of lumps.
- Prepare the cabbage
- Separate cabbage leaves, rinse lightly, and drain.
- To flatten each leaf, gently tap it with the flat side of a knife or a small pestle. Small cuts along the stem can also help the leaf lie flat.
- Coat the cabbage
- Dip each cabbage leaf into the batter, ensuring the surface is lightly and evenly coated.
- Fry & Serve
- Heat a frying pan and lightly coat with oil.
- Cook the cabbage leaves gently and slowly until they become tender and the batter develops a warm golden color.
- Plate the pancakes and serve with the vegan dipping sauce.
🌿 Tip: Add more oil little by little if needed; too much at once can make the pancakes greasy.
📝 Tips
- Mix the batter just before cooking for the best texture.
- A lightly oiled pan and gentle heat help the pancakes cook evenly, allowing the batter to turn a warm golden color while the leaves stay tender.
- Using the soft inner leaves of napa cabbage gives the most even, quietly beautiful pancakes.
🫙 Storage
- Best enjoyed freshly cooked.
📘 Kitchen Notes｜Using Leftover Batter
If a little batter remains,
it’s easily turned into another small jeon with leftover vegetables.
➤ Vegetable ideas
- Julienne butternut squash or carrots
- Green onions
- Cabbage
- Thinly sliced onions
- Garlic chives
🌿 Vegetables with lower water content work best.
Use minimal oil when frying to keep the pancakes from becoming soggy.
📚 Q&A
Yes.
Vegetable-based Korean pancakes can be made simply with flour and water.
The natural sweetness of napa cabbage keeps the flavor full and satisfying.
Gradual frying with a lightly oiled pan helps the cabbage leaves release easily.
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour, but the texture will be slightly different.
Cake flour is lower in protein, so it creates a lighter, more tender pancake.
Using all-purpose flour will give a slightly firmer, chewier result, which is still delicious.
If you feel like whispering a thought, asking a question, or simply saying hello — the comment section is always open 📮
🛷 More Napa Cabbage Recipes
Favorites from my kitchen:
🧣 More Vegan Korean Recipes
All made with simple, plant-based ingredients:
✏️ Recipe Card｜Printable
Vegan Korean Cabbage Pancake (Baechu Jeon)
Equipment
- frying pan
- Mixing bowl
- whisk
- Knife and cutting board
- Spatula
Ingredients
▶︎ For the cabbage pancake
- napa cabbage leaves (soft inner leaves preferred, as needed)
- 40 g cake flour
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 100 ml water
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- a pinch of salt
- neutral vegetable oil (for frying, as needed)
Instructions
Prepare the batter
- In a bowl, gently whisk together the flour and potato starch.40 g cake flour1 tablespoon potato starch
- Add water, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt, mixing until the batter becomes smooth and lightly pourable.100 ml water1 teaspoon soy saucea pinch of salt
Prepare the cabbage leaves
- Separate the napa cabbage leaves, rinse briefly, and let the excess water drain.napa cabbage leaves
- To help them lie flat, gently tap the thick stem with the flat side of a knife or a pestle, or make a few small cuts along the stem.
Coat the cabbage
- Dip each cabbage leaf into the batter, allowing a thin, even layer to coat the surface.
Cook the pancakes
- Warm a frying pan over medium heat and add a small amount of oil.neutral vegetable oil
- Place the battered cabbage leaves into the pan and cook over low to medium-low heat, gently turning them from time to time, until the leaves become tender and the batter develops a warm golden color.
Serve
- Arrange on a plate and enjoy with the vegan dipping sauce.
Notes
Notes
- Using the soft inner leaves of napa cabbage helps achieve a tender texture and an even finish.
- Adding oil little by little keeps the pancakes light, as the batter is quite delicate.
- The batter feels best when prepared just before cooking.
Storage
These pancakes are best enjoyed freshly cooked.If batter remains, it can be used right away with other vegetables such as squash, carrots, or green onions.
If this recipe made its way into your kitchen, and you'd like to share that moment, feel free to tag @veginveganvegun or use #vegin_vegan_vegun.
Your quiet stories inspire me deeply 🕊️
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