Gamja Jeon (Korean Potato Pancakes)
Crispy golden potato pancakes seasoned with garlic and scallions, served with a tangy soy-vinegar dipping sauce. A beloved Korean side dish that's vegetarian, gluten-free, and ready in under 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 287
- Protein
- 3g
Ingredients
- 3 whole potatoes, medium waxy (like Yukon Gold)
- 2 whole scallions
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- 6 tablespoons total soy sauce mixed with rice vinegar and sesame oil (equal parts: 2 tbsp each)
Instructions
- 1
Peel the 3 potatoes using a vegetable peeler in long downward strokes, turning the potato as you go until all skin is removed and only white flesh remains.
- 2
Hold each peeled potato against a box grater's largest holes and rub it downward across the holes with firm, steady pressure, creating thin shreds that fall into a large bowl.
- 3
Gather the shredded potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeeze them hard over the sink for 20 seconds, twisting the towel to release as much liquid as possible — this keeps the pancakes crispy.
- 4
Mince the 2 garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 5
Cut the 2 scallions crosswise into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick, separating the white parts from the green parts.
- 6
Return the squeezed potatoes to the bowl and add the minced garlic, white parts of the scallions, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, then stir until evenly combined.
- 7
Pour 3 tablespoons of oil into a 10-inch non-stick or cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 2 minutes.
- 8
Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the hot oil, press it gently with the back of a spoon into a 3-inch-wide, 1/4-inch-thick pancake, and repeat to form 3 or 4 pancakes in the pan.
- 9
Cook the pancakes for 3 to 4 minutes, checking the underside by lifting one edge with a spatula — they are done when the bottom is deep golden brown, the color of honey.
- 10
Slide a thin spatula underneath each pancake and flip it quickly, then cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes until it also turns deep golden brown.
- 11
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil, then repeat with the remaining potato mixture to cook 3 or 4 more pancakes.
- 12
In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 2 tablespoons sesame oil until uniform.
- 13
Arrange the warm pancakes on a serving plate, scatter the reserved green parts of the scallions over the top, and place the dipping sauce in a small bowl next to the plate.
Tools you’ll need
- vegetable peeler
- box grater
- large bowl
- kitchen towel
- knife and cutting board
- 10-inch non-stick or cast-iron skillet
- spatula
- paper towels
- small bowl
- spoon
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