• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Korean Bapsang logo

  • Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer/Snack
    • Main Dish
      • Meat
      • Noodles and Rice
      • Seafood
    • Side Dish
    • Slow Cooker
    • Soup
    • Stew
    • Desserts/Sweets
    • Korean-Chinese
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian dish
    • Traditional holiday food
      • Chuseok (Korean thanksgiving)
    • Special Event
    • Korean BBQ
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Featured On
    • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Appetizer/Snack

    Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)

    Published 04/09/2020. Updated 06/11/2021

    Jump to Recipe

    If you have potatoes, you can make this crispy, chewy Korean potato pancake. Other vegetables are nice to have but not necessary. Enjoy gamjajeon as a delicious appetizer or snack.

    DSC9730 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)

    Gamjajeon or gamja jeon (감자전) is a variety of Korean savory pancake (jeon) made with grated or ground potatoes (감자). It’s a humble dish that can simply be made with potatoes or sometimes with other vegetable additions. These crispy, chewy potato pancakes are great as a snack or an appetizer.

    This recipe is inspired by a simple potato pancake I had as an appetizer, at a restaurant specializing in noodle soup, in Samcheong-dong neighborhood of Seoul. They serve one large pancake as an appetizer, which is made simply with potatoes, nothing else! It reminded me of the potato pancakes I enjoyed during our high school field trip to Seorak Mountain, Gangwon-do, the province that is known for their delicious potatoes.

    DSC9910 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)

    How to make Korean potato pancakes

    You can grate the potatoes on a grater or grind them in a blender or a food processor. I like to grate them on a grater for a coarse texture.

    Whichever method you use, you need to remove some water content from the grated potatoes, or it will be too watery for a pancake batter. Do not throw away the drained water since it contains valuable starch. Let the starch water sit for a while until the starch sinks to the bottom and forms a dense, white layer. Carefully pour out the water, and use the starch in the batter. This is the traditional way to make a potato pancake batter without adding flour or powder starch.

    DSC 0882 e1429498820293 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)

    Gamjajeon variations

    It’s very common to add other vegetables such as garlic chives, scallions, chili peppers, zucchinis, etc. Whichever other vegetable(s) you choose to add, use a small amount, allowing the potatoes to be the star of the dish.

    My favorite addition for gamjajeon is garlic chives. I like a delicate garlic flavor garlic chives give the mildly flavored potato. I grow garlic chives in my backyard, but they are also available at Korean/Asian markets.

    When grated, potatoes turn brown quickly. It still is fine to cook with and eat. You can use a little bit of onion to prevent discoloring of the potatoes without overpowering the flavor of the pancake. Make sure to grate the onion first so you can mix with the potato as soon as it’s grated. If using a blender, blend it with the potatoes.

    You can make 2 large pancakes with this recipe. Or, make a few smaller pieces instead.

    More Korean savory pancakes recipes

    Nokdujeon (savory mung bean pancakes)
    Kimchi jeon (kimchi pancakes)
    Hobak buchim (zucchini pancakes)
    Haemul Pajeon (Scallion seafood pancakes)
    Buchujeon (garlic chives pancakes)

    DSC9846 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC9846 350x350 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)

    Gamjajeon (Potato Pancake)

    4.54 from 32 votes
    Appetizer
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1/4 medium onion - optional (see note)
    • 1-1/2 pounds potatoes (2 large or 3 medium)
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 2 ounces garlic chives (buchu, 부추) - Optional
    • oil for pan frying

    Diping Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • pinch of black pepper

    Instructions

    • Grate the optional onion (about 2 to 3 tablespoons). Place in a large bowl. Peel and grate the potatoes, capturing the liquid. If using a blender or food processor, grind the onion and potatoes together.
      DSC 0745 1024x685 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)
    • Drain the grated potato in a bowl lined with a strainer, reserving the liquid. Immediately transfer to the bowl with the grated onion, and mix well with the optional onion to prevent discoloring of the potato.
      DSC 0749 1024x685 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)
    • Let the reserved liquid sit for about 10 minutes. The starch in the liquid will sink to the bottom. Carefully pour out the water, saving the starch. Add the starch and salt to the grated potato along with the optional garlic chives. Mix well.
      DSC 0752 1024x685 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)
    • Heat a skillet with two tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add 1/2 of the batter, and spread it evenly into a round shape. You can make smaller pancakes if you like. Reduce the heat to medium to medium low, and cook until the bottom is light golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Repeat the process with the remaining batter. Serve hot with a dipping sauce.
      DSC 0828 1024x685 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)

    Notes

    When grated, potatoes turn brown quickly. It still is fine to cook with and eat. You can use a little bit of onion to prevent discoloring of the potatoes without overpowering the flavor of the pancake. Make sure to grate the onion first so you can mix with the potato as soon as it’s grated. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This gamjajeon recipe was originally posted in April 2015. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changesto the recipe.

    You may also like:

    • DSC 1814 e1486954450826 150x150 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)Gamjaguk (Potato Soup)
    • DSC 1216 e1459740754298 150x150 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)Gamjatang (Spicy Pork Bone Stew)
    • DSC 1863 e1486346160335 150x150 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)Hongeojjim (Steamed Skate Fish)
    • DSC 0066 e1539057703301 150x150 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)Jjamppong (Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup)
    « Dak Gomtang (Korean Chicken Soup)
    Gyeran Mari (Rolled Omelette) with Seaweed »
    1749 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Email

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Korean Bapsang

    Korean Bapsang Author
    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

    Never Miss a Recipe

    Popular Recipes

    • a large bowl of red spicy Korean stir-fried rice cakes with serving plates and chopsticks
    • 2 quarter-heads of napa cabbage kimchi in a large ceramic bowl
    • Stir-fried glass noodles with beef and vegetables in a square bowl
    • DSC 06281 e1422146518897 500x500 - Gamjajeon (Potato Pancakes)
    • Korean noodles in a black bean sauce topped with cucumber matchsticks and served in a white bowl
    • A 6-photo collage of 15 Korean vegetable side dishes
    • Korean fried chicken nuggets in a sweet and savory sauce
    • kimchi stew with tofu in an earthen pot with the lid laid on the side of the pot

    Popular Categories

    Noodles and rice category banner

    Korean BBQ category banner

    Stews category banner

    As Featured On:

       

    Footer

    Korean Bapsang New Logo

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2023 · All rights reserved · Korean Bapsang