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

Korean Bapsang logo

  • 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
  • Ingredients
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Featured On
    • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
go to homepage
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes

    Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)

    Published 07/30/2020. Updated 09/04/2020

    Jump to Recipe

    A simple Korean side dish you can make with abundant summer zucchinis! It’s also great in bibimbpap.
    DSC2558 2 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)

    This stir-fried zucchini is one of my favorite summer side dishes (banchan, 반찬)! It’s delicious with summer zucchinis.
    Of course, it goes well with any Korean meal, especially meat dishes such as bulgogi, galbi, or jeyuk bokkeumor in bibimbap.
    My preference is to make this dish with Korean zucchinis called aehobak (애호박), meaning young squash, if available. Aehobak has the shape of regular zucchini, but with a lighter green color, thinner skin, and more delicate yellowish flesh. There are also round shaped varieties of aehobak. These are available in summer months around here.
    However, you can make this dish with any zucchini varieties, such as grey zucchini, black beauty, etc.
    DSC2664 1 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)
    This dish can be vegan if you use salt or soup soy sauce (gukganjang) to season. However, the classic seasoning for this Korean side dish is saeujeot (or saewujeot, 새우젓), which is salted and fermented tiny shrimp. It adds a delicious savory flavor to the zucchini. Fish sauce works as well.
    DSC 0108 1 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)
    Saeujeot is a staple ingredient most commonly usedin kimchi but itsdistinct savory flavor works wonderfully as a seasoning for various other dishes such as gyeran jjim (steamed egg), sundubu jjigae (soft tofu jjigae), kongnamul guk (soybean sprout soup) and bossam (boiled pork). If you have leftover saeujeot from making kimchi, keep it in the freezer in a freezer bag. It won’t freeze because of the high level of salt content, but will keep well for a long time.
    You can keep this zucchini side dish in the fridge up to 4 days if it lasts that long.

    More zucchini recipes

    Hobak buchim
    Gochujang stew with zucchini
    Hobak madu (zucchini dumplings)

    DSC2664 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)

    Have you tried this stir-fried zucchini recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube,Pinterest,Twitter,Facebook, andInstagram.
    DSC2558 2 350x350 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)

    Hobak bokkeum

    4.67 from 15 votes
    Side Dish
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium zucchini (about 10 - 12 ounces)
    • 2 teaspoons saeujeot (salted shrimp) or salt to taste or fish sauce
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic cloves
    • 1 scallion finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (preferably crushed)

    Instructions

    • Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise (cut into quarters if using a round zucchini). Then cut crosswise into about 1/4 to 1/3-inch thick slices.
      DSC 0079 640x428 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)
    • You can use saeujeot as is or finely chopped. This is very salty, so use 2 teaspoons first and add more if needed.
      hobak bokkeum3 e1596165407360 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)
    • Heat a pan with the oil over medium high heat. Add the zucchini, garlic and saeujeot (or salt or fish sauce) to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring well. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan while stir frying. You can add another spoon or two of water if the pan is dry.
      DSC 0083 640x428 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)
    • Add the scallion, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Continue to cook until the zucchini is softened and turns translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook. Taste and add more salted shrimp or salt if necessary.
      DSC 0087 640x428 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This recipe was originally posted in July 2011. Here, I have updated it with new photos, more information and improvements to the recipe.

    You may also like:

    • DSC 0295 e1534910431144 150x150 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)Hobak Buchim (Zucchini Pancakes)
    • DSC4547 3 150x150 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)Hobakjuk (Pumpkin Porridge)
    • DSC2501 01 3 150x150 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)Gochujang Jjigae (Gochujang Stew with Zucchini)
    • DSC 3895 e1558230430963 150x150 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)Stir-fried Garlic Scapes (Maneuljjong Bokkeum)
    Previous Post: « Gochujang Jjigae (Gochujang Stew with Zucchini)
    Next Post: Gamja Jorim (Korean Braised Potatoes) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Diana Bouziane says

      January 08, 2021 at 4:14 am

      Hello! Love your blog, i came across yesterday and im so inspired to try them as soon as i find all the ingredients! i was just wondering about the shrimp paste, will it give a fishy taste to the zucchini? thaanks

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 08, 2021 at 6:18 pm

        Thank you! It’s Korean salt fermented shrimp, so not sure if you’re talking about the same thing by shrimp paste. It certainly gives a little bit of fermented seafood pungency but different from fish sauce.

        Reply
    2. Aloysius Rho says

      October 26, 2020 at 6:17 pm

      5 stars
      I LOVE this!!!! Brings me back to my childhood. My mom used to make this all summer long, as a side dish or with gooksoo.
      I really enjoy all your recipes – hope you realize how much happiness you bring to people! Thanks so much!!!

      Reply
    3. Camille says

      August 02, 2020 at 3:22 pm

      Thank you for making this website! I have been trying to search out Korean side dishes but have not had the luck I would hope. Most google searches for Korean side dishes focus more on the main dishes. Which is great except it didn’t really explain side dishes. Finally, your blog came up, and just scrolling through I can already see it’s exactly what I’m looking for. I’m very new to Korean dishes and this is just the site I need to get me going. Thanks again for all the time and detail you’ve put in.

      Reply
    4. Soyeon says

      August 01, 2020 at 12:11 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I’ll have to try this with my summer squash too!

      Reply
    5. Quynh Nguyen says

      April 18, 2020 at 3:26 pm

      these are wonderful recipes! Simply GREAT!
      Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    6. Tamara says

      March 17, 2020 at 4:12 am

      Made this in under 10 minutes! Thanks for this simple side dish

      Reply
    7. Ger (BK) says

      February 17, 2020 at 11:36 am

      This dish was lovely, it was a great addition to our Korean meal. Thank you for sharing this quick and easy to make dish. The results were awesome. I loved the flavor and texture of the cooked zucchini. We will enjoy again. Made for What’s on the Menu tag game 2020.

      Reply
    8. Hyosun Ro says

      July 10, 2011 at 2:29 am

      Pierre – Your Indonesian version looks delicious too. I will try to make it one day. Thanks for stopping by.

      Judy – I am really curious how your mom does her zucchini side dish. I am sure it’s delicious though. Yea, go out get some zucchini. They are certainly abundant out there these days.

      Reply
    9. Judy says

      July 08, 2011 at 10:12 pm

      I love zucchini and I think I’ve tried something similar to this at one of our local Korean restaurants, which I really enjoyed. I never thought to saute zucchini as a side dish. I’m always adding it to a stir-fry or pasta sauce or soup, and I also like it grilled but never thought to serve it this way. Your dish actually reminds me that my mom used to saute zucchini as a side but I can’t believe I never remembered it until now! Need to go buy some zucchini… 🙂

      Reply
    10. PFx says

      July 01, 2011 at 4:26 am

      I remember my mum making this, but my maid seemed to make the Indonesian version more often. This is like a universal stir fry recipe. This is the Indonesian version: http://littlehungryheart.blogspot.com/2011/05/indonesian-chokochayote-stir-fry.html

      It’s funny how good food have roots so much alike.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    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...

    Basics of Korean Cooking

    Basics of Korean cooking! Coming soon.

    Never Miss a Recipe

    Popular Recipes

    • Red spicy Korean rice cake called tteokbokki in a large plate
    • Napa cabbage kimchi
    • Korean black bean noodles
    • DSC 06281 e1422146518897 500x500 - Hobak Bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)
    • Red spicy kimchi stew in an earthen pot
    • Stir-fried glass noodles with beef and vegetables in a square bowl
    • A 6-photo collage of 15 Korean vegetable side dishes
    • Korean fried chicken nuggets in a sweet and savory sauce

    Popular Categories

    Noodles and rice category banner

    Soups category banner

    Stews category banner

    As Featured On:

       

    Never Miss a Recipe:

    Footer

    Korean Bapsang logo

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2021 · All rights reserved · Korean Bapsang