Got some sour kimchi? Why not make these kimchi pancakes with cheese and potato? Potato and cheese will add mellowness to the pancakes and neutralize the sourness of the kimchi. They are great as a savory snack or an appetizer to enjoy at the party.

Kimchi Pancakes

Many Korean food lovers adore kimchi pancakes. Have you seen our one-of-a- kind kimchi pancake recipe? Yes, it is savory and satisfying. But here we present another version of kimchi pancakes recipe that is even better.

We will call it cheesy kimchi potato pancakes. As you can imagine, the combination of sour cabbage kimchi, shredded potatoes, and soft cheese are combined in an unfussy batter and pan-fried in hot oil.

Crispy on the outside but savory and chewy on the inside, how can you go wrong with that? We might say these are closer to fritters than pancakes in terms of their cooking method. Whatever you call it, you will love the outcome of this savory snack.

Koreans love to make pan-fried savory pancakes on rainy days. Most July days in Korea are typically rainy due to the monsoon weather. There must be some kind of chemical attraction between our body and the grease when the weather is wet and dreary.

Korean cravings for crispy savory pancakes have resulted in the creation of the most satisfying snacks or unfussy meals. If you have some sour cabbage kimchi on hand, make these cheesy kimchi potato pancakes. They won’t disappoint you.

Cheesy Kimchi Potato Pancakes on a serving dish.

Cook’s Note

Use sour cabbage kimchi. The more sour, the better. You can make kitchen-made kimchi easily with our direct cabbage kimchi recipe and let it ferment for a few days.
Don’t skip the potatoes. Both kimchi and cheese have loads of salt. The potato will neutralize the saltiness and also adds a chewy texture.
You can use any type of soft cheese you like. We used a mixture of mozzarella and a Mexican cheese blend.
You don’t need to deep-fry the batter but use enough oil to create the crispness when you pan-fry them.
Try serving these pancakes with a dollop of sour cream. The creaminess of sour cream enhances the robust flavor of kimchi and they go well together.

How the dish comes together

Shred the potatoes. We used a medium sized peeled Yukon potatoes.

Squeeze out the moisture as much as you can with your hands.

Chop the kimchi into small pieces and add to the bowl with potatoes and green onion.

Add flour, breadcrumbs, egg, and cheese.

Collect some kimchi juice and add to the mixture. It will intensify the kimchi flavor. Adjust the amount of water in the batter. You will want the pancake batter to be slightly dense, not too loose.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Drop a heaping tablespoonful of batter and spread out. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until brown and crispy on the edge. Adjust the heat so that you don’t brown the edges too quickly.

Place the pancakes on a mesh rack to prevent the bottom surface from getting soggy.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and enjoy while hot.

Other Dishes You Can Make With Kimchi

Yield: 4 people
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 medium yukon potatoes or 1 russet potato, peeled and shredded
1 1/2 cup sour kimchi, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
2-3 tbsp kimchi juice
1 egg
4-6 tbsp water, or more if needed
1 cup shredded Mozzarella or provolone cheese
4 tbsp cookie oil
sour cream for topping, optional

Method

Squeeze out the shredded potato with your hands to remove the moisture as much as you can. Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl, add the kimchi, green onion, flour, breadcrumbs, kimchi juice, egg, water, and cheese. Mix well with a spoon. Add more water if the better seems to stiff. You will want the batter to be a little dense, not too loose.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Drop a heaping tablespoonful of batter on the skillet and spread out thinly. Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes each side or until the edges turn brown and crisp. Adjust the heat level to not to burn the pancakes.
Transfer the pancakes on the leash rack to keep them crisp. Serve them hot with a dollop of sour cream

Cheesy Kimchi Potato Pancakes, for rice night