Authentic Pajeon (파전) – Korean Scallion Pancake

A crisp yet tender Korean pancake packed with seafood and scallions, served piping hot with a tangy soy-vinegar sauce.

The sound of rain starts in the skillet before it ever reaches the window: the oil crackles, the batter quivers, the scallions soften and release a fresh, mellow, almost sweet aroma. A good pajeon is easy to spot: long scallions laid in neat rows, held together by just enough batter to bind them.

The edges turn beautifully crisp, while the center stays tender and full of scallions. If you’re looking for close cousins, the Vietnamese bánh xèo and Japanese okonomiyaki also combine batter and filling, but in a completely different form. In short, it’s a dish well worth discovering.

What is pajeon?

The name is simple. Pa means “scallion,” while jeon refers to a family of batter-coated foods that are pan-fried. In Korean cuisine, jeon preserves the identity of the main ingredient, whether it’s zucchini as in aehobak jeon, assorted vegetables as in yachaejeon, or, here, whole scallions.

Pajeon differs from buchimgae, where the batter takes center stage and the chopped ingredients disappear into a dense pancake. In an authentic pajeon, the scallions remain visible and intact, often jjokpa (Joseon scallions) lined up side by side in the pan.

The batter is there to bind, not to steal the show. Wheat flour provides structure, starch adds delicate crispness, and ice-cold water slows gluten development. Classic pajeon is served with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

Dongnae pajeon, from Busan, follows a different approach: richer, softer, and packed with seafood, it is served with chojang, a lively sauce made with gochujang and vinegar, similar to a bibimbap sauce.

From American flour to rainy evenings

The history of pajeon is part of the broader story of jeon. At the Joseon court, these refined dishes were called jeonyuhwa, “flowers fried in oil.” Yet pajeon does not appear in any of the major culinary texts of the period: neither the Eumsik Dimibang of 1670 nor the Siuijeonseo of the late 19th century, which nonetheless includes a sparrow jeon.

The first printed mention dates to 1946, in Bang Sin-young’s Chosun Eumsik Mandeuneun Beop: wheat flour, egg, salt, scallions, cooked on an iron griddle. After the Korean War (1950-1953), American aid brought large quantities of wheat into the country.

Wheat, once expensive, became widely accessible, and home cooks adapted their traditional pan-frying methods. This also helps explain why flour plays such an important role in other popular dishes, such as the Korean corn dog.

The Dongnae district of Busan developed its own version in the 1930s around Dongnae Market. Rich with rice flours, seafood, and scallions, this lavish style of pajeon shares with eomuk the same roots in Busan’s seafood culture.

In Korean culture, pajeon remains closely associated with rainy days. It is often shared with makgeolli, whose gentle fizz and lactic tang balance the oil and salt. A kimchi jjigae also hits the spot on a damp evening.

Key ingredients in pajeon

Joseon scallions (jjokpa) are the foundation of the dish. Whole or halved, they are arranged in parallel to give the pajeon its structure. The batter combines wheat flour for body with potato, corn, or tapioca starch for thin, shatteringly crisp edges. Ice-cold or sparkling water slows gluten formation and keeps the texture light. Egg, if used, acts as a subtle binder.

For haemul pajeon, oysters, shrimp, squid, and mussels are added, well drained so they don’t make the pancake soggy. Red and green chilies, sliced on the bias, add color and gentle heat. Korean cuisine also loves them stuffed and fried, as in gochu twigim.

Minari, crisp and herbaceous, is essential to the Dongnae version.

When it comes to sauces, classic pajeon is served with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce. Dongnae-style pajeon prefers chojang, tangy and lightly spicy. Its batter, made with glutinous and non-glutinous rice flours, has a chaljin texture—supple and sticky—also found in gyeongdan. Anchovy and dasima broth season the batter from within, echoing the briny notes of jjamppong.