Squash pancakes

Hobakjeon 호박전

I’m going to introduce these 2 kinds of Korean style squash pancakes to you today:
zucchini pancake and butternut squash pancake.

Unlike zucchini, butternut squash is an unusual ingredient in Korean cuisine. When I saw butternut squash for the first time in my life in USA, I asked my friend Jenny to give me her butternut squash recipe.

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She told me that she usually cooked it in the microwave or in the oven with some brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon on top. I baked my butternut squash as she told me to, and it was very delicious! I found the texture, sweetness, and even the orange color to be almost the same as the squash that I used to make my hobakjuk in Korea!

Ever since then, buying some good quality of butternut squash in the fall is a regular seasonal activity for me. I stack them in the corner of my kitchen or living room. They are not only edible but also decorative!

My favorite squashes are: acorn squash, goblin squash, zucchini, and butternut squash.

ediblehobaks

Make your doenjangjjigae with acorn squash! It’s unbelievably delicious. : ) And bake a goblin squash in the oven with some honey, butter, and cinnamon. I love it!

Ok let’s start cooking!

Butternut squash pancake

Yield:
2 medium sized pancakes.

Ingredients

Butternut squash, kosher salt, flour, vegetable oil.

This is very unique style of pancake because you don’t use water!

Directions

  1. Cut a butternut squash in half and remove the seeds with a spoon.splithobak
  2. Peel the skin with a potato peeler.
  3. Julienne the butternut squash.butternutstripsoncuttingboard
  4. Place 2 cups of butternut squash strips into a bowl.
  5. Mix it with ¼ ts kosher salt by hand, and set it aside.
  6. In abut 20 minutes the butternut strips will be a little wet due to the process of osmosis.
  7. Add 3-4 tbs flour and mix it slightly by hand or with a spoon.butternutwithflour
  8. Heat up a pan with 1 tbs olive oil.
  9. Spoon half the butternut squash mixture on to the hot panpressbutternut
  10. Spread the batter thinly, smooth it out with your spoon, and cook for a few minutes over medium heat.
  11. When the bottom of the pancake is lightly golden brown, flip it over.
  12. Keep pressing the pancake gently and add more vegetable oil to make it crispier.
  13. Serve it hot.butternutjeon1

Zucchini pancake

Yield:
1 large pancake, for sharing.

Ingredients

Zucchini, kosher salt, water, flour, toasted sesame oil, vegetable oil.

I learned this recipe from my friend Heykyung’s mom, when I was in high school. I went to her house one day and her mother made this pancake for us. The taste was much better than any zucchini pancake that I had ever eaten. I found out the trick was just a little bit of toasted sesame oil, in the right spot, at the right time! Actually her recipe used more flour and water, and a little bit of sugar in the batter. I modified her recipe to my taste by cutting down the flour and cutting out the sugar.

Directions

  1. Julienne a small zucchini. Put 1½ cups of zucchini strips into a bowl.zuccinistripcutting
  2. Add ½ cup flour, ½ ts kosher salt, ½ cup water and mix it well with a spoon.zucchinimix
  3. On a heated pan, place about 2 tbs vegetable oil and put the batter on to the pan.
  4. Spread the batter evenly and thinly to make a large circular pancake.zucchinionthepan
  5. About 1 minute later, when the bottom part sets firm, add 1 tbs toasted sesame oil on the pan, along the edge of the pancake.
  6. Tilt and shake the pan so that sesame oil spreads underneath the pancake.
  7. Cook another minute until the bottom turns light golden brown and crispy.
    *tip: keep pressing it down with a spoon or spatula while cooking
  8. Turn over the pancake with a spatula, or flip it if you can.
  9. Add more vegetable oil if you want to make it more crispy. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
  10. Transfer the pancake to a large serving plate and serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce:

dippingsauce

  1. In a small glass bowl add 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs vinegar, 1 tbs chopped onion, 1 clove of minced garlic, and 1 sliced green chili pepper.
  2. Mix it up with a spoon.

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Posted on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 6:24 pm. Last updated on August 10, 2021.
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99 Comments:

  1. iamlll Illinois joined 8/17 & has 2 comments
    Posted August 6th, 2017 at 8:20 pm | or create a profile.

    I made two of these today, one with rice flour and zucchini, and the other with all-purpose flour, zucchini, and the kernels off of half an ear of corn. My family unanimously agreed that the corn version was better, though both were delicious! I would say that whereas the pancake made with all-purpose flour was crisp, the rice flour pancake was crunchy. Another thing to note, although the measurements for the pancake don’t need to be changed for rice flour (to make it GF), since rice flour is much less absorbent than regular flour, it does benefit from sitting for a few minutes to give it a chance to soak up all of that water! I also salted my zucchini, let it sit 10 minutes, and squeezed out all the excess water using a thin towel before adding in the other ingredients. I then used the liquid I squeezed out as part of the 1/2 c water added to the pancake mixture. And for those without fresh chili peppers (to use in the dipping sauce), I substituted 1 tsp red pepper flakes for a double batch of sauce just fine :-)

  2. Tosin_Oc London, UK joined 3/15 & has 40 comments
    Posted May 10th, 2015 at 4:06 am | or create a profile.

    Fantastic recipe again!!! I used potato starch instead of flour in the butternut squash one and it turned out delicious! I was wondering what other type of flour I could use in the batter? Can I use potato starch or rice flour maybe? My husband doesn’t eat gluten and he’s dying to try it! Thanks so much Maangchi!

  3. salloom Los Angeles joined 2/14 & has 11 comments
    Posted February 25th, 2014 at 3:38 am | or create a profile.

    Hi Maangchi,

    I made this recipe today.

    1) Instead of flour, I used Korean Pancake Mix.
    2) The zucchini was placed in a cheese cloth and excess water squeezed out.
    3) I added a teaspoon+ of white powdered sugar to the mix.

    It turned out great and I wish I made more. Next time.

  4. tygerstryped singapore joined 1/14 & has 4 comments
    Posted January 27th, 2014 at 1:53 am | or create a profile.

    Hi Maangchi! I made the zucchini pancake today and it was a success! ^o^ My batter was a little too wet though so the centre of the pancake was a bit gooey, but it was still very good. Thank you for the delicious recipe!

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Be9y3atCMAAut7X.jpg

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
      Posted January 28th, 2014 at 8:33 am | or create a profile.

      Your pancake looks thin and delicious! ” centre of the pancake was a bit gooey” add more oil and lift the edge with your spatula, tilting the pan so that the oil reaches to the center. The oil make it crispy. Good luck!

  5. gemini31 South Korea, Busan joined 5/13 & has 3 comments
    Posted May 9th, 2013 at 7:27 am | or create a profile.

    I tried to cook this kind of pancake and my husband love it.
    Thank you for your site..

  6. gemini31 South Korea, Busan joined 5/13 & has 3 comments
    Posted May 9th, 2013 at 7:07 am | or create a profile.

    Hi Maangchi,

    I tried to cook your zucchini pancake and my husband love it, i love it also..
    Thanks for your site so I can make a lot of korean foods..

    Keep it Up and More Power..

  7. cokomignon Florida joined 8/12 & has 3 comments
    Posted November 14th, 2012 at 12:00 pm | or create a profile.

    Oh my! This was so good. I loved the sauce! Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful recipes. I am falling in love with South Korea all because of maangchi.com!!!!! LOL!

  8. Jerry Ko New York joined 1/11 & has 9 comments
    Posted October 30th, 2012 at 3:46 pm | or create a profile.

    Im interested in the zucchini pancake but the dipping sauce sounds like it would really make this go together well like peanut butter and jelly! Great post Maangchi :)

  9. Azngurlish The Netherlands, Enschede joined 9/10 & has 2 comments
    Posted August 3rd, 2012 at 10:34 am | or create a profile.

    Hi maangchi!
    Can I use this recipe for lunchbox?

  10. ShylaE Philippines joined 5/12 & has 1 comment
    Posted May 19th, 2012 at 12:13 am | or create a profile.

    can I mix squash and zuchini to make into a pancake?

  11. tomco1025 California, USA joined 9/11 & has 11 comments
    Posted March 30th, 2012 at 12:42 am | or create a profile.

    I made the zucchini pancake tonight and it was so delicious! One of my favorite foods is deep fried zucchini and this tastes so much like it and is so much healthier! It’s extra tasty with the dipping sauce! Thank you, Maangchi!

  12. Janette118 Christchurch joined 3/12 & has 1 comment
    Posted March 17th, 2012 at 3:15 pm | or create a profile.

    Dear Maangchi,

    I am interested to learn about Korean vegetarian croquette. Do you have the recipe?

  13. lmhjgsfever Hungary joined 1/12 & has 18 comments
    Posted March 1st, 2012 at 8:54 am | or create a profile.

    i made this today it was amazing although i didn’t use the dipping sauce too much for me, but it was good i ate it all :0

  14. IvySeoul UK joined 8/11 & has 8 comments
    Posted September 11th, 2011 at 4:56 pm | or create a profile.

    Here’s a picture of the zucchini pancake I made tonight! :-)

  15. Give Thanks Indonesia joined 8/11 & has 7 comments
    Posted August 16th, 2011 at 1:59 am | or create a profile.

    Hi Maangchi!
    I haven’t been try the butternut squash pancake but I know that will be a must to try too!
    I already try the zucchini pancake 2-3 times a week , I love it!
    I post the recipe today on my blog :
    http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/4061705-zucchini-pancake-

    Tq for ur lovely & amazing recipe – all of them! ;)
    *Loves*
    Elies

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