Hobak Jeon (Korean Pan-Fried Zucchini)

A recipe for Hobak Jeon (Korean Pan-Fried Zucchini)! Slices of zucchini are coated in flour and egg, then pan-fried until golden.

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These Hobak Jeon (호박전) are lightly battered and pan-fried zucchini slices. They are delicious as a banchan or a light snack. The cooking style is quite similar to the Romanian Dovlecei Pané (Zucchini Fritters with Garlic Sauce).

Pieces of Aehobak (애호박, Korean Zucchini) are coated briefly in flour and egg, then pan-fried in a thin layer of oil until golden on each side.

Serve immediately with a light and optionally spicy dipping sauce created by simply whisking together soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochugaru, and sesame seeds.

I topped a few of the Hobak Jeon with thin slices of red chili pepper or Crown Daisy leaves for garnish. This is completely optional, but adds a beautiful contrast.

A Few Hobak Jeon Tips

Try to use a zucchini about 2 inches (5 centimeters) wide, then cut into 1/4-1/3 inch (6-8 millimeter) slices.

After resting with the salt, gently pat the zucchini dry before coating in the flour and egg. This will help the coating stick better and keep the crisp texture.

Add a thin layer of vegetable oil to the pan. These are pan-fried zucchini slices, not deep-fried.

Fry the zucchini a few at a time. Take care to not overcrowd the pan. Cook just until golden on each side. Adjust the heat as needed between medium and medium-low.

This recipe uses two zucchini to serve around four people. It can easily be halved.

The Hobak Jeon is best warm from the pan, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Notable Ingredients

Korean Zucchini (Aehobak, 애호박) is a lighter green to greenish-yellow squash with a more delicate, tender texture and thinner skin. It can be found in the produce section of many Korean markets.

If not available, this recipe can be made with green zucchini.

Crown Daisy (쑥갓, Ssukgat) is a leafy herb also known as edible chrysanthemum. The flavor is mild with a slight bitterness. It can be found in markets with East Asian produce.

If not available, you can also use minari (water dropwort) or parsley leaves.

Gochugaru (고추가루) is a hot Korean red chili powder ground either coarse or fine depending on the use. The best gochugaru is made from red chili peppers that have been dried in the sunlight.

It can be located in markets with Korean ingredients and on Amazon: Korean Chile Flakes (Gochugaru). I store opened gochugaru in the freezer to keep it fresh longer and prevent mold.

For those in Northern Virginia, I have been able to locate all of these ingredients at H-Mart in Centreville.

Looking for more Korean recipes?

Try my:

• Goguma Latte (Korean Sweet Potato Latte)
• Gungjung Tteokbokki (Korean Royal Court Rice Cakes)
• Gyeran Bbang (Korean Egg Bread)

This recipe was originally posted in July 2014 and updated in March 2023.

Hobak Jeon (Korean Pan-Fried Zucchini) Recipe

Adapted from Kitchen Wench and Kimchimari

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Hobak Jeon (Korean Pan-Fried Zucchini)

A recipe for Hobak Jeon (Korean Pan-Fried Zucchini)! Slices of zucchini are coated in flour and egg, then pan-fried until golden.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Korean

Keyword Korea, Korean, zucchini

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

Dipping Sauce:

• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) rice vinegar
• 1/2-1 teaspoon gochugaru Korean red pepper powder, optional
• Pinch toasted sesame seeds

Hobak Jeon:

• 2 Korean zucchini Aehobak
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil for pan-frying
• Crown Daisy leaves optional
• Red chili pepper thinly sliced, optional

Instructions

To make the dipping sauce:

• In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, and gochugaru. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then top with a pinch of sesame seeds.

To make the Hobak Jeon:

• Remove the ends of the zucchini and cut into 1/4 inch (6 millimeter) thick slices.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels and arrange the slices in a single layer.
• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt evenly over the slices.
• Flip the slices over and sprinkle another 1/2 teaspoon evenly over the top. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Pat the zucchini slices dry with the paper towels.
• In a small bowl, beat together the eggs until smooth.
• Place the flour in another bowl.
• In a medium to large pan, drizzle a thin layer of vegetable oil over medium heat.
• Once heated, coat a zucchini slice thoroughly in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in the egg and place in the hot pan. Repeat with a few more slices. Take care not to overcrowd.
• If desired, place a thin slice of red pepper or crown daisy leaf on top of each zucchini slice.
• Once the bottom is golden, gently flip to cook the other side just until golden.
• Remove to a towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining zucchini slices.
• Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.