Tofu Vegetable Pancakes – Plant Based RD

If you need a way to use up those vegetables in your fridge, make these Tofu Vegetable Pancakes inspired by Korean Yachaejeon. A thick, bouncy pancake perfect for dipping!

This recipe is inspired by both the Korean version of a scallion pancake called Pajeon (파전) and Korean vegetable pancakes called Yachaejeon (야채전). Both take their respective vegetables and encase them in a batter to then cook off in a pan until golden on both sides. Often served with a dipping sauce and both are equally delicious ways to get in some veggies!

The main difference with these is that our batter combines both flour and silken tofu to give us a batter that transforms into a thick, bouncy pancake when cooked. The addition of the silken tofu also helps add more iron, calcium, and protein to our dish.

Why You’ll Love These Tofu Vegetable Pancakes

• Adds tofu for an extra bouncy texture and extra nutrition. Feel free to make the pancakes the traditional way, but I really love the texture with the tofu addition!
• A good way to use up some of the limp veggies in your fridge. We all have them, so don’t worry, it’s not just you. And now, you have a way to use them all up before they go bad.
• Easy to customize with what you might have on hand. I’ve included tips for different flour swaps and ways to make this without the tofu too.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Silken Tofu: Think of this as an egg replacement that not only helps keep everything together, but also creates the best bouncy texture to our pancakes. I used a package of the silken tofu from Nasoya and just blend it up until smooth. If you want to skip the tofu, just add equal parts water and flour together to form the thick batter.
• Flour: I used all-purpose flour as it is a common ingredient in most pantries. For gluten-free alternatives, consider swapping for a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour instead. I like the one from King Arthur’s. You can also try this with chickpea flour, but do note that it can have a strong taste if not cooked properly.
• Potato Starch: Can be replaced with 6 tbsp of cornstarch.
• Cabbage: Green or red cabbage works great. You can also try with other hearty veggies like shredded brussels sprouts or kale.
• Zucchini: Can be optional if you don’t want to squeeze out excess water. Other hearty veggies that can be a good replacement are shredded carrots or thinly sliced bell peppers.
• Scallions: Please don’t skip, but if you absolutely must, swap for thinly sliced shallots.
• Sesame Oil: Primarily used for flavor, but totally okay if you want to leave it out.
• Kala Namak: Also known as black salt, and when added to meals can add a bit of that eggy flavor. Can be found at your local Indian market or online. Easily can be swapped with kosher salt.
• Chili Pepper: I used serrano, but jalapeño also works. Feel free to leave out if you don’t like spice.

How to Make Tofu Vegetable Pancakes

Assess and prep your veggies: If using water logged veggies like zucchini, shred or julienne until you end up with about 1/2 cup of it. Transfer it to a bowl with a pinch of salt and set aside for 5 mins. Squeeze out and discard as much liquid as possible. Set aside with the other shredded vegetables.

Blend your “egg”: Blend the silken tofu with salt and kala namak until completely smooth.

Prepare your batter: Mix together the flour, potato starch, and baking powder. Pour in the tofu mixture and whisk to form a very thick batter. If the batter isn’t coming together, whisk in 1-2 tbsp of water at a time until all the flour is mixed in.

Fold in the veggies: Add the cabbage, zucchini, scallions, pepper, garlic, and sesame oil, then use a spatula to fold the vegetables into the batter.

Cook your pancakes: Add about 1 tbsp of oil to coat the bottom of a small or medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add a portion of the batter and spread it out evenly to form a thick circle. Cook undisturbed for 5-7 mins, or until the bottom is golden. Flip and cook for about 5-6 mins. Clear the pan out, add additional oil and cook the remaining batter. You should end up with about 3 medium sized thick pancakes.

Make the dipping sauce: Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds to a small bowl, and whisk together.

Serve it: Cut the pancakes into squares and serve with the dipping sauce.

Expert Tips

• Pay attention to the water content of your veggies. Some veggies like zucchini or summer squash contain a lot of moisture that if left alone can make the pancakes soggy in texture. To fix this, add your shredded veggies to a bowl with a pinch of salt and allow for some of the moisture to be released for 5 minutes. Gather the veggies in your hands and squeeze out as much of their liquid as possible before adding them to the batter.
• Adjust ingredients as needed. This recipe is pretty forgiving! Just make sure that you make appropriate swaps if you decide to deviate from the recipe as written. Please refer to the Key Ingredients and Substitutions section of this post for ideas!
• Spoon and level your flours. This will ensure that you don’t end up with too much flour in your batter. I have included gram measurements if you’d like to just measure the flours straight into your bowl.
• Adjust the sizes of your pancakes. You can make a bunch of smaller pancakes instead of the bigger ones. Smaller sized pancakes will take 3-4 minutes on each side to cook, so pay attention when cooking them so you don’t end up burning them.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Ways to Get in More Veggies

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