Gluten Free Korean Scallion Pancakes (Pajeon)
Crispy, savory, and packed with the fresh bite of scallions, these Korean pancakes are the kind of snack or starter that disappears from the plate before you can even sit down. The batter comes together with rice flour and tapioca starch, which team up to create that signature lacy, golden crust with a chewy interior — no wheat flour needed, and no compromise on texture. Traditional pajeon can be a minefield for anyone avoiding gluten, since most recipes rely on all-purpose flour and soy sauce, but here tamari steps in for the dipping sauce and the batter is entirely grain-based. Cold water keeps the batter light and pourable, and a hot cast iron or nonstick skillet does the heavy lifting to get those deeply browned edges. The dipping sauce — tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a hit of gochugaru — is punchy and bright, and it ties the whole thing together beautifully. This recipe makes four pancakes and serves four, so it's just as good for a weeknight appetizer as it is for a weekend spread with friends.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the batter
- ¾ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup cold water
For the pancakes
- 8 scallions (green parts only), cut into 3-inch lengths
- 4 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or canola oil), divided
For the dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp gochugaru (korean red pepper flakes)
For serving
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca starch, and salt. Add the egg, cold water, and sesame oil, and whisk until a smooth, thin batter forms — it should be pourable and slightly thinner than pancake batter.
- 2
In a small bowl, stir together the tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and gochugaru until combined. Set the dipping sauce aside.
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