Cultural background
A great dish to enjoy with Makgeolli on a rainy day, often eaten as a simple snack or side dish.
Origin & history
Potato Pancake is a jeon often associated with mountainous areas where potatoes are plentiful, especially Gangwon-do. In regions more accustomed to dry-field farming than rice paddies, potatoes were an easy ingredient to store and eat, and when grated and pan-fried, they made a hearty dish substantial enough to stand in for rice.
Gangwon-do-style Potato Pancake is known for a method in which potatoes are finely grated, then the settled starch is mixed back in before frying. Its defining feature is the chewy texture of the potato itself, rather than the taste of flour.
Regional & modern variations
- Gangwon-do-style Potato Pancake — The starch is allowed to settle out of the liquid released from grated potatoes, then mixed back in before the pancake is fried. With little or no flour, it turns out chewier and has a more pronounced potato aroma.
- Julienned Potato Pancake — Instead of being grated, the potatoes are cut into thin matchsticks and pan-fried. The inside is less sticky, while the edges have a crispness reminiscent of French Fries.
How Koreans eat it
Potato Pancake tastes best when fried to order and served right away. As time passes, the chewiness from the potato starch remains, but the crispness on the outside fades. At travel destinations and traditional markets in Gangwon-do, it may be served as one large pancake cut into pieces, or as several smaller pancakes.
Taste & how to choose
At first glance, the color may look slightly gray. That comes from grated potato reacting with the air, and it does not mean the pancake has gone bad. A good Potato Pancake is less fluffy like a flour pancake and more crisp at the oil-fried edges, with a translucent chewiness in the center. The potato aroma is subtle, and the seasoning is usually mild.
Similar dishes
Stir-fried Potatoes
감자볶음 · gamja-bokkeum
Thinly sliced potatoes stir-fried in soy sauce and oil, making a savory and nutty side dish.
Potato Tteok
감자떡 · gamja-tteok
A chewy cake made from mashed potatoes, characterized by its rich flavor. Potato Tteok is often enjoyed as a snack or dessert and is sometimes eaten with tea.
Twisted Potato
회오리감자 · hoe-o-ri-gam-ja
A snack made by slicing potatoes in a spiral and frying them, characterized by a crispy texture and savory flavor. It is primarily eaten as a street food, often accompanied by ketchup or cheese sauce.
Gamjatang
감자탕 · gamja-tang
A traditional Korean soup dish made by boiling pork backbones with greens and potatoes in a spicy broth. It is often shared in a large pot with several people, or served as a single portion in a form of bone soup.
Stewed Potatoes
감자조림 · gamja-jorim
A traditional Korean side dish made by simmering potatoes in a soy sauce seasoning to absorb the flavors.
Buckwheat Pancake
메밀전 · memil-jeon
This is a savory pancake made by mixing buckwheat flour, characterized by its nutty and light taste. It is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, typically served with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce and vinegar.
Pajeon
파전 · pa-jeon
A pancake made with plenty of chives, spread wide in a frying pan with a flour batter. The outside is golden and crispy while the inside is moist with a blend of chives. It is especially enjoyed as a side dish with Makgeolli on rainy days, cut and shared while dipped in vinegared soy sauce.
Ingredients
How it's made
- 1Grate the potatoes and remove the moisture.
- 2Mix the grated potatoes with flour and salt to make a batter.
- 3Add oil to the pan and spoon the batter to fry until golden brown.
- 4Serve the fried potato pancakes with vinegared soy sauce.
Nutrition
* Estimated values per serving.
Allergens
Not gluten-free because it contains flour.
How to order
감자전 주세요
Gam-ja-jeon ju-se-yo
Please give me potato pancake
Customize your order
Traveler tips
How to eat it
Frequently asked questions
- Is something wrong if a Potato Pancake looks gray?
- No. Once potatoes are grated, contact with air can quickly darken their color. This color is common in Potato Pancake.
- Is Potato Pancake the same as hash browns?
- Both are potato dishes cooked in a pan, but the texture is different. Because Potato Pancake uses grated potato and starch, the inside is chewier, and it is often dipped in choganjang, a vinegared Soy Sauce.
- Why are some Potato Pancakes especially chewy?
- The chewiness comes from the starch released by the potatoes. After the potatoes are grated, the liquid is poured off and the starch settled at the bottom is mixed back in, giving the pancake a stickier, more elastic texture.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-07