Fish Pancakes (Daegujeon)

I LOVE fish jeon! It’s so easy and quick to make, and it’s healthy. This is in my regular rotation of meals at home.

What is jeon?

Jeon is very similar to a fritter, but for some reason it’s described as a Korean pancake. It can be made with meat, fish, and even vegetables. They are coated in egg and pan fried.

Dishes like kimchi jeon and pajeon (scallion pancake) are a little different- these are mixed with flour and water, then pan fried until crispy. These are my husband’s favorite!

By the way, daegu means cod in Korean so thats why it’s called daegu jeon. Other types of fish are also used to make jeon and those have different names, like dongtae jeon which is made with pollack.

Ingredients 

  • Cod- I use frozen wild cod from Costco. They are conveniently packaged in 8 oz portions. I let it thaw overnight in the fridge when I need it.

  • Seasoning– salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

  • All purpose flour- for coating the fish so the egg sticks better.

  • Egg- this is the “breading” for the fish.
  • Neutral oil-  any neutral oil if fine. I recommend avocado oil.

  • Chili peppers- this is optional!  If I have peppers, I usually add them to any kind of jeon. It adds flavor and sometimes spice, depending on the type of pepper.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s SO easy! You don’t need that many ingredients, and it can be ready in 15 minutes. 

  • It’s super healthy, low calorie, and tastes really good! Can you believe there are 36 grams of protein in such a small amount? 

  • This can be a main dish OR a side dish.

More jeon recipes

If you like this recipe, try some of my other jeon recipes on the blog! 

Fish Pancakes (Daegujeon)

5 from 21 votes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz cod fillet
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • pinch of black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil avocado oil recommended
  • 1 Korean pepper optional

Dipping sauce (optional)

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp plum syrup or sweetener of your choice
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp gochugaru
  • 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 green onion chopped

Instructions
 

  • Crack one egg into a bowl and whisk with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
  • If using peppers, slice 6 to 8 pieces thinly on a bias. Set aside.
  • Pat the cod fillet dry with a paper towel and cut into 1/3 inch slices (6 to 8 pieces)
  • Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
  • Coat each slice in flour
  • Add neutral oil to a fry pan over medium low heat. One by one, dip the floured cod slices into the whisked egg, then put them in the fry pan. Add the sliced peppers on top if using.
  • Flip over after 2-3 minutes, or when the bottom is golden brown with crispy edges. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Rest on paper towels to collect any excess oil. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Dipping sauce (optional)

  • Combine soy sauce, water, plum syrup, sesame oil, gochugaru, garlic, green onion, and sesame seeds.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

*This post contains affiliate links to products that I actually use & recommend. I am not sponsored by these brands, but I do make a small commission from qualifying purchases made through these links.

This Post Has 22 Comments

  1. Michele

    Made this for dinner and hubby ate them all!

  2. Maggie Yau

    5 stars
    love the recipe. tried it for first time today.

  3. Katie

    5 stars
    I was missing my mom’s fish jeon she made back then and wanted to make my own. came across this recipe and it was super good! thank you for this recipe 🙂

  4. Kris

    5 stars
    Love your recipes! This one hit home because it’s so close to meatjunn, a “Korean” dish you can only find in Hawaii! This was so bomb and easy!

  5. Liya

    5 stars
    This fish pancake was a staple in our home ever since it was found! And like it says it’s healthy and delicious 🤤 my kids love us and they dislike fish overall! Absolutely heavenly!!

  6. Vivienne

    5 stars
    This is one of my favorite recipes on the site. Ran over here to make it after seeing on Instagram and have already made it again twice! Simple and delicious. Also loved by my 1.5 year old – he smacks his lips when eating!!

  7. Diana

    5 stars
    Looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! I love that it’s protein packed, I also feel like this would go really well in a lettuce wrap with other fresh and pickled veggies. Man I’m hungry now haha.

  8. Katie

    5 stars
    I’m so glad I tried this! So good!

  9. Amy Le

    5 stars
    I love this. Such a great way to add more fish to my diet. Thank you so much for the tip on the frozen Costco cod. I don’t have time to buy fresh fish all the time and this will be a game changer.

  10. Ruben Aguilar

    5 stars
    I was looking for a delicious fish cake recipe and I have been following Stella forever, I tried it, easy to follow and they came out great along with amazing taste! Thank you so much and we love the content. Keep it coming!

  11. Hai

    5 stars
    my favorite snack growing up. tastes just like how my mom used to make it!

    thank you for doing this one!

  12. Jojo Lee

    5 stars
    I’m always craving for Korean pancake. Love this easy to make pancake!

    1. Jordyn

      5 stars
      Love this recipe!! Easy to make and so much flavor. I like the texture as well. Thanks

  13. Anonymous

    5 stars
    Healthy and easy to make.. awesome recipe

  14. Anonymous

    5 stars
    I made this last week for dinner and there was nothing left. It was delicious and super easy! I used jalapeños and made the dipping sauce as well. Thanks for the recipe!

  15. Christine

    5 stars
    I love this recipe for its simplicity. So easy and so good!

  16. Alondra

    5 stars
    one of my favorites!! and super easy to make. my kids really enjoyed it.

  17. julie

    5 stars
    this was the perfect recipe to use my leftover costco cod! idk why i never thought to just use the ones i always get! thanks for the super simple, easy recipe!

  18. Anonymous

    5 stars
    I loved this recipe! It came out great😁
    Thanks!

  19. @heyitstiffyb

    5 stars
    Childhood food staple for me and this recipe helps me make it easily at home vs buying at the Korean market that’s 45minutes away!

  20. Carmen (Instagram: theoheatery)

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! I’ve tried it with other fish besides cod fish and it works great!

  21. PTP

    5 stars
    These are fantastic. Great recipe, thanks

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