Spicy, crispy fritters in just 30 minutes? Tell us more! These Korean-inspired fritters give leftover rice a new spice on life and pack in some tangy, probiotic-rich goodness from kimchi at the same time. And when you top them with a creamy sriracha sauce? Oh MY, they’re good, friends!
These fritters are the ultimate comforting side paired with your favorite protein or alongside other Korean-inspired recipes (including two new ones coming soon!). Let us show you how it’s done!
Recipe Inspiration
This savory side dish is a combination of two delicious and timeless Korean dishes: kimchi fried rice (kimchi-bokkeumbap) and kimchi pancakes (kimchi-jeon).
Kimchi fried rice (source) is thought to have originated out of a need to create an affordable and delicious meal with minimal ingredients. It’s typically made with kimchi, leftover rice, and vegetables, and often eggs, meat, or fish.
Kimchi pancakes (source) are made with kimchi, kimchi brine, flour, and sometimes other vegetables or seafood. Like kimchi fried rice, they are thought to have been created due to their accessible and inexpensive ingredients. And who doesn’t love a pancake?!
The following is an inspired, plant-based fusion of these two concepts.
How to Make Kimchi Rice Fritters
Firstly, for kimchi fritters that stay in one piece and withstand dipping in sauce (important!), we start with a flax egg. They never let us down!
Then the batter comes together with chopped kimchi (tangy probiotic goodness!), corn kernels (for sweetness), and brown or white rice (we preferred the hearty texture of brown). Brown rice flour adds extra structure while tamari and toasted sesame oil add moisture and flavor.
Once the batter is combined, it’s fritter time! Scoop and smoosh is the name of the game, here. We like cooking our fritters in a hot, oiled cast iron skillet for a crispy exterior!
While the fritters cook, you can make an optional sauce for serving using vegan mayonnaise or sour cream, toasted sesame oil, and a squeeze of sriracha for spice. YUM. Yes, it’s an optional sauce, but we highly recommend it!
We hope you LOVE these kimchi fritters! They’re:
Crispy
Spicy
Savory
Probiotic-rich
Quick & easy
& SO delicious!
They’re a flavorful side perfect with your choice of protein and other Korean-inspired dishes. We recommend our Gochujang Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Skin Salmon (Perfect Every Time!), cabbage slaw, and/or tofu (recipes coming soon!).
More Recipes with Kimchi
- Kimchi Fried Rice (Plant-Based!)
- Easy Bibimbap with Gochujang Sauce
- Sesame Eggplant & Almond Butter Tofu Bowls
- Abundance Kale Salad with Savory Tahini Dressing
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Crispy Kimchi Rice Fritters (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
FRITTERS
- 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed (to make a flax egg // or sub 1 chicken egg)
- 2 ½ Tbsp water (to make a flax egg // omit if subbing a chicken egg)
- 1 cup kimchi (drained and finely chopped // ensure vegan-friendly as needed // for store-bought we like Wildbrine or Mother in Law’s brands)
- 1/2 cup corn kernels, canned & drained OR frozen & thawed
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 ½ tsp tamari (or soy sauce // ensure gluten-free as needed)
- 1 cup cooked & cooled brown or white rice (we preferred brown for texture)
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour*
- 2-3 tsp avocado oil, for cooking
SAUCE optional
- 1/4 cup vegan sour cream (or store-bought // we like Forager // or mayonnaise)
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
FOR SERVING optional
- Thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, prepare the flax egg by combining ground flaxseed and water. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- After 5 minutes, add the chopped kimchi, drained corn, sesame oil, and tamari to the flax mixture. Toss to evenly combine, then add the cooked and cooled rice and brown rice flour. Toss once more — it should be a thick and tacky mixture.
- Coat a large skillet (we used a 10-inch cast iron) with a thin layer of oil (~1 tsp) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (test it by dropping in a small dollop of batter — it should sizzle), drop in 1/4 cup portions of batter and press with the back of your measuring cup to flatten. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown. Flip and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil as needed.
- OPTIONAL DIPPING SAUCE: While the fritters cook, combine the vegan sour cream or mayo with the sriracha and sesame oil. Stir to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of kimchi liquid to reach your desired consistency.
- Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onions if desired. Leftovers keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to 1 month. They reheat well on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 2 tsp avocado oil and without optional ingredients.
Kimberly says
I loved this! I have a corn allergy and subbed peas for corn to get a little of the sweetness. I also used 1-1 gluten free flour. I appreciated that it was easy to get them crispy without a lot of oil. I also added a little chopped chicken to half of them and that tasted good too. I think it would also be good with a little shrimp, like the Korean seafood pancakes we get from our favorite Korean restaurant. It seems like you can’t go wrong with this one!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Kimberly! xo
Jan says
I made these yesterday and used purple rice. They were amazing and pretty!! I will definitely make again! The purple rice had a bit of sugar, rice vinegar and salt in it (per cooking instructions) and the whole thing came out beautiful. I was surprised at how great these fritters were! Love this site!
Ooo that sounds very pretty! Thank you for your lovely review, Jan! xo
Jacqui says
Kia ora,
I made this recipe with some hesitation due to the high amount of Kimchi and added peas for a colour contrast.
I was thoroughly surprised and pleased at how well they came out, the taste is very crisp, the different textures make for an awesome tasting side dish/meal. Thank you.
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jacqui! Thank you for sharing! xo
Shelaki says
We make a type of kimchi from daikon radishes called kkakdugi – if it’s chopped finely, I think it should work… yes?
Also can I use an electric griddle or do the fritters actually need to sit in oil? My griddle has a drain hole, (probably for bacon grease, I’m guessing) so any oil would be as a coating only, like for pancakes.
Excited to make this, as we have a lot of kkakdugi since daikon radishes grow really well in our garden
Hi Shelaki, if the flavor is similar to cabbage kimchi, then it should work well. If it has a strong radish flavor, you might want to use half cabbage kimchi to avoid the flavor being overpowering (the recipe uses a lot of kimchi!). A thin layer of oil is best for ensuring a crispy exterior! Let us know what you think when you give it a try!
Kate says
These look fantastic. I adore kimchi. Is it possible to bake rather than fry these, as I don’t have a good record of frying fritters/ burgers without them either collapsing or sticking to the pan. I can’t wait to make them.
That should work! They just won’t be as crispy. Spraying with oil will help a bit :)
Jan says
Such a good combination. Spicy and delicious.
Another great recipe…as usual!! 😋
Also I used all-purpose flour and it work out very well.
So glad to hear it, Jan! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Christina says
i happened to come across this recipe and had all the ingredients on hand minus the rice flour. i used a kimchi pancake mix i had (mainly just all purpose flour) and it worked great! flattening them out really helped to hold them together in the pan, and i served them with japanese mayo! delish!
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing, Christina! xo