Bindaetteok (빈대떡), also called nokdujeon (녹두전), is one of those Korean dishes that feels rustic in the best possible way. Instead of flour, the batter starts with soaked mung beans ground into a thick, creamy mixture. Once it hits hot oil, the edges turn deeply golden and wonderfully crisp while the middle stays tender and hearty.
The filling is where the character really comes through. Tangy fermented kimchi, crunchy mung bean sprouts, earthy gosari (bracken fern), pork, and green onion give every bite something different. I especially like the little crackle you hear around the edges as the pancake finishes cooking.
Don't worry if your first pancake isn't perfectly round. Bindaetteok is forgiving. The important things are properly soaked beans, a batter that's thick enough to hold its shape, and enough oil to give the outside that unmistakable crisp texture.
Mung Bean Pancakes (Bindaetteok)
Savory Korean mung bean pancakes made from soaked ground mung beans and filled with fermented kimchi, pork, mung bean sprouts, gosari, and green onions. They develop crisp golden edges while staying tender and hearty inside.
Prep 30 min
Cook 25 min
Soak 8 hours
Cuisine Korean
Yield
6 pancakes
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Ingredients
Instructions
Rinse the mung beans and sweet rice together two or three times, then drain. Cover generously with cold water and soak for about 8 hours, or overnight. The beans should be plump enough to crush easily between your fingers when they're ready.
Drain the beans and rice very well. Add them to a blender or food processor with 3/4 cup water. Blend until you have a thick batter with a little texture left in it. It shouldn't be completely watery or silky smooth; a fine, slightly grainy texture gives bindaetteok its characteristic bite.
While the beans soak or blend, prepare the filling. Blanch the mung bean sprouts in boiling water for about , then rinse under cold water and squeeze them dry. Chop the sprouts and gosari into roughly 1-inch pieces. Squeeze excess liquid from the kimchi and chop it into small pieces.
Season the ground pork with the garlic, sesame oil, and a pinch of the salt and pepper. Stir in the kimchi, gosari, sprouts, green onions, and egg. Add the ground mung bean mixture and sweet rice, then mix until everything is evenly distributed. The batter should be thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon. If it feels stiff, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, onion, sugar, sesame seeds, and sliced chili for the dipping sauce. Set it aside while you cook the pancakes.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Once the oil shimmers, spoon in about 3/4 to 1 cup of batter and spread it into a round pancake about 1/2 inch thick.
Cook for without moving it much. When the edges look crisp and browned and the bottom releases easily from the pan, carefully flip the pancake. Lower the heat to medium and cook another , adding a little more oil around the edges if the pan looks dry.
Flip once more and cook for another if needed. The center should feel firm rather than wet, and both surfaces should have a deep golden-brown crust. Transfer the pancake to a wire rack so steam doesn't soften the bottom.
Repeat with the remaining batter, adding fresh oil between pancakes as needed. Serve the bindaetteok hot with the dipping sauce.
Notes & Variations
Use split, skinned mung beans if possible. They save you from the tedious peeling step and blend into a much more consistent batter.
Don't make the pancakes too thick. A thick center takes longer to cook before the outside becomes overly dark. Spread each pancake fairly thin while leaving enough batter to hold the filling together.
Gosari is traditional but optional. If you can't find pre-cooked or soaked gosari, leave it out rather than substituting a random vegetable. The kimchi, sprouts, and pork still make a very flavorful pancake.
For leftovers, crisp them again in a lightly oiled skillet. Refrigerated pancakes keep for about 3 days, while cooked pancakes can also be frozen with parchment between them.
Nutrition (approx., per serving): Calories: 310 · Protein: 16g · Carbs: 34g · Fat: 13g · Saturated fat: 3g · Cholesterol: 55mg · Sodium: 720mg · Fiber: 7g · Sugar: 3g Estimated values based on the ingredients used; actual nutrition may vary depending on kimchi, pork, soy sauce, and the amount of frying oil absorbed.
FAQ
Can I make bindaetteok without gosari?
Yes, you can leave out gosari if you can't find it, and the pancakes will still work beautifully. Gosari adds an earthy, slightly chewy texture rather than providing structure to the batter. If you're making bindaetteok for the first time, I'd rather see you skip it than replace it with a large amount of another wet vegetable.
Why are my mung bean pancakes falling apart?
The batter is usually too wet, the pancakes are too thick, or they're being flipped before the first side has set. The ground mung bean mixture should be thick enough to hold the filling together, and the bottom should be properly browned before you turn it. Give the first side time to form a crust.
How do I keep mung bean pancakes crispy?
Place cooked bindaetteok on a wire rack instead of stacking them on a plate. A plate traps steam underneath and quickly softens that lovely crust. For leftovers, reheat them in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until the edges become crisp again; microwaving works, but the texture will be softer.
Can I freeze mung bean pancakes?
Yes, cooked bindaetteok freezes very well for a make-ahead meal. Let the pancakes cool completely, freeze them in a single layer, then stack them with parchment between each one in a freezer bag. Reheat directly from frozen in a skillet over medium heat, adding a little oil until hot and crisp.
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Jiwon Kim is a home cook from Seoul who studied Food Science and Nutrition. She writes approachable home-style recipes — Korean rice, soup, banchan, and fermented staples, plus favorite dishes from across Asia — explained simply for cooks outside Korea.
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