savory Cabbage & Sweet potato pancakes
Savory Cabbage & Sweet Potato Pancakes! Crispy vegetable pancake filled with shredded cabbage, sweet potatoes, green onions, and lots of spicy kimchi. My take on a popular Japanese street food made with staple pantry ingredients is a tasty seasonal way to enjoy all that winter cabbage. Cover in a creamy, tangy kimchi ranch and a drizzle of your favorite Japanese barbeque sauce, sesame seeds, nori, or choice of protein. The options are endless.
Using up leftover fridge cabbage.
It's a quick, easy way to eat up cabbage that has seen better days. I don't know why I bother buying a whole head of cabbage because it takes me forever to go through the whole thing, and by the time I do get around to it, it's wilted, sad, and has lost all its snap. I was thinking about ways to use leftover cabbage up and a way to continue my cabbage series, and this Japanese vegetable pancake came to mind—a recipe where the texture of the cabbage doesn't matter. If you want to add meat, add a simple roasted salmon or shrimp on the side and make it a whole meal, or keep it all veggie. These vegetable pancakes can really become what ever you’d like.
What is a Japanese Pancake (Okonomiyaki)?
Translated to “as you like it”. These savory cabbage pancakes are packed with tons of flavor, lots of veg and delicious toppings and condiments.
Spicy Kimchi Ranch
Super bright, herby, spicy fermented creamy homemade ranch. Adapted from a Molly Baz recipe but creamier with more herbs, fresh garlic and lots of lemon.
Toppings for a Vegetable Pancake.
My favorite topping combination is a bright and creamy herby spicy ranch paired with a smokey and rich Japanese Barbecue sauce. It's so delicious! The toppings you can add to vegetable pancakes are endless. You can try whatever your heart desires, or use whatever you have on hand. This recipe is super versatile. Toppings to try: Bonito flakes, pickled ginger, Nori, sesame seeds, pork belly, green onions, Kewpie Mayo.
SNACK, LUNCH, DINNER
Savory Cabbage & Sweet Potato Pancake
Total Time: 20 minutes Yield: 2 large pancakes or 3 small
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 tablespoon coconut aminos or soy sauce
1/4 head cabbage, shredded
1 cup sweet potato, coarsely grated
1/4 cup kimchi, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
Spicy Kimchi Ranch
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup kimchi, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 cup fresh herbs finely chopped (mix of any herbs like parsley, dill, or chives)
Salt to taste
Topping Ideas
Sesame Seeds
Pickled Ginger
Nori
Pork Belly
Roasted Salmon
Shrimp
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the kimchi ranch. Mix the yogurt, mayo, chopped kimchi, lemon zest, garlic, and mixed herbs in a medium-sized bowl. Season to taste with salt and set aside in the fridge until pancakes are ready.
Mix the pancake batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the egg, stock, soy sauce or coconut aminos and whisk together until a thin batter forms. It's ok if there are some lumps. Switch to a spatula and add the finely chopped kimchi, shredded cabbage, grated sweet potatoes, and green onions. Toss together to coat everything. Just enough thin batter should be coating the vegetables to hold them together.
Cook the pancakes. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly drizzle with one tablespoon of vegetable or avocado oil. Decide how many pancakes you make; this recipe makes two large or three small. Once the pan is hot, flatten your desired batter into a thin pancake and form the sides round. Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crisp, and flip to the second side for another 3-4 minutes. Once cooked, slide onto a plate with a paper towel.
To serve. Finish with a few healthy dollops of the kimchi ranch, a drizzle of your favorite Japanese barbecue sauce, and sesame seeds. Other topping options: nori, more green onions, kewpie mayo, pickled ginger, salmon, shrimp. Make it your own, be creative!
