Cabbage Pancake
Published Oct 23, 2026
Savory cabbage pancakes bound with egg and a little flour, pan-fried until golden. Serve them with chili crisp or soy sauce as a snack or light meal.
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I like a lot of cabbage in my cabbage pancakes. Like, a lot more cabbage than batter. I chop it up pretty fine, then add an egg and a little flour, just enough to keep everything together in the pan. And I really like when the little pieces of cabbage sticking out around the edges get all brown and crispy. I’ll leave them cooking a little longer just for that, even when the middle is already done.
I usually eat cabbage pancakes with chili crisp, and I always try to scoop up some of the crunchy chili pieces with the oil because those are so good with the cabbage. Sometimes I’ll just use soy sauce instead. It really depends on what I’m in the mood for. I’ll make a couple as a snack, but I’ve definitely eaten enough of these cabbage pancakes to call it lunch.
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Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe before sharing it with you! These notes give you a peek into the process of developing this cabbage pancakes recipe.
I actually started with more flour when I was testing these cabbage pancakes then ended up in the recipe. They held together, but I really didn’t like how doughy they were. I wanted to taste the cabbage, not a bunch of batter. So I cut back on the flour, and I liked them so much better. They were lighter, and I got a lot more of those crispy pieces I was looking for.
I had to play around with how I cooked them, too. At first, I just scooped the mixture into the pan and left it alone, but then I’d try to flip a pancake and half the cabbage would come loose. I started pressing them down a little with my spatula, and that helped quite a bit. I also noticed the flatter ones got more browned around the edges, which I really liked.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Cabbage Pancake Ingredients
- Cabbage: Use regular green cabbage, not Napa cabbage. Red cabbage can work, but it’s a little firmer than green, so cut it very thinly and give the pancakes extra cooking time if needed. Remove the core, then finely chop the leaves into short, thin pieces. Long, thick pieces make a cabbage pancake harder to shape and flip. Read more of my tips on how to cut cabbage.
- Batter: Large eggs, all-purpose flour, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper make the batter.
- Green onions: Thinly slice both the white and green parts, and discard the root ends and any wilted tops.
- Oil: I cook the cabbage pancakes in avocado oil, but any cooking oil works.
- For serving: I love serving cabbage pancakes with chili crisp or a small drizzle of soy sauce. Taste before adding too much, since the batter already has seasoning in it.
How to Make Cabbage Pancakes
These step-by-step photos show you how to make cabbage pancakes. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Cabbage Pancake recipe below:
1. Add the batter ingredients
Place the eggs, flour, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Make sure there’s enough room to fold in the cabbage after whisking.
2. Whisk until blended
Work the flour into the eggs until there are no dry pockets. The mixture should look thick, but still be easy to stir.
3. Add the cabbage
Pile the cabbage and green onions on top of the batter. It will look like a lot of cabbage at this point!
4. Fold until coated
Stir from the bottom of the bowl, bringing the batter up through the vegetables until everything is evenly coated. There should be just enough batter to hold the cabbage together.
5. Shape the pancakes
Heat some of the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add half-cup portions of the mixture and gently flatten them, leaving space between each pancake.
6. Flip cabbage pancakes
Turn the pancakes with a wide spatula. Cook until golden brown and crisp outside, then repeat with the remaining oil and mixture.
Full Cabbage Pancake Recipe
Cabbage Pancake Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups finely chopped green cabbage about 1 small head
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil for cooking
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until well blended.
- Add the chopped cabbage and green onions, and stir well until the cabbage is evenly coated. The mixture will look like there is a lot of cabbage and just enough batter to bind it together.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scoop ½ cup of the cabbage mixture into the skillet and flatten it gently into a round pancake. Repeat to fit 3 more pancakes in the pan without them touching.
- Cook for 4 minutes, pressing down on the pancakes, then flip and cook for 3–4 more minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 4 cabbage pancakes.
- Serve warm with chili crisp, or a drizzle of soy sauce on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Kimchi: Replace 1 cup of cabbage with 1 cup well-drained, finely chopped kimchi. Reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon, since kimchi adds salt along with heat and tang. Choose vegetarian kimchi if needed.
- Cabbage and carrot: Replace 1 cup of the cabbage with 1 cup coarsely grated carrot. Keep the remaining ingredients the same.
- Sesame crunch: Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon sesame seeds over each pancake just after flattening it in the skillet. They’ll toast when you flip them!
Recipe Tips
- Let the first side set. Give the pancakes about four minutes before turning them. Slide a wide spatula underneath to support the whole pancake as you flip.
- Watch the heat between batches. If the second batch starts browning much faster than the first, lower the heat slightly.
- Leave space in the pan. If your skillet is small, cook fewer than four at a time. You need room to get the spatula underneath without nudging the other pancakes.
Serving Ideas
- Side salad: I like something crunchy alongside the warm pancakes, like my Asian cucumber salad, carrot salad, or Asian noodle salad.
- Edamame: A side of salted edamame or spicy edamame tastes delicious with cabbage pancake. My quinoa edamame salad is so good, too!
- Fried rice: For a more filling meal, I’ll serve the pancakes on the side of shrimp fried rice or cauliflower fried rice.
Troubleshooting
They may need more time on the first side before flipping. Finely chopped cabbage also holds together better than large pieces, so check the size of your cabbage and stir the mixture well before scooping each batch.
The pancakes may be too thick, or the heat may be too high. Flatten them more evenly and lower the heat slightly so the cabbage has time to soften before the outside gets too dark.
Make sure the oil is hot before adding the mixture, and leave room between the pancakes. Transfer cooked pancakes to a plate in a single layer; stacking them while hot traps steam and softens the edges.
