Go Back

Korean Potato Pancakes with Cheese (Gamja Jeon with Mozzarella)

Korean potato pancakes with cheese are thin, extra-crispy gamja jeon patties made with grated russet potatoes and melted mozzarella. Squeeze out potato liquid for golden lacy edges, then fry until deeply browned and serve with a quick soy-vinegar dipping sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Korean
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Korean potato pancake batter
  • 3 large russet potatoes peeled and grated
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • vegetable oil for frying
Dipping sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Grate and prep the potatoes
  1. Grate the peeled russet potatoes, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible using your hands so the mixture can crisp. You’re aiming for potatoes that look drier and clump slightly when squeezed.
Make the batter
  1. Mix the drained grated potato with shredded mozzarella, egg, potato starch, salt, minced garlic, and chopped green onions until evenly combined. The mixture should hold together when pressed; if it seems wet, squeeze once more.
Fry the pancakes
  1. Heat a generous layer of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. The oil should sizzle immediately when a bit of batter is dropped in.
  2. Spread about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into the pan, pressing flat into a thin pancake, and cook 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. For crisp, only flip once when the edges look set and lacy.
  3. Transfer finished pancakes to a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. Work in batches so the pan stays hot and the pancakes brown properly.
Make the dipping sauce and serve
  1. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust heat with more red pepper flakes if you want.
  2. Serve the hot, extra-crispy Korean potato pancakes with cheese right away with the dipping sauce on the side. The mozzarella should be melted throughout with golden lacy edges.

Notes

Pro tip: squeezing the grated potatoes until very dry is the key step for extra crispness—if your batter looks wet, squeeze again. Store leftover pancakes in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat on a hot skillet for 2–3 minutes per side to re-crisp. Freeze cooked pancakes in a sealed container up to 2 months and reheat straight from frozen. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free soy sauce in the dipping sauce.