Korean mung bean pancakes are made with ground pork, mung bean puree, mung bean sprouts, and kimchi. There’s no added flour in the recipe, which makes this savory snack a wonderful gluten-free dish!
Bindaetteok pancakes are served on a black serving plate next to a dipping sauce and chopsticks.

If you like Korean style savory pancakes, you must try this bindaetteok recipe. These Korean mung bean pancakes are full of flavor and so delicious.

Bindaetteok (빈대떡) is filled with ground pork, coarse mung bean puree, mung bean sprouts, wild fern (fiddlehead, optional), and sour kimchi. As you can tell, the combination makes these little pancakes flavorful with a delightfully crunchy texture.

These lovely pancakes are often called a different name in Korea. Some people call it “nokdu jeon” (녹두전). Nokdu means split peas, which is the main ingredient in this recipe.

Although bindaetteok used to be considered as poor man’s fare, it’s an undeniable favorite with Koreans of every social class. It might have started as a humble dish for the commoners, but the flavor is as rich as the Queen of England.

Mung Beans (Split Peas)

Yellow split mung beans are shown on the palm of a hand.

Mung beans are tiny whole green-colored beans.  I recommend using split mung beans; their skins have been removed revealing delicate yellow beans.  You can find them easily in any Asian grocery store.

Recipe Instructions

Yellow split mung beans are soaking in a. bowl of water.

Combine rinsed mung beans and rice in a large bowl. Add cold water and soak for at least 6 hours, up to 24, in the fridge. Drain and rinse them. Set aside.

Korean fernbrakes are sliced on the cutting board.

This is Korean wild fern. Widely used in bibimbap and this bindaetteok. You can omit this if you can’t find it.

Blanched mung bean sprouts are squeezed out by hand to remove moisture.

Blanch mung bean sprouts in boiling water for 1 minute and squeeze gently with both hands to remove the moisture.

Cabbage kimchi is chopped into small pieces with a knife on the cutting board.

Chop your fermented kimchi and set aside. The more sour your kimchi is, the better it gets.

My mouth is salivating just saying the word, “sour kimchi.” Gulp!

Ground pork is combined with garlic, salt and pepper.

Season minced pork with garlic, salt and pepper and mix well.

A blender is pureeing mung beans until smooth.

Put the beans and rice in the blender and process with 1/4 cup water.

Add 1/2 cup kimchi juice for the blade to turn and stir a bit in the process so that they can blend easily. Do not over puree. It should be mildly coarse. Pour the mixture in a large mixing bowl.

Ground pork, mung bean sprouts, kimchi, and fernbrakes are combined in a large bowl.

Mix in all the ingredients.

A spoonful of soy sauce is added to the bindaetteok batter mixture.

Add soy sauce, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

A spoonful of Bindaettoek batter is spreading on a skillet.

Heat a generous amount of oil in the skillet over medium heat. Drop and spread 2-3 tablespoons of batter.

Korean Mung bean Pancakes are pan-fried to golden and crisp on the surface in a skillet.

Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until it get brown crisp. Add more oil if the pan seems dry.

2 slices of fresh red and green chilies are placed on top of Bindaetteok batter in a skillet.

Place a few slices of chilies on one side as a garnish if you like.

Yum, yum, yum!
Many Koreans eat these pancakes with soju, the Korean vodka, but they go just as well with any cold drinks.

Just like any savory pancakes, these should be eaten immediately when they are hot. They get tough once they’ve cooled down. As always, serve with a dipping sauce!

More Savory Korean Pancakes

A piece of Korean Bindaetteok on a serving platter torn with chopsticks and is showing the texture inside.
Korean Mung Bean Pancakes (Bindaetteok)

Korean Mung Bean Pancakes (Bindaetteok)

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Soaking time: 6 hrs
Total Time: 1 hr
Bindaetteok (Korean mung bean pancakes) are made with ground pork, mung bean puree, mung bean sprouts, and kimchi. There's no added flour in the recipe, which makes this savory snack a wonderful gluten-free dish!
5 from 2 ratings
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried split peas (mung beans), rinsed in a few change of water
  • 1/4 cup short grain rice, rinsed
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/3 lb minced pork
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 1/2 cups fermented kimchi, chopped
  • 4 oz mung bean sprout, blanched and squeezed to remove moisture.
  • 3 oz Korean wild fern, sliced, optional
  • 1/2 cup kimchi juice
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • salt and pepper , to taste
  • green/red chilies , sliced, optional

For dipping Sauce:

Instructions 

  • Combine rinsed mung beans and rice in a large bowl. Add cold water and soak for at least 6 hours up to 24 in the fridge. Drain and rinse them. Set aside.
  • Season minced pork with garlic, salt and pepper and mix well.
  • Put the beans and rice in the blender and process with 1/4 cup water. Add 1/2 cup kimchi juice for the blade to turn and stir a bit in the process so that they can blend easily. Do not over puree, it should be coarsely smooth. Pour the mixture in a large mixing bowl
  • Mix in pork, kimchi, mung bean sprouts, and fern with pureed beans and rice in the bowl.
  • Add soy sauce, salt and pepper and mix well.
  • Heat generous amount of oil in the skillet over medium heat and and spread 2-3 tablespoonful of batter. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until it gets golden brown. Serve hot with a dipping sauce
  • To make the dipping sauce, mix soy sauce and vinegar in a small bowl. Serve with pancakes.
Cuisine: Korean
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Author: Holly Ford
Serving: 4g
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