Korean Fried Zucchini (Hobak Jun)

By
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Asian food expert Naomi Imatome-Yun is a freelance writer and the author of four Asian food cookbooks.
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Updated on 09/7/21
Korean Fried Zucchini (Hobak Jun)

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
160 Calories
9g Fat
13g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 160
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 667mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 6mg 32%
Calcium 26mg 2%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 183mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

A delicious Korean side dish, fried zucchini (known as Hobak Jun or Jeon) is easy to prepare. As a bonus, it goes well with almost every Korean meal. You can serve it alongside roasted fish, bulgogi (thinly sliced grilled beef), or virtually any type of Korean soup.

In this recipe, the zucchini is coated in a thin batter of flour and egg with a bit of salt and sauteed on both sides in a lightly greased sauté pan. This dish takes just a few minutes to make in a hot pan. The result is golden brown coins of zucchini that will complement the rest of your Korean dishes, regardless of what you're serving with the meal. It's suitable for vegetarian diets.

The fried zucchini is served with soy sauce for dipping or with other types of dipping sauces. For example, the basic Korean dumpling dipping sauce, which contains just soy sauce and vinegar, works extremely well with this zucchini. Or, if you prefer something spicier, try a spicy Korean dipping sauce, which contains chili pepper flakes, thinly sliced scallions, and garlic. You really can't go wrong with any sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch coins

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Korean Fried Zucchini (Hobak Jun) ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt over zucchini slices.

    Zucchini slices sprinkled with salt

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt to beaten egg in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

    Egg and salt mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Put flour in a separate shallow dish.

    Flour on a shallow plate

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Heat lightly greased sauté pan to medium heat.

    Oil in a sauté pan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Coat zucchini coins first with flour, then dip and coat with beaten egg and place into pan.

    Zucchini dipped into flour and egg mixture, frying in a pan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Sauté zucchini for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they are a light golden brown, turning once.

    Korean fried zucchini (Hobak Jun) in a pan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Tips

  • When choosing zucchini for this recipe, look for smaller, younger vegetables that are firm to the touch when you press gently into them. The larger zucchini may look more impressive on your plate due to their size, but they tend to be bitter and not as tender as younger squash.
  • Korean zucchini, also known as gray squash, may be available at your local Asian market. If you can't find those, though, you can use any zucchini—just make sure to choose petite, more immature squash. They tend to be sweeter and less watery.

How to Store and Freeze Fried Zucchini

Most fried foods are best the day they are cooked, but you can store these zucchini slices in the fridge in a covered container for a couple of days. Reheat in a hot skillet in a little bit of oil, add to a soup, or toss with rice and a fried egg.

If you think you'd like to freeze some for later, fry some zucchini just to the point where it's starting to brown, but it's not completely fried. Let it cool, and freeze it on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Transfer slices to a zip-close bag. When you're ready to eat them, fry them in a little hot oil, directly from their frozen state. No need to thaw.