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These savory rice pancakes are one of my favorite ways to turn leftover rice and veggies into an easy meal the whole family can enjoy. They’re crispy on the outside, satisfying, endlessly customizable, and ready in just 20 minutes!
Make them with seaweed for an extra crispy, savory bite or skip it and make simple fried rice pancakes instead. Either way, they’re perfect for little hands and a great way to give last night’s rice a whole new life.
Recipe at a Glance
- Ready in: 20 minutes
- Great for: Lunch, snacks, or an easy meal
- Perfect for: Using leftover cooked rice and vegetables
- Texture: Crispy outside with a tender rice filling
- Kid-friendly: Easy to hold, customize, and cut into smaller pieces
Savory Rice Pancakes (2 Ways)
You can make these rice pancakes two different ways depending on what you have on hand and the texture you’re going for.
For an extra crispy version, use a sheet of gim (seaweed). Spread the rice mixture over the seaweed, fold, dip in egg, and pan-fry until golden. The seaweed adds another layer of savory flavor and gets deliciously crisp around the edges.
No seaweed? No problem! You can also form the rice mixture directly into little pancakes and cook them in the skillet. Make them thinner for crispier edges or slightly thicker if you prefer a softer center.
If you enjoy savory pancakes, you might also love these Korean Vegetable Pancakes for another veggie-packed option.
For more ways to use up leftover rice, try these Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap) or these Chicken Rice Balls. They’re both simple, tasty options that your little ones will love!
And if you’re looking for another handheld rice creation, you’ve got to try this easy and delicious rice burger recipe!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Rice – short-grain rice will work best. Avoid using sticky rice or long grain rice. You can also use this cheesy rice! Yum!
- Gim (seaweed sheet) – also referred to as sushi nori.
- Vegetables – this is a great recipe to use up whatever veggies you have on hand.
- Egg – helps bind everything together.
- Seasonings – I love using sesame oil and soy sauce for Korean rice balls, but just like with veggies, you can switch things up with your favorite seasonings or condiments, like oyster sauce, Japanese mayo, Thai peanut coconut sauce, etc. for extra flavor.
How to Make Rice Pancakes
Step 1: Finely chop vegetables. I love using this manual food chopper (I’ve had this for 7 years now) for simple tasks like this. My toddler does too.
Step 2: Heat a skillet over medium heat with oil. Cook the vegetables for several minutes until softened.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice with the sautéed vegetables. Drizzle with sesame oil and soy sauce, then mix everything together until well combined.
Step 4: Take a seaweed sheet and spread a layer of the rice mixture over one half of it.
Step 5: Fold the seaweed sheet in half, pressing gently to flatten the rice.
Step 6: Using scissors, cut the folded seaweed in the middle, then cut each half into 3 equal pieces, giving you a total of 6 pieces.
Step 7: In a small bowl, beat the eggs, then dip each rice pancake slice to coat both sides.
Step 8: Add the egg-coated rice pancakes to a heated skillet with oil and cook over medium to medium-high heat. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Flip each piece over to cook the other side.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using rice that’s too wet – Freshly cooked, very moist rice can make it harder to achieve crispy pancakes. Cooled leftover rice is ideal. If using freshly cooked rice, let it cool before making the pancakes.
- Making the pancakes too thick – Thicker pancakes will stay softer in the center. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you want crispy rice pancakes, spread the mixture into a thinner layer.
- Flipping too soon – Let the first side cook until it’s golden and releases easily from the pan. This helps the pancake hold together when flipped.
- Overcrowding the skillet – Give each pancake some room. Overcrowding traps steam and makes it more difficult to get those crispy, browned edges.
- Cooking the vegetables too large – Finely chop the vegetables so they soften quickly and incorporate evenly throughout the rice. Large pieces can make the pancakes more difficult to hold together.
How To Make Rice Pancakes (without Gim)
If you prefer not to use the seaweed sheet, you can combine rice with vegetables, add about 1/4 cup of the rice onto a hot pan and flatten slightly to form pancakes. Cook for several minutes on each side, until they are browned and crispy. Flip and cook on the other side.
Serving Suggestions
These Rice Pancakes make a great snack (here are some more toddler snack ideas) on their own, but you can round out the meal by serving them with some fresh fruits and vegetables.
They’re also easy to cut into smaller pieces for toddlers, making them a perfect finger food.
Storage
Fried Rice Pancakes are best enjoyed fresh, so if you’re only making them for one or two people, consider halving the recipe.
Rice Pancakes FAQs
Yes! In fact, this is one of my favorite ways to use leftover rice. Cooled rice tends to have less surface moisture than freshly cooked rice, which can also help the pancakes crisp up nicely in the skillet.
Short- or medium-grain rice works best because the grains naturally stick together more easily. Long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati, tends to be looser and may not hold together as well.
The most common reasons are using very moist rice, making the pancakes too thick, overcrowding the skillet, or cooking them before the pan is properly heated. Keep them relatively thin and give them enough room to brown rather than steam.
Make sure your mixture has enough egg to help bind the ingredients together. If you’re making the version without seaweed, press the mixture together firmly and let the first side cook until it’s well set before flipping.
More Rice Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Savory Rice Pancakes
Video
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice (cooled)
- 1 cup finely chopped vegetables of choice
- 2 dry seaweed sheets
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1-2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (can use any of your favorite condiments)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
Instructions
- Finely chop vegetables. Cook in a skillet over medium heat with oil for several minutes until softened.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice with the sautéed vegetables. Add sesame oil and soy sauce, then mix everything together until well combined.
- Take a seaweed sheet and place shiny side down. Spread a layer of the rice mixture over one half of it. Fold the seaweed sheet in half, pressing gently to flatten the rice.
- Using scissors, cut the folded seaweed in the middle, then cut each half into 3 equal pieces, giving you a total of 6 pieces.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs, then dip each rice pancake slice to coat both sides. Add the egg-coated rice pancakes to a heated skillet with oil and cook over medium to medium-high heat. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Flip each piece over to cook the other side.
Notes
- You can also make these rice pancakes without seaweed sheet. Simply combine rice with vegetables, seasonings, and eggs. Add about 1/4 cup of the rice onto a hot pan and flatten slightly to form pancakes. Cook for several minutes on each side, until they are browned and crispy. Flip and cook on the other side.
- A non-stick skillet works best to prevent the pancakes from sticking and ensures a nice, even browning.
- If your skillet is small, cook the pancakes in batches to avoid overcrowding.
Made these my two toddlers and the recipe was a hit! I steamed the veggies instead and mashed them before mixing with the rice. Thanks for the recipe!
I made these as a dinner for my family (we had a few other sides) and they were a HUGE hit. next time I will try making them a little thinner but even my picky three year old said this was his favorite food ever. Thank you Min! You’ve saved dinner once again!
Aww SO happy to hear!
Hi Min, excited to try these for my son! I was wondering, if you pack them for school lunch, do you put them in warm? Or do you let it cool and pack with an ice pack for food safety?
Hi! yes I pack with an ice pack!
This was a fun recipe. Literally add anything to the rice mix, spread on the seaweed, dip in egg mixture and pan fry! I was excited to eat this too! My 3 toddlers loved it. Thanks for keeping the meal rotation spunky!
Happy to hear that!!
My 15 month old loves it! I often use it for his daycare lunch too.
I was dubious my baby would even touch the pancakes because she’s never eaten any nori or soy sauce but she loved them!
Woohoo!
Wow, what a great idea! This is a fantastic way to feed a toddler kimbap without making kimbap, already the most delicious food in the world. 😀
Thank you for the recipe Min, I have enjoyed your blog so much and appreciate your efforts!
I even immediately purchased the food chopper, no questions asked.
Aww thank you so much for such kind, encouraging words! I’m so motivated to keep on sharing!! Ooh I love the chopper so much. I’ve had it for 6 years now and still going strong. Now the kids love using it haha
Yummy, I kind of do the same version but without frying them with eggs. Sounds good idea will definitely make that soon, my children love crunchy food 😍