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Home ❯ Recipes ❯ Vegetables ❯ Chinese Zucchini Pancakes

Chinese Zucchini Pancakes

Judy

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Judy

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Updated: 7/18/2025
Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com
Pancakes are one of those foods that pretty much every culture seems to have figured out, whether savory or sweet. From American pancakes to Korean pancakes to these humble Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, the defining feature of the pancake is that it’s quick and requires very few kitchen skills, yet makes for a satisfying snack or light meal. These Chinese Zucchini Pancakes (AKA, 糊塌子, hu tazi) are something I ate when I was little. Or at least, my mother made something very similar. I used to roll them up like cigars to eat them, and I preferred them cold because then the pancakes become extra chewy after they’ve been cooled. (“Chewiness” just might be the holy grail of Chinese food textures.) At a time when having special foods like candy and even meat were a rare occasion, this ordinary zucchini pancake could be a real delight. Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com Suffice it to say, zucchini pancakes aren’t new, especially now when people are looking for ways to use up an abundance of summer squash. American recipes often flavor zucchini pancakes with cheese, sour cream, etc.. In comparison, this Chinese zucchini pancake recipe is decidedly rudimentary.

Kicking Your Pancakes Up a Notch

If you want to kick these Chinese zucchini pancakes up a notch or two (as they say) and still keep it Asian, here are some ways to personalize them. Just note that depending on these additions, you might need a bit more flour or less salt. This zucchini pancake recipe is pretty forgiving, though–just don’t combine all these suggestions for the same pancake! :) To the batter, you can add:
  • 2 tablespoons fermented bean curd (white or red)
  • 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder
  • ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 6 ounces cooked ground pork or chicken
  • 2 ounces minced ham
  • 1 Chinese sweet sausage, finely chopped and pan-fried (before adding it to the batter)
  • ¼ cup minced, preserved Chinese vegetable, such as zha-cai (榨菜) or radish (萝卜干)
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
I think my favorite is the ground meat, because it adds a lot more flavor without overpowering the pancake. Once again, think of this basic Chinese Zucchini Pancake batter as a blank canvas. You can even cater a few different batches to suit your whole family! Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com

Chinese Zucchini Pancakes: Recipe Instructions

To make these pancakes, start by washing the zucchini clean and drying it with a kitchen towel. Grate the zucchini using the coarse grate side of a box grater. Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com In a large bowl, mix the grated zucchini with ¾ teaspoon of salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, and you’ll see visible zucchini juice at the bottom of the bowl, which we will keep. Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com Now mix in 2 eggs, 2 chopped scallions, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon sugar, and about ½ cup all-purpose flour. Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com If you feel like you need more flour (this could depend on the size of the eggs, for example), add it 1 tablespoon at a time. The final batter should look like similar to regular ol’ breakfast pancake batter. Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com Now heat a flat-bottomed pan over medium heat, lightly brush the bottom with some oil, and pour some batter into the pan (make the pancakes whatever size you like). Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and cook each side until lightly golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com Repeat until you’ve used all the batter. Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com You can serve with a simple soy dipping sauce, chili oil, or whatever other condiments you like! Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com

Recipe

Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, by thewoksoflife.com
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5 from 22 votes

Chinese Zucchini Pancakes

Judy ate these Chinese Zucchini Pancakes (糊塌子, hu tazi) when she was little. They’re simple and delicious, and can be customized with different ingredients!
by: Judy
Serves: 4
Prep: 30 minutes mins
Cook: 20 minutes mins
Total: 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 zucchini (about 250 grams)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 scallions (finely chopped)
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ cup all purpose flour (more or less)
  • Vegetable oil
  • Sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

  • Wash the zucchini clean and dry it with a kitchen towel.
  • Grate the zucchini using the coarse grate side of a box grater. In a large bowl, mix the grated zucchini with ¾ teaspoon of salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, and you’ll see visible zucchini juice at the bottom of the bowl, which we will keep. Now mix in 2 eggs, 2 chopped scallions, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon sugar, and about ½ cup all-purpose flour.
  • If you feel like you need more flour (this could depend on the size of the eggs, for example), add it 1 tablespoon at a time. The final batter should look like similar to regular ol’ breakfast pancake batter.
  • Now heat a flat-bottomed pan over medium heat, lightly brush the bottom with some oil, and pour some batter into the pan (make the pancakes whatever size you like). Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and cook each side until lightly golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Repeat until you’ve used all the batter.
  • You can serve with a simple soy dipping sauce, chili oil, or whatever other condiments you like!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 212kcal (11%) Carbohydrates: 15g (5%) Protein: 5g (10%) Fat: 15g (23%) Saturated Fat: 10g (50%) Cholesterol: 82mg (27%) Sodium: 473mg (20%) Potassium: 201mg (6%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 2g (2%) Vitamin A: 275IU (6%) Vitamin C: 9.9mg (12%) Calcium: 44mg (4%) Iron: 1.7mg (9%)
Nutritional Info Disclaimer Hide Disclaimer
TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.
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Judy

About

Judy
Judy Leung is the matriarch of The Woks of Life family, working on the blog alongside husband Bill and daughters Sarah and Kaitlin. Born in Shanghai, China, she immigrated to the United States at sixteen. Fluent in both English and three Chinese dialects, she also plays the important role of researcher and menu translator! Drawing from over four decades of cooking experience and travel, Judy aims to bring Chinese culinary traditions to readers and preserve recipes that might otherwise be lost to time. Her expertise spans from Shanghainese cooking and everyday homestyle dishes to a variety of regional foodways, showcasing the depth and breadth of Chinese cuisine for a global audience. Over the last decade, she’s helped transform The Woks of Life into what Saveur Magazine has deemed “the internet’s most popular Chinese cooking blog,” co-written a New York Times bestselling cookbook, and become convinced that we will never run out of recipes to share!
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