Grandma's Zucchini Stir Fry: 15-Min Best Korean Side Dish

Name: Grandma's Zucchini Stir Fry (Aehobak Bokkeum)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1/3 Zucchini; 1/2 Onion (small one); 0.5 tbsp Minced garlic; 1/2 tsp Salted shrimp (Saeujeot); 2 tbsp Cooking oil; 2 pinches Salt (for salting)

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If you’ve been searching for the perfect zucchini stir fry, you’ve just found it. This is my Korean grandma’s go-to recipe for stir fried zucchini, a simple, savory Korean zucchini side dish that’s been passed down in my family for generations.

What makes it different from every other recipe out there? Two things: salting the zucchini first, and a small pinch of salted shrimp (saeujeot). That’s her secret. And today, I’m sharing it with you. This zucchini stir fry is ready in just 15 minutes and belongs in your regular banchan rotation.

Use this Korean stir fry zucchini side dish as a topping in your next bibimbap bowl. — Plated Korean zucchini side dish with red chili garnish

What Is Hobak Bokkeum?

Hobak Bokkeum (호박볶음) literally means “stir-fried zucchini,” with “hobak” referring to zucchini and “bokkeum” meaning stir-fry. It’s one of the most beloved Korean zucchini side dish options, a staple home-cooked banchan served alongside rice and other small plates. Simple as it sounds, the flavor is anything but ordinary when you follow the right technique.

You might also see it called aehobak bokkeum (애호박볶음), which refers specifically to Korean zucchini (aehobak, 애호박), a lighter green, thinner-skinned variety that’s sweeter and more delicate than regular zucchini. Both work beautifully in this recipe for stir fried zucchini.

A restaurant-worthy zucchini stir fry made right at home in just 15 minutes. — My Korean grandma’s zucchini stir fry, the recipe she made for my family.

Why you’ll love this Zucchini Stir Fry recipe

Ready in 15 minutes
Only 6 ingredients
Grandma’s authentic technique: salting first for the perfect texture
The salted shrimp trick adds deep umami you can’t get from salt alone
Vegan-friendly option included
The best Korean zucchini side dish for rice, Korean BBQ, or bibimbap

A classic Korean zucchini side dish that brings back childhood memories with every bite. — Only 6 ingredients stand between you and the best Korean zucchini side dish of your life.

Ingredients

(Serves 2 as a side dish)

1/3 zucchini (or Korean aehobak)
1/2 small onion
0.5 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salted shrimp (saeujeot, 새우젓)
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 pinches of salt (for salting the zucchini)

Saeujeot (salted shrimp) is the one ingredient that elevates this zucchini stir fry above the rest. — Salted shrimp (saeujeot) and zucchini for Korean stir fried zucchini Salted shrimp sauce

Recipe for Stir Fried Zucchini

Step 1. Slice the Zucchini and Onion

Slice the zucchini into 0.5 cm thick half-moon shapes. Slice the onion into strips of the same thickness. Keeping both uniform ensures even cooking in your zucchini stir fry.

sliced half-moon zucchini ready for recipe for stir fried zucchini — Cut your zucchini into 0.5 cm half-moons for the best texture

Step 2. Salt the Zucchini (Don’t Skip This!)

Toss the sliced zucchini with 2 pinches of salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the zucchini bends easily and releases moisture. Rinse under cold water and drain well in a strainer.

Salting is the most important prep step in this recipe for Korean zucchini side dish.

Why salt the zucchini first?

This step is the key to a great recipe for stir fried zucchini. Salting draws out excess moisture so your zucchini stays crisp and tender rather than watery and soggy. It also seasons the zucchini from the inside, giving it a deeper, more developed flavor that you simply can’t achieve by adding salt during cooking.

Step 3. Stir-Fry Garlic and Onion

Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a pan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and onion and stir-fry gently. Low heat here is important. You want the onion to become lightly translucent and sweet, not browned.

golden garlic and onion sautéing before zucchini stir fry — Stir fry garlic and onion for stir fried zucchini

Step 4. Add the Zucchini

Once the onion is slightly translucent, add the drained zucchini and increase the heat to medium. Stir-fry, tossing frequently. This is the heart of any great Korean zucchini side dish.

cooking oil being added to pan for recipe for stir fried zucchini — Toss the zucchini frequently for an even, perfectly cooked zucchini.

Step 5. Add Salted Shrimp

When the zucchini is about 80% cooked, add the 1/2 tsp of salted shrimp. Continue stir-frying until the zucchini is fully cooked and glossy. Remove from heat.

saeujeot being added at 80% mark in recipe for Korean zucchini side dish — Grandma's Zucchini Stir Fry: 15-Min Best Korean Side Dish 1

Why add salted shrimp at 80%, not the beginning?

Adding it too early can make the shrimp flavor harsh and overly pungent. Adding it toward the end keeps the flavor clean, savory, and rounded.

Step 6. Plate and Serve

Optional: garnish with sliced red chili pepper for a pop of color. Serve warm alongside steamed rice.

Korean zucchini side dish inside a bibimbap bowl. Recipe for stir fried zucchini — Korean zucchini side dish inside a bibimbap bowl.

👵🏻 Grandma’s Secret: Why Salted Shrimp?

My Korean grandma never used plain salt for her zucchini stir fry. She always reached for saeujeot (새우젓), Korean salted and fermented shrimp. Here’s why it makes such a difference in this recipe for stir fried zucchini:

It’s a natural flavor enhancer. Saeujeot delivers a deep, round umami that plain salt simply cannot replicate. It’s the same principle behind using fish sauce or miso, fermentation creates complexity.
It actually helps digestion. Saeujeot is rich in protease (a protein-digesting enzyme) and lipase (a fat-digesting enzyme).

Korean zucchini side dish inside a bibimbap bowl

Ingredient Substitutions

No Salted Shrimp? Use Fish Sauce: Saeujeot can be hard to find outside of Korean grocery stores. If you can’t get it, shrimp sauce below or fish sauce is the closest substitute for this zucchini stir fry. Use it sparingly, 1/3 tsp maximum. Add it at the same point (80% cooked) and taste before adding more.

Grandma's Zucchini Stir Fry: 15-Min Best Korean Side Dish — shrimp sauce instead of salted shrimp 🍤↗️

Vegan Version

Skip the salted shrimp entirely and season with salt only. Add a small pinch during the stir-fry, taste, then adjust. You’ll still get a delicious Korean zucchini side dish, just lighter in flavor. A tiny splash of soy sauce adds extra depth if needed.

Tips for the Best Zucchini Stir Fry

Don’t skip the salting step. It’s the #1 secret to a non-soggy recipe for stir fried zucchini.
Use low heat for garlic and onion. Burnt garlic will ruin the whole dish.
Add saeujeot late. 80% cooked is the sweet spot for balanced flavor.
Don’t overcook. Zucchini should be tender but still hold its shape.
Uniform slices matter. 0.5 cm half-moons cook evenly and look great on the plate.

🍳 Best Pan for This Zucchini Stir Fry

The pan you use makes a bigger difference than you might think.

italian steel frying pan — Steel pan for best Hobak bokkeum

Here’s why it works so well for this recipe:

🔥 Even heat distribution: no hot spots that burn the garlic
💧 Less moisture retention: keeps your zucchini crisp, not soggy
🧹 Easy to clean: no coating to worry about
♾️ Lasts a lifetime: exactly the kind of pan my grandma would have approved of.

👉 [Check this Italian Stainless Steel Frying Pan on Amazon]

Korean zucchini side dish next to chopsticks and rice bowl — A classic Korean zucchini side dish that brings back childhood memories.

How to Serve

This Korean zucchini side dish is endlessly versatile:

🍚 Alongside a bowl of steamed rice
🥩 As part of a Korean BBQ spread
🥗 Mixed into bibimbap (Korean mixed rice bowl)
🍱 Packed in a lunchbox with other banchan
🌿 As a light, plant-based side for any Asian meal

close-up of glossy zucchini stir fry with salted shrimp — This Korean zucchini side dish pairs beautifully with Korean BBQ or bibimbap.

How to Store

Let the Korean stir fried zucchini cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. It tastes great cold straight from the fridge, or briefly reheat in a pan over low heat.

More Korean Banchan You’ll Love

If you loved this zucchini stir fry, these Korean banchan recipes make the perfect table companions.

🥔 Korean Potato Side Dish (Gamja Bokkeum)

Banchan potato gamja bokkeum bright and colorful with orange carrot and green onion

Easy Korean Potato Side Dish (Gamja Bokkeum)

Gamja Bokkeum is a classic Korean potato side dish made with thin julienned potatoes stir-fried until golden and tender. This easy banchan potato recipe comes together in just 15 minutes with simple everyday ingredients, no special skills needed. Crispy on the edges, chewy in the center, and endlessly versatile, this gamja bokkeum recipe is the kind of side dish that works warm from the pan or cold straight from the fridge. Once you try it, it'll earn a permanent spot in your weekly rotation.

CHECK OUT THIS RECIPE

🍄 Korean Shiitake Mushroom Banchan

shiitake mushroom banchan, stir fried mushroom

Korean Shiitake Mushroom Banchan: Best Pyogo Beoseot Bokkeum

Quick and easy Shiitake Mushroom Banchan recipe: stir-fried mushrooms seasoned the authentic Korean way for your table.

CHECK OUT THIS RECIPE

FAQ about Korean Zucchini side dish

They’re essentially the same dish. Aehobak refers to Korean zucchini specifically. Any zucchini variety works in this recipe for stir fried zucchini.

Absolutely. Regular zucchini works perfectly as a Korean zucchini side dish. Aehobak has a slightly sweeter flavor, but the recipe works great either way.

You probably skipped the salting step. Salting draws out excess moisture before cooking, it’s the key to a non-watery zucchini stir fry.

Yes! This Korean zucchini banchan is naturally gluten-free. Just make sure your salted shrimp or fish sauce doesn’t contain added gluten.

Yes. This Korean stir fried zucchini keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days and is delicious cold as part of a lunchbox.

Korean grandma's zucchini stir fry recipe

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Grandma’s Zucchini Stir Fry (Aehobak Bokkeum)

By Blonde Kimchi

My grandma's zucchini stir fry (Aehobak Bokkeum) is a classic Korean zucchini side dish made with just 6 simple ingredients. The secret? Salting the zucchini first for the perfect crisp texture, then adding salted shrimp (saeujeot) for a deep, authentic umami flavor that plain salt can never replicate. This quick and easy recipe for stir fried zucchini is ready in just 15 minutes — and once you try it grandma's way, you'll never make it any other way.

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Prep Time:10

Cook Time:5

Total Time:15

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 146kcal

Equipment

1 Italian Steel Frying Pan

Instructions

Slice zucchini into 0.5 cm half-moon shapes.
Slice onion into same-thickness strips.
Salt the zucchini with 2 pinches of salt. Rest 10 minutes.
Rinse and drain.
Heat oil in pan over low heat.
Stir-fry garlic and onion until translucent.
Add zucchini, increase to medium heat. Stir-fry.
At 80% cooked, add salted shrimp. Stir-fry until fully cooked.
Garnish with red chili pepper. Serve immediately.