Pan-Fried Stuffed Perilla Leaves

Home Comfort Style

I first fell for perilla in Korea, tasting its sharp, herbal bite alongside rich grilled pork at a Korean BBQ, and later the nutty depth of perilla seed soup at a small vegetarian restaurant. When I came home, I wanted to bring that flavor into my own kitchen. At first I stumbled, confusing Korean perilla with Japanese shiso, but this year I finally grew the right variety from seed. Now my garden is full of these wide, fragrant leaves, and I’ve been folding them into just about everything: perilla kimchi, quick side dishes, and these stuffed leaves. What I love is their simplicity, a thin coating of egg and flour, a savory filling, and that unmistakable perilla lift. I’ve tried them with all kinds of fillings and not once have I been disappointed.

There’s something soulful about this dish, the crisp, minty-kissed perilla leaf wrapped around juicy, seasoned ground protein, dipped in an eggy coat, and gently pan-fried until golden. It’s simple, soulful, and perfect alongside a bowl of rice and a few banchan on a quiet evening at home.

Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 (about 15 stuffed leaves)

Ingredients

Filling

15 medium perilla leaves (kkaennip), washed, drained, patted dry (about 35–40 g)
8 oz ground beef (225 g) — or use ground pork, firm tofu, or canned tuna
1 garlic clove, minced (about 3 g)
1 green onion, finely chopped (about 15 g)
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion (about 20 g)
2 Tbsp finely chopped carrot (about 16 g)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
½ tsp sugar, optional (2 g)
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper (1 g)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil (5 ml)

Batter & Coating

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (24 g)
2 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of kosher salt (about 100 g total)
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 60 ml or enough to lightly coat pan)

Dipping Sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce (30 ml)
1 Tbsp white vinegar (15 ml)
¼ tsp Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) (1 g)
1 Tbsp chopped green onion (about 8 g)
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (3 g)

Instructions

Make the filling:
In a bowl, combine ground beef, garlic, green onion, chopped onion, soy sauce, sugar (if using), black pepper, and sesame oil. Mix with your hands until everything’s cohesive and sticky. Cover and chill in the fridge.
Prep the egg batter:
Beat the eggs with a pinch of kosher salt, then strain through a fine mesh into a bowl. Leaving them covered at room temp will help the bubbles settle makes dipping cleaner.
Coat the leaves & stuff:
Spread flour on a board. One leaf at a time, press both sides into the flour. Place about 1 Tbsp of filling on one half of each leaf, then fold it over to form a neat packet.
Fry:
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium. Add enough vegetable oil to lightly coat. Dip each packet into the egg batter so it's fully coated, then gently lay into the pan don’t overcrowd.
Fry ~2 minutes per side, until just crisp and golden. Add more oil if needed between batches.
Make the dipping sauce:
Whisk together soy sauce, white vinegar, gochugaru, green onion, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
Serve:
Plate the hot perilla parcels with the dipping sauce on the side. Best straight off the pan, alongside warm rice and your favorite banchan.

Notes & Tips

Leaf size matters: The thinner the filling layer, the faster and more evenly these cook. Thick ones burn before the inside’s done.
Snip the leaf stem: They can taste a little bitter, and make sure the leaves are fully dry before coating to avoid splattering oil.
Gluten Free or Egg alternatives: You can use a vegan egg substitute and a non-wheat flour and still get a crisp coating.
Storage: Store unfried stuffed leaves (in flour) in the fridge up to a few hours; fry just before serving if prepping ahead.
Serving: This is quiet-comfort food—pair it with short-grain rice, kimchi, or a simple seaweed salad.

Variations

I’ve been experimenting with different fillings for these stuffed perilla leaves and they’ve all worked beautifully. The classic mix of beef or pork is savory and simple, but you can play around quite a bit. Once, I even used a Chinese-style meatball mixture I had on hand and it turned out amazing tucked into the leaves and pan-fried. I found a recipe for tuna and tofu stuffed perilla leaves that I haven’t tried yet, but I am very intrigued

If you want to keep it lighter, tofu and mushroom with a little carrot makes a really nice vegetarian option. When I tried that version, I sandwiched the mixture between two smaller leaves so it held together better.

Perilla has such a distinct flavor that it really shines no matter what you put inside. If you can’t find the leaves, zucchini slices or even halved green chili peppers can be stuffed the same way.

I love how versatile this dish is. Every time I change up the filling it feels like a new recipe, but that same herbal lift from the perilla always ties it back together.

Where to Find Ingredients & Tools

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Kkaennip-jeon