Savory Waffles (Gochujang Meat Cheese & Scallion)

A savory fusion waffle with lots of flavor and texture

I am 100% a savory breakfast person. I grew up eating hearty, Chinese style breakfast or even dinner leftovers for my morning meal so sweet options are often unappealing unless I eat them with something savory. These waffles are on regular weekend rotation in my household and have a delicious sweet/salty combo that satisfies my savory requirement while still incorporating maple syrup. Not only do they taste amazing, they smell incredible while they’re cooking. The second the batter hits the hot iron, the most tantalizing scent wafts to your nose as you eagerly wait to dig in!

Brief History of Waffles

Waffles originated in Ancient Greece where flat cakes called obelios were cooked between metal plates. Over time, they began to be cooked in patterned irons and Dutch bakers in the 15th century started using the grid pattern that we all know and love. Modern waffles were popularized in the 19th century with the availability of ready-made frozen waffles like Eggo that many of us grew up on.

The steps of waffles: mixing dry ingredients, adding wet, stirring until just combined, cooking in the iron, and enjoying!

Variations

These waffles are flexible and can be adapted in many different ways. I usually use whatever we have in the fridge. Cheddar is my favorite but really any cheese can be substituted. As for the meat, chopped ham or cooked bacon or breakfast sausage can be folded in. For a fun and funky meatless version, omit the meat altogether and add in a 1/4 cup of chopped kimchi or just stick with cheese and scallion. I really enjoy the cornmeal in these waffles for the texture it provides but you don’t have to use it if you don’t have it or don’t want to! The gochujang adds a lovely orange color and a hint of spice to the waffles—feel free to adjust to your tastes or omit if you don’t like spice.