Classic Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage and Pork Pancakes) Recipe (2024)

By Kay Chun

Classic Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage and Pork Pancakes) Recipe (1)

Total Time
50 minutes
Rating
4(669)
Notes
Read community notes

Crisp on the outside and custardy in the center, okonomiyaki are pan-fried Japanese pancakes that traditionally feature a filling of cabbage and pork belly. Here, bacon can be substituted for the pork belly, replaced with shrimp or omitted entirely. You can find the more unusual toppings like hondashi, Kewpie mayonnaise, okonomi sauce and dried bonito at any Japanese market. Similar to Worcestershire sauce but sweeter and less salty, the okonomi sauce is combined with Kewpie mayonnaise and umami-rich bonito flakes for a playful topping. This adaptable recipe is a great way to use up leftovers or other vegetables, such as shredded carrots, bean sprouts or chopped snap peas.

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Ingredients

Yield:Two 7-inch pancakes

  • 1teaspoon hondashi (bonito soup stock) or instant dashi
  • 2large eggs
  • ¾cup all-purpose flour
  • teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼teaspoon baking soda
  • 4cups finely shredded green cabbage (about ½ pound)
  • 1cup thinly sliced scallions (about 5 scallions)
  • 1tablespoon drained pickled red ginger (or finely chopped pickled sushi ginger)
  • ¼cup safflower or canola oil
  • 3ounces sliced pork belly or bacon, cut crosswise into 5-inch pieces
  • Okonomi sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise, dried shaved bonito and shredded nori, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

768 calories; 57 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 30 grams monounsaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 790 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Classic Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage and Pork Pancakes) Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a large bowl, combine hondashi with 1 cup water and whisk until dissolved. Whisk in eggs until well combined. Add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and whisk until smooth. Fold in cabbage, scallions and ginger until well incorporated.

  2. In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add half the batter, spreading cabbage mixture into an even 6-inch round about 1-inch thick (resist the urge to push down on the mixture). Arrange half the pork belly over the cabbage, slightly overlapping. Cook over medium-low until pancake is set and golden brown underneath, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and carefully flip pancake by inverting onto a plate then slipping back into the skillet.

  3. Step

    3

    Cook until golden brown on second side, pancake is cooked through in center and pork is lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer pancake, pork side up, onto a large plate. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining oil, batter and pork belly.

  4. Step

    4

    Drizzle pancakes with okonomi sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise, then top with a handful of shaved bonito and nori. Serve warm.

Ratings

4

out of 5

669

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

christine

Okonomi sauce 4 ketchup3 Worcestershire sauce2 oyster sauce1 sugar

Dj

So easy to make your own delicious okonomiyaki sauce. Just look online

Cathy

Really good, don't think too hard about the flipping, cabbage holds it together pretty well. Used 1tsp salt, 3 strips of bacon apiece, halved this easy recipe for okonomiyaki sauce (do not skip!): https://www.justonecookbook.com/okonomiyaki-sauce/

Ashley

Absolutely delicious Osaka style Okonomiyaki. This is the easiest recipe I have found made with ingredients I usually keep around the house. To top it off, it’s exactly what I remember it tasting like in Japan. Thank you for the recipe!

John Minagro

I’ve made them with gluten free flour for someone and honestly couldn’t tell the difference.

Robert

I have a brand new stainless steel plancha. This will be the second meal I cook on it. (Bacon was #1). I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

KB

I made a vegetarian and gluten free version by leaving out the bonito, using a GF flour blend, and using hooray foods veggie bacon. Was really good!! I love making okonomiyaki at home because as a vegetarian who doesn't tolerate wheat I can pretty much never have it at a restaurant.

Fran

Basically, this is just a vegetable omelette with a couple of exotic ingredients. Improvise and develop your own. The trick is to know how to flip it over without breaking it; practice with a potato omelette before buying the fancy stuff.

Sylvia Bernstein

Outstanding recipe! Made as directed, except since we don't eat meat I used sixteen shrimp, cut up. Cooked on a baking steel griddle plate and using two spatulas it wasn't too hard to flip.

Nina

After reading the comments about runniness, I reduced the water by half and it came out great. You will think there’s no way the batter will hold together this amount of vegetable, but it was easy to flip after 8 minutes. Just be sure your heat isn’t too high, or it will get too dark on the bottom… Was too lazy to make the sauce; mixed up some regular mayo with sriracha, and sprinkled some furikake on top. This makes two HUGE pancakes!

Jane Kelley Look

So, what happened? Please tell us!

Chris Carhart

I doubled the recipe and poured the whole thing into a giant skillet, flipping it once. This is impossible to mess up, it came like one big pancake the size of a medium pizza. This recipe is impossible to mess up, a keeper for sure

Kate

A whole cup of water will be way too much. Half it. Also, you don’t need baking powder, baking soda, or salt in the batter. Dashi powder already has salt in it. This recipe from Serious Eats is simpler and works perfectly: https://www.seriouseats.com/okonomiyaki-japanese-pancake-cabbage-recipe

cjon

Made it tonight with this exact recipe, it was delicious! The okonomiyakis I had in Japan were always a little wet on the inside. Reduce the amount of water if you want yours firmer. Flipping wasn’t hard at all, but you need to be patient until the pancake is set, and that definitely took me longer than 8 mins each side. Lastly, you might consider adding slightly less salt if bacon strips are used.

Maureen

Made the following modifications: omitted the pork, used Napa cabbage, added one large shredded carrot, topped with raw scallions. It's hard to believe something that tastes this good took less than a half hour to make. The hondashi really boosts the flavor.

jfb

Used onion, fresh ginger. Better than bullion instead of dashiMade sauce from3 T katsup2T worstershire2T soy sauce1T honeyKewpie mayo on topSalty

Good but salty

Turned out good but too salty, I would reduce salt next time or omit it.

David C

Have made this several times now and flipping has always been something of a challenge. This time I reduced the dashi to half a cup and added a third egg, making it set up a little better before the flip. Then heated a second, slightly larger non-stick pan, placed it over the first and then inverted them. Worked great, and since there was bacon covering the now-bottom half, no additional oil was needed.

Donata

Used 4 eggs and added chopped shrimp to batter

Donata

Used 4 eggs and added chopped shrimp to batter

EllieNYC

Very delicious! There is too much liquid. The batter ran to the bottom of the pancake and left the other side a bit bereft of coating when flipped. Put the finished pancake in the air fryer to crisp up a bit.

EllieNYC

Can this be made in a waffle iron?

Michelle

This recipe was delicious. Brought back wonderful memories of our trip to Japan. I followed the recipe exactly and it worked out very well. I would probably remove the salt next time. I can’t imagine trying to flip it if it was any larger.

mdurphy

Thanks Christine for the sauce recipe; it was good. One thing about technique that should be emphasized to those of us who might not be thinking ahead too clearly, or are impatient: make sure the eggs are completely set on top before flipping. I pushed myself to get things on the table for a dinner party and made a mess. It got patched together OK, but not a good look for the chef.

Michelle K

I’ve made this before with bacon. Loved it but it felt a little too rich. This time I made it with prosciutto, yes, I know. But wow! It tasted less greasy and so, big YES. I’m probably gonna do the same next time. Delicious.

fog

Flour 110gWater 120gCabbage 400gPlus de gingembreAugment batter by 1.5x if using half cabbage head (=~1 pound cabbage)

Nancy

Excellent! Made with shrimp. Bought Okonomi sauce at our local Japanese everything store.

S

We made this last night and it was not very successful. Overall too salty and rich. I did use napa cabbage so it might have been a bit overcooked. I wouldn't try this version again. Maybe without the bacon?

Camille Dumas

The name means "how you want it" (plus a lot of cabbage and less pancake batter than you'd expect). It is a fried cake with usually a BBQ type sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise, which is now in regular stores - plus meat, seafood, other vegetables, bonito shavings. I've put burgers, pickles and burger sauce. But it's closer to freeform deep dish pizza or casserole than omelette. Flipping can indeed be hard! Do whatever you need to keep it together, but it'll still be DELICIOUS food if it breaks.

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Classic Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage and Pork Pancakes) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the classic okonomiyaki? ›

Crisp on the outside and custardy in the center, okonomiyaki are pan-fried Japanese pancakes that traditionally feature a filling of cabbage and pork belly. Here, bacon can be substituted for the pork belly, replaced with shrimp or omitted entirely.

How is okonomiyaki made? ›

The batter is made of flour, grated nagaimo (a long type of yam), dashi or water, eggs, shredded cabbage, and usually contains other ingredients such as green onion, meat (usually thinly sliced pork belly or American bacon), octopus, squid, shrimp, vegetables, konjac, mochi, or cheese.

What kind of flour is used in okonomiyaki? ›

Okonomiyaki flour is made of unbleached wheat and soy flours, leavening and spices such as kelp for flavor. It's designed to rise naturally on its own, meaning you don't need to add extra ingredients like nagaimo to get thick, fluffy pancakes.

What are the two types of okonomiyaki? ›

The main difference is in how they are prepared and the relative amounts of each ingredient. In Osaka style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are mixed together and cooked together. In Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are layered almost like a cake.

What is a basic okonomiyaki made of? ›

I've seen okonomiyaki referred to as a “Japanese pizza” or “Japanese frittata” in the U.S. The batter is made with flour, tempura scraps (tenkasu), grated yam (nagaimo or yamaimo), and eggs. It's then mixed with shredded cabbage and sometimes additional ingredients like shrimp and squid.

What is the English name for okonomiyaki? ›

Okonomiyaki is sometimes translated into English as "as-you-like-it pancake". However, this may be misleading. Though it does consist of batter cooked on a griddle, okonomiyaki has nothing of the sweetness or fluffiness of pancakes, not to mention that it is usually filled with octopus, shrimp, pork, yam or kimchi.

Does okonomiyaki contain pork? ›

Their basic okonomiyaki (¥700) contains cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, fried egg, and noodles which are cooked with pork bone broth for extra flavour.

Why does my okonomiyaki fall apart? ›

Okonomiyaki Recipe Tips

These come out best when they're made with really thin shreds of cabbage. If your cabbage is too chunky, they won't hold together well, and they'll have a denser, less delicate texture.

Why is my okonomiyaki soggy? ›

Make sure you only add the batter to the vegetables at the last minute before cooking. If you leave the vegetables in the batter too long, the water will come out and you'll have a soggy mess that's impossible to flip without breaking.

Can you use pancake mix for okonomiyaki? ›

Pancake mix: I use Bisquick, but you can use any other box mix, or make your own from flour and baking soda if you prefer. Oil or butter: This keeps the pancake from sticking to the pan. I tend to use olive oil, but any vegetable oil or butter will work.

What kind of yam is used in okonomiyaki? ›

Yamaimo/Nagaimo

Japanese yam (either yamaimo which is mountain yam or nagaimo which is long yam), help give the batter a fluffy, bouncy texture. Sometimes people make okonomiyaki without it (just add more baking powder), but I prefer it since it really makes the texture much better.

What food is similar to okonomiyaki? ›

Hiroshima Yaki, native to Hiroshima, is similar to okonomiyaki but is distinguished by its well-defined layers of ingredients, including a generous serving of yakisoba noodles. Each dish represents its region's distinct approach to these savory "pancakes," showcasing unique textures and flavors.

What is the cousin of okonomiyaki? ›

A close cousin to okonomiyaki is hiroshimayaki, or Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.

What is that flaky stuff on okonomiyaki? ›

Katsuobushi (Japanese: 鰹節) is simmered, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis, sometimes referred to as bonito). It is also known as bonito flakes or broadly as okaka (おかか).

What is a substitute for Japanese yam in okonomiyaki? ›

If you find it impossible to get your hands on Japanese Mountain Yams (Yamaimo), they can be substituted by White Rice Flour, but then your Okonomiyaki will in fact turn into Korean Pancakes instead. Perhaps just check a normal Okonomiyaki recipe, and if you are gluten intolerant, keep looking for those Mountain Yams.

What is the difference between Osaka and Hiroshima okonomiyaki? ›

Roughly speaking, Osaka-style okonomiyaki mixes the ingredients with the dough, while Hiroshima-style places the ingredients on the crepe-like dough.

What is the difference between Kansai and Hiroshima okonomiyaki? ›

For Kansai-style okonomiyaki, ingredients are mixed into a flour batter and then cooked as a single-layered pancake. In contrast, the Hiroshima-style layers its ingredients, beginning with a thin fried egg and crepe-like batter followed by vegetables, meat and stir-fried noodles.

What is the Tokyo version of okonomiyaki? ›

A type of pan-fried batter or savoury pancake, monjayaki is Tokyo's answer to okonomiyaki, the iconic dish of Hiroshima and Osaka. Monjayaki retains a slightly runny appearance much like melted cheese even when cooked – but the delicious concoction tastes better than it looks.

What is Osaka style okonomiyaki? ›

Along with takoyaki, this dish may rightly be described as Osaka soul food. While both dishes involve dissolving flour in dashi, okonomiyaki includes cabbage—a non-negotiable ingredient—usually along with pork, as well as whichever additional ingredients you like.

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