Okonomiyaki
intro
A hearty, customizable savory cabbage pancake loaded with crispy pork belly, topped with tangy sauce, creamy mayo, and bonito flakes for classic Japanese comfort food.
Ingredients
Steps
Mix the base batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 120g (1 cup) all-purpose flour, 2 large whole eggs, and 180ml (3/4 cup) cold dashi stock until completely smooth with no dry lumps. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough gluten development, then let the batter rest for 5 minutes at room temperature to let the flour hydrate fully.
Fold in vegetable fillings
Add 400g (4 cups) finely shredded green cabbage, 60g (2 stalks) thinly sliced green onion, 30g (1/4 cup) tenkasu tempura bits, and 2 tablespoons finely chopped beni shoga to the rested batter. Gently fold with a silicone spatula until every cabbage piece is lightly coated in batter; do not squeeze or crush the cabbage to retain its crisp, light texture.
Pan-fry first pancake side
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat (160°C / 325°F). Pour half the cabbage-batter mixture into the pan, shaping it into a uniform 1-inch thick round disc with the spatula. Lay 4 slices of pork belly evenly across the uncooked top surface, then cook uncovered for 8 minutes until the bottom edge is deep golden brown and the pancake is partially set.
Flip to cook through
Slide a wide, flat spatula fully under the pancake, then flip it in one smooth motion so the pork belly side rests directly against the hot pan. Press gently on the pancake top to flatten it to a consistent 3/4-inch thickness. Cook uncovered for 6 more minutes until the pork side is crispy and golden, and the pancake’s internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Transfer the cooked pancake to a warm plate, then repeat the cooking process with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and batter to make a second pancake.
Layer classic toppings
While both pancakes are still hot, spread 40ml (roughly 2.5 tablespoons) of okonomiyaki sauce evenly across the top of each. Drizzle 22ml (1.5 tablespoons) of Kewpie mayonnaise over the sauce in a traditional crisscross zigzag pattern. Sprinkle 2.5g (0.5 tablespoon) of aonori flakes over each pancake, followed by 5g (1/8 cup) of katsuobushi bonito flakes, which will curl slightly from the pancake’s rising heat.
Slice and serve hot
Use a sharp knife to cut each pancake into 4 equal wedges. Serve immediately while the exterior is crispy and the interior is light and fluffy, with the remaining 1 tablespoon of beni shoga on the side for a bright, tangy flavor contrast.
Tips
2.Keep stovetop heat at steady medium-low; high heat will burn the pancake exterior before the cabbage in the center cooks through fully.
3.Customize fillings to your taste: swap pork belly for raw shrimp, sliced squid, or melted cheese, or add sweet corn, kimchi, or sliced mushrooms for a personal twist.
OMG this was SO good! I’ve been intimidated to make okonomiyaki at home forever because I thought it’d be super complicated, but this came together in 30 minutes flat like the recipe says. My whole family devoured it at our weekly Sunday family dinner, even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds! Drizzled extra Kewpie and bonito flakes on top, chef’s kiss.
Brought this to my office potluck last week and people were literally coming up to me asking for the recipe all afternoon! Total game changer, I was worried the cabbage would be too mushy but following the cook time exactly gave it that perfect crispy edge I love from my favorite Osaka spot in NYC.
Added this to my weekly meal prep rotation! Super easy, cheap to make, and holds up great in the fridge for 3 days. I toss a little pickled ginger on top when I reheat a slice for lunch and it tastes just as good as day one.
Tried this for date night last night and my boyfriend thought I ordered takeout from our local Japanese spot! The only swap I made was adding a handful of chopped shrimp to the batter, which worked perfectly. 10/10 will make again.
Full transparency: I hate cabbage. Like, will pick it out of every dish hate it. But my wife wanted to try this recipe so I sucked it up and helped cook, and HOLY COW it’s incredible. The cabbage gets soft and sweet, you barely even notice it’s there? We added corn and cheese like the optional add-in note said and it was unreal.
Really solid recipe! I swapped the all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking flour and it worked almost perfectly, the only reason I’m knocking a star is that my first pancake stuck a little to the cast iron even with plenty of oil. Flavor was 10/10 though, will definitely make again.
Made this at 1am after a late shift and it hit DIFFERENT. Didn’t even have all the toppings, just used a little soy sauce and mayo I had in the fridge, and it was still better than half the takeout I’ve ordered lately. Easy enough to make half-asleep, 10/10.
I made this fully vegan by swapping the egg for a flax egg and using vegan mayo and skipping the bonito flakes, and it turned out amazing! Even my non-vegan roommates were stealing bites off my plate. Such a flexible base recipe.
First time ever making any kind of Japanese savory pancake and this was so straightforward! I was worried I’d mess up the batter ratios but the measurements were super easy to follow, no weird fancy equipment needed. Mine looked just like the photo, which never happens for me.
Okay but don’t skip the thin pork belly slices on top like I almost did! I almost left them off because I thought regular bacon would be fine, but grabbed a pack from the Asian market on my way home and it made the whole dish. The fat renders down and gets so crispy, it’s unreal.
Made these as a quick after-school snack for my kids and their friends last week, and all 6 kids were begging me to make them again this week. I set out a little topping bar with Kewpie, okonomiyaki sauce, bonito flakes, and pickled ginger so they could build their own, which turned into such a fun easy activity.
Flavor is absolutely perfect, but I cooked mine for the total time the recipe said and the middle was a little gummy. Turned the heat up a touch and cooked it 3 minutes per side extra and it was perfect, got that shatteringly crispy edge I was chasing.
Used up a whole head of leftover cabbage from my CSA box with this recipe and it was the best decision I’ve made all month! Hate wasting veggies, and this was way more fun than making coleslaw for the third week in a row. Added some leftover shredded carrot too, worked great.
Made this to go with our weekly ramen night and it was the perfect side! We usually get gyoza but wanted to switch it up, and this was way easier to make than I thought. Dipped the slices in a little extra tonkatsu sauce, chef’s kiss.
Drizzled a little spicy mayo and chili oil on top of mine instead of regular Kewpie and it slapped. 10/10, will be adding a kick to these every time I make them from now on.
I live in a tiny NYC studio with a super tiny stovetop and no fancy pans, and I was able to make these in my little 8 inch nonstick skillet no problem! Made two smaller pancakes instead of one big one, which was actually easier to flip. Perfect for small kitchens.
The pancake itself was really tasty, but I didn’t love the pre-made okonomiyaki sauce I grabbed from the grocery store. Next time I’m going to make the quick homemade version the recipe links to, I think that’ll make it way better. Super easy to make though, will definitely retry.
Served this for brunch last weekend with a side of miso soup and iced matcha, and my guests are still talking about it. Way more memorable than regular pancakes or eggs Benedict, will be adding this to my regular brunch rotation.
Made a double batch of these last weekend and froze half for quick weeknight meals! Reheated in the toaster oven at 375 for 10 minutes and they got perfectly crispy again, no sogginess at all. Total weeknight dinner win for busy nights.
I had okonomiyaki for the first time on a trip to Osaka last year, and I’ve been chasing that exact street food flavor ever since. This recipe is dead on, exactly like the ones I got from the tiny street stalls near my hostel! I almost cried when I took the first bite, no joke.