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(661)
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

661

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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.

What are the two types of okonomiyaki? ›

There are two significantly different types of Okonomiyaki. First, the Kansai or Osaka style, in which the ingredients are all mixed into a batter and then grilled. Second, the Hiroshima style, in which a small crepe-like pancake is grilled and then other ingredients are layered on top.

What are the ingredients in okonomi sauce? ›

OtaJoy's label lists sugar, white vinegar, molasses, salt, tomato paste, apple, carrot, peach, dates, onions, raisins, mushrooms, garlic, kelp and spices (you didn't think we were going to give away our secrets, now did you?) among other ingredients.

How many calories are in Japanese pancake okonomiyaki? ›

Notes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
397Calories
20gFat
40gCarbs
14gProtein

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.

What is okonomiyaki in Japanese to English? ›

The word "okonomiyaki" is derived from "okonomi" meaning "as you like" and "yaki" meaning "grilled. It's commonly referred to as being a Japanese pancake. Accurate to its name, okonomiyaki can be served with a variety of toppings which include everything from meat and seafood to vegetables and cheese.

What does okonomi mean in English? ›

From okonomi, meaning “how you like it” and yaki, meaning “cooked,” okonomiyaki is a highly customizable, beloved Japanese street food known for its signature stripes of pale-yellow mayonnaise.

What food is similar to okonomiyaki? ›

Monjayaki (もんじゃ焼き, often called simply "monja") is a type of Japanese pan-fried batter, popular in the Kantō region, similar to okonomiyaki, but using different liquid ingredients.

What is a good substitute for okonomiyaki sauce? ›

Okonomi Sauce Substitutes: If you don't have Okonomi sauce on hand you can make your own. Easy Okonomi Sauce Recipe: Mix 3 tbs of ketchup, with 1 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, with 1 tsp of Soy Sauce.

Does okonomiyaki contain pork? ›

Main ingredients: Batter (eggs, flour, cabbage, green onions, Tempura Crisps, pickled red ginger), pork, Okonomi sauce, mayonnaise, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes. This is the predominant version of Okonomiyaki that makes use of a mixed batter.

What is Japanese pancake made of? ›

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. A classic topping is pork belly slices, placed on top of the savory pancake while grilling.

Is okonomiyaki good for you? ›

Okonomiyaki is healthy!

Because Okonomiyaki is made from various kinds of ingredients, such as eggs, meat and vegetables, it contains much of our daily nutritional requirements.

Is okonomiyaki high in protein? ›

Okonomiyaki is Japanese street food at its finest. A cross between a savory pancake and a frittata, okonomiyaki is packed with veggies and protein, creating a satisfying meal.

What is the difference between Hiroshima okonomiyaki and Osaka okonomiyaki? ›

Unlike in Osaka, the ingredients are not all mixed together – cooking a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki involves layering of ingredients; first the batter, then the noodles, and then the toppings, which are piled high at the beginning and then flipped frequently while cooking.

What is special about Hiroshima okonomiyaki? ›

Hiroshima's representative local food.

The main difference between "Shobara-yaki" and "Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki" is that rice is added instead of noodles, and ponzu sauce is used instead of okonomiyaki sauce. The special feature of this restaurant is that the rice is pork kimchi fried rice.

What is the difference between Osaka and Hiroshima okonomiyaki? ›

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. Soba or udon noodles are also added to Hiroshima-yaki in another layer as well. (Although they do add noodles to okonomiyaki in Osaka.

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.

What is modern okonomiyaki? ›

Modan-yaki is when okonomiyaki has noodles included as a layer. The noodles used are either yakisoba or udon noodles, and are cooked inside the okonomiyaki, in addition to the cut up pieces of proteins and vegetables.

What is the difference between monjayaki and okonomiyaki? ›

Okonomiyaki takes on a thick pancake-like shape and can even be cut into slices. On the contrary, monjayaki is characterized by a nearly liquid batter that needs to be scooped up with a small spatula when eaten. This has to do with the amount of water mixed in with the flour.

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