Japanese savory okonomiyaki (Printable)

A savory Japanese dish featuring cabbage, tangy sauce, mayo, and bonito flakes for a tasty meal.

# Components:

→ Pancake Batter

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2/3 cup dashi stock or water
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

→ Vegetables & Add-ins

06 - 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
07 - 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
08 - 1/2 cup julienned carrot (optional)
09 - 1/2 cup cooked shrimp, chopped, or cooked bacon slices (optional)

→ Toppings

10 - 1/4 cup okonomiyaki sauce
11 - 1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise
12 - 1/4 cup bonito flakes
13 - 2 tablespoons aonori (dried seaweed flakes)
14 - 2 tablespoons pickled ginger (optional)

→ For Cooking

15 - 2 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

# Directions:

01 - Whisk flour, dashi stock, eggs, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl until smooth.
02 - Fold in shredded cabbage, green onions, julienned carrot, and shrimp or bacon until evenly combined.
03 - Warm 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
04 - Scoop approximately 1 cup of batter onto skillet and shape into a thick round pancake about 6 inches wide.
05 - Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
06 - Flip gently and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until fully cooked through.
07 - Repeat process with remaining batter, adding more oil as needed.
08 - Transfer pancakes to plates; drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise in zigzag pattern, then sprinkle with bonito flakes, aonori, and pickled ginger. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes and tastes like you spent hours mastering Japanese street food.
  • Crispy on the outside, tender and loaded with vegetables inside—it's the kind of savory pancake that makes people stop mid-bite to ask what just happened.
  • Endlessly customizable: add shrimp one day, go vegetarian the next, swap in whatever vegetables you have.
02 -
  • Shredding the cabbage finely is non-negotiable; thick pieces won't wilt into the batter and will create uneven pockets that don't cook properly.
  • The bonito flakes need heat to dance; if the pancakes cool down before you top them, the effect is lost and they won't have the same textural magic.
  • Don't skip the rest period after topping—let the pancake sit for a minute so the sauce slightly soaks into the surface instead of sliding right off.
03 -
  • A squeeze bottle for mayo and sauce is worth buying specifically for this dish—it gives you control and makes the zigzag pattern effortless and beautiful.
  • If bonito flakes aren't dancing after you top the pancake, it means it's not hot enough; next time, make sure the skillet heat is high enough that steam rises visibly when you add the batter.
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