Tulo

Okonomiyaki Recipe

A golden-brown okonomiyaki pancake on a plate, striped with brown sauce and Kewpie mayo and topped with dancing bonito flakes and green onion.
Photo by Đức Trung Đào on Pexels

Finely shredded cabbage folded into a thin dashi batter gives the pancake structure without turning gummy, and pressing thin slices of pork belly onto the surface before flipping renders the fat into the batter and crisps into a savory crust that holds everything together.

Prep
20 min
Cook
20 min
Total
40 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 6 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup dashi stock (or water)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp pickled red ginger (beni shoga), chopped
  • 8 oz thin-sliced pork belly
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 4 tbsp okonomiyaki sauce
  • 1/2 cup bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
  • 1 tsp aonori (dried green seaweed flakes)

Nutrition per serving

Calories
537
Protein
18g
Carbs
39g
Fat
35g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and dashi stock until smooth, then stir in the eggs until fully combined.
  2. 2Add the shredded cabbage, green onions, and pickled ginger to the batter and fold with a spatula until every strand of cabbage is coated, don't overmix or the cabbage will release too much water.
  3. 3Let the batter rest for 10 minutes at room temperature so the flour hydrates and the cabbage softens slightly.
  4. 4Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Scoop about a quarter of the batter into the skillet and mound it gently into a 6-inch round, roughly 1 inch thick.
  5. 5Lay two or three strips of pork belly over the top of the pancake, pressing them in lightly so they stick to the surface.
  6. 6Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes, until the underside is deeply browned and the edges look set.
  7. 7Slide the pancake onto a plate, place another plate on top, and flip both plates together to turn the pancake pork-side down back into the skillet.
  8. 8Cook uncovered for another 6-7 minutes, pressing down gently once with a spatula halfway through, until the pork is crisp and the center is cooked through.
  9. 9Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.
  10. 10Transfer each pancake to a plate and immediately stripe with okonomiyaki sauce and mayo, then scatter with bonito flakes and aonori. Serve hot, while the bonito flakes are still curling from the heat.

Tips & variations

  • No dashi on hand? Water works, but a pinch of dashi powder stirred into the batter gets most of the savory depth back.
  • Grated nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam) stirred into the batter in place of up to a quarter of the flour gives the classic fluffier, slightly stretchy texture served at Osaka-style okonomiyaki restaurants.
  • For a Hiroshima-style version, layer the batter thin, add a mound of cabbage on top, and fold in cooked yakisoba noodles and a fried egg before serving.
  • Swap pork belly for peeled shrimp, squid rings, or omit the meat entirely and add extra cabbage for a vegetarian version, just skip the dashi or use a kombu-only stock.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftover pancakes (without sauce and toppings) in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes per side to recrisp, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes; microwaving works but leaves the pork soft rather than crisp. Add sauce, mayo, and bonito flakes fresh after reheating.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • A metal fish spatula or two spatulas used together make the flip far less nerve-wracking than the plate method if the skillet is small.
  • Squeeze the sauce and mayo from squeeze bottles in thin lines rather than dolloping; it spreads more evenly and looks like restaurant-style plating.

FAQ

What is okonomiyaki?

It's a savory Japanese pancake, most associated with Osaka and Hiroshima, made from a flour-and-dashi batter loaded with shredded cabbage and typically topped with a sweet-savory brown sauce, Kewpie mayo, bonito flakes, and dried seaweed. The name roughly translates to "grilled as you like it," reflecting how flexible the mix-ins are.

Can I make okonomiyaki without a griddle?

Yes, a large nonstick skillet works fine. A flat griddle just makes it easier to cook multiple pancakes at once and gives more even heat across the surface.

Why did my pancake fall apart when I flipped it?

This usually means the underside wasn't cooked long enough to set before flipping, or the batter was too wet from over-mixed cabbage. Cook covered until the edges look visibly dry and the bottom releases cleanly from the pan before attempting the flip.

Can I find okonomiyaki sauce and Kewpie mayo at a regular grocery store?

Larger supermarkets with an international aisle often carry both, but Asian grocery stores are the most reliable source. In a pinch, a mix of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and a little sugar approximates okonomiyaki sauce.

Is okonomiyaki gluten-free?

Not as written, since the batter relies on wheat flour for structure, but a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can be substituted with reasonable success; the texture will be slightly less chewy.

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