Easy Okonomiyaki Recipe – Savory Japanese Pancakes You’ll Love to Make Recipe
Easy Okonomiyaki Recipe – Savory Japanese Pancakes made with shredded cabbage, green onions, and optional shrimp or bacon, topped with a tangy tonkatsu-style sauce, Japanese mayo, bonito flakes, and seaweed powder. A delicious and customizable dish perfect for a satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup dashi stock or water
- ½ cup chopped shrimp or bacon (optional)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
Tonkatsu-style Sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp sugar
Toppings
- Japanese mayo
- Bonito flakes
- Seaweed powder (aonori)
- Extra chopped green onions
Instructions
- Prepare Batter: Whisk together flour, eggs, dashi (or water), soy sauce, and salt in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Add Vegetables and Mix-ins: Fold in the finely shredded cabbage, chopped green onions, and chopped shrimp or bacon if using; stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Heat Pan: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
- Form Pancake: Scoop about 1 cup of the batter into the pan and spread it out evenly to form a ½-inch thick pancake shape.
- Cook First Side: Cover the pan with a lid and cook the pancake for 4 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown and the batter starts to set.
- Flip and Cook Other Side: Carefully flip the pancake over and cook for an additional 4 minutes until crisp, cooked through, and golden brown on both sides.
- Mix Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar until smooth and well combined to create the tonkatsu-style sauce.
- Serve and Garnish: Drizzle the cooked Okonomiyaki with the sauce and Japanese mayo in desired amounts.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle with bonito flakes, seaweed powder (aonori), and extra chopped green onions before serving to enhance flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Use dashi stock for authentic flavor, but water works as a substitute.
- You can swap shrimp or bacon with other proteins like thinly sliced pork or keep it vegetarian by omitting.
- Adjust frying heat as needed to avoid burning while ensuring pancakes cook through.
- Covering the pan helps the pancake cook evenly and retain moisture.
- Serve immediately for best texture; pancakes may soften if left too long.
- Japanese mayo can be substituted with regular mayo if unavailable.
- Bonito flakes add savory umami taste but can be skipped for vegetarian options.
