Okonomiyaki (Osaka-Style Japanese Pancakes)

By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Updated 06/18/19

Japanese okonomiyaki recipe

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
  • Total: 60 mins
  • Prep: 30 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yield: 4 to 6 serving

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake containing a variety of ingredients. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning "how you like" or "what you like" or "favorite," and yaki meaning "grill." 

The dish can vary depending upon which region of Japan it’s made, but it can be found almost anywhere. Perhaps the most common version is Osaka-style okonomiyaki, which is also known as the Kansai-style. Osaka is known for an inexpensive and abundant food culture. The other most widely-known version is the Hiroshima-style, which is layered.

Ingredients

  • For the Okonomiyaki (Pancakes):
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cup dashi soup stock (or water)
  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds cabbage (finely chopped, divided)
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons green onion (chopped, divided)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup tenkasu (tempura flakes, divided)
  • 4 to 6 eggs (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
  • 12 to 18 strips thinly sliced pork or beef 
  • For the Toppings:
  • Dash of okonomiyaki sauce
  • Mayonnaise
  • Pinch of Ao-nori (dried seaweed powder)
  • Optional: handful of katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) 
  • Optional: beni-shoga (pickled red ginger)

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Make the Okonomiyaki

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for okonomiyaki
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Put flour in a large bowl.

    Flour in bowl
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add dashi to the bowl and mix to make batter.

    Mix flour
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Rest the batter for about an hour in the refrigerator.

  5. To make one okonimiyaki pancake, take out about 1/2 cup of the batter and place into another bowl.

    Dough in bowl
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Mix about 1/4 pound of chopped cabbage, about 1 tablespoon of chopped green onion, and about 2 tablespoons of tempura flakes in the batter.

    Add cabbage
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Add 1 egg ​into the batter and stir.

    Add egg
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Heat an electric pan, griddle, or skillet and oil lightly.

    Add oil to griddle
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Pour the batter into the pan and make a round shape. It will take a few minutes to cook, keep an eye on it.

    Pour onto pan
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Meanwhile, fry a couple slices of meat on the side in another saucepan and place the meat on top of the okonomiyaki.

    Add meat
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Flip the okonomiyaki and cook until cooked through.

    Flip
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  12. Garnish the okonomiyaki as directed below. Repeat until you have used up all of the batter.

Garnish With Toppings

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for garnish
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Flip the okonomiyaki again and spread okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise on top.

    Add sauce
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Sprinkle ao-nori over the sauce.

    Add garnish
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Sprinkle katsuobushi and beni-shoga, if you would like.

    Sprinkle with katsuobushi
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Serve and enjoy!

    Serve
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Related Articles