Japanese Okonomiyaki Pancakes (Printable)

Savory pancakes packed with greens, topped with tangy sauce, creamy mayo, and smoky flakes for a flavorful bite.

# What You Need:

→ 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 (store-bought or homemade)
11 - 1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie)
12 - 1/4 cup bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
13 - 2 tablespoons aonori (dried seaweed flakes)
14 - 2 tablespoons pickled ginger (beni shoga; optional)

→ For Cooking

15 - 2 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

# How To Make It:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's a one-pan meal that feels like you've spent hours in the kitchen when you've barely spent thirty minutes.
  • The contrast of crispy edges against a tender, cabbage-filled center is genuinely addictive.
  • Watching the bonito flakes dance from the heat's residual warmth never gets old, no matter how many times you make it.
  • You can customize every layer to match what's in your fridge or your mood that day.
02 -
  • Don't mix your batter too far in advance or the cabbage will release water and make everything soggy; prepare it just before cooking.
  • Medium heat is your friend here; too high and the outside burns before the cabbage cooks through, too low and you end up with a greasy, pale pancake.
  • The bonito flakes move because of the residual heat, not because of magic; if yours aren't dancing, your pancake isn't hot enough when it reaches the plate.
03 -
  • Finely shredding your cabbage by hand or with a box grater gives you better texture control than pre-shredded bags, which often include moisture that throws off your ratios.
  • Keep a squeeze bottle of okonomiyaki sauce and mayo on hand; the zigzag pattern is functional, not just decorative, because it distributes toppings more evenly than drizzling.
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