Amongst Osaka’s many specialties, Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is very near my coronary heart. It’s enjoyable to make and straightforward to customise, and ndlessly customizable, and it at all times brings individuals collectively across the desk. Right now, I’m sharing my favourite Okonomiyaki recipe so you may take pleasure in this beloved avenue meals at dwelling!
In case you take pleasure in Osaka specialties, strive Takoyaki, Negiyaki, and Kushikatsu subsequent!
What’s Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a savory Japanese cabbage pancake. Within the U.S., individuals typically name it a “Japanese pizza” or “Japanese frittata” due to its customizable toppings.
The batter combines flour, grated yam (nagaimo or yamaimo), eggs, and crunchy tempura scraps (tenkasu). You combine in loads of shredded cabbage and infrequently add extras like shrimp or squid. For the traditional model, lay skinny slices of pork stomach on prime earlier than grilling.
When it’s cooked, brush the pancake with sweet-savory okonomiyaki sauce, drizzle with creamy Kewpie mayonnaise, and end with dried seaweed and bonito flakes that “dance” within the warmth.
One of the best half? You can also make okonomiyaki simply the best way you prefer it. Don’t eat pork? Swap in your favourite protein. That’s the that means behind the identify: okonomi means “as you want,” and yaki means “grill.”
Why I Like This Recipe
I’ve been making this recipe for my household and buddies for many years, and everybody loves it!
- Simple and fast to make – Combine all of the elements and cook dinner!
- Funds-friendly – It’s a satisfying dish with economical elements.
- Household and kid-friendly – Okonomiyaki is customizable, and it’s enjoyable to cook dinner with household and buddies on the desk.
- Freezes and reheats properly – I make forward for future busy evenings. It’s an incredible meal prep dish!
Substances for Okonomiyaki
For the bottom batter
- All-purpose flour (plain flour)
- Salt
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Grated mountain yam (nagaimo/yamaimo) – see substitutions beneath
- Dashi (Japanese soup inventory) – make 3-minute dashi with a dashi packet; or use Vegan Dashi; be taught extra in my dashi information
For the Okonomiyaki
- Eggs – or use JUST Egg for vegan
- Tenkasu (tempura scraps) – see substitutions beneath
- Pickled pink ginger (kizami shoga)
- Inexperienced cabbage
- Sliced pork stomach – that is the traditional topping; see different choices beneath
Substitutes
- Grated mountain yam (nagaimo/yamaimo): Yam releases a slimy, egg white–like liquid that makes okonomiyaki gentle, fluffy, and voluminous as a substitute of doughy. Put on a glove or wash your arms proper after grating, as it could trigger itching. Purchase it at Japanese or Asian grocery shops. In case you can’t discover it, listed here are a few of the finest substitutes:
- Double the baking powder – works properly
- Add crushed egg whites to the batter – works properly; whip 2 egg whites till fluffy and gently fold in for quantity
- Add well-drained tofu – add somewhat to extend fluffiness
- Add grated taro – haven’t examined but; grated taro has the same slimy texture
- Add grated potatoes – this won’t work; the feel is totally different
- Add grated lotus root – this won’t work; related motive to potatoes
- Tenkasu (Tempura Bits/Scraps): Tenkasu makes the batter fluffier and provides wealthy taste. In Osaka, it’s thought of important after nagaimo. Purchase it at Japanese shops or Amazon, make your personal with leftover tempura batter, and even strive shrimp chips in its place.
The best way to Make Okonomiyaki
- Make the bottom batter. Begin by mixing the flour, grated yam, and dashi right into a clean batter. Many say resting the batter helps it develop higher taste and makes the pancakes fluffier. Even letting it sit for a short while whilst you put together the opposite elements will make a distinction.
- Prep the elements. Finely chop the cabbage, slice the inexperienced onions, and put together any proteins or add-ins you intend to make use of. Drain the cabbage properly so the additional water doesn’t skinny the batter. A salad spinner is very helpful for this step.
- Combine the okonomiyaki batter. Add the eggs, tempura scraps (tenkasu), and chopped pink pickled ginger into the bottom batter. Gently fold within the finely chopped cabbage till every little thing is evenly coated. The batter ought to really feel thick and stuffed with cabbage.
- Prepare dinner the okonomiyaki. Warmth a frying pan or electrical griddle over medium warmth. Evenly oil the floor and spoon on the batter to kind a spherical pancake about ¾ inch thick. Lay pork stomach slices (or your chosen topping) on prime, and cook dinner till the underside is golden earlier than flipping. Prepare dinner till each side are properly browned and the middle is cooked by means of. Learn my detailed suggestions within the recipe card. I wish to cook dinner a minimum of two without delay (utilizing two frying pans or a big griddle on the range) in order that they end collectively.
- Add condiments and toppings. Switch the recent okonomiyaki to a plate and brush the floor with okonomiyaki sauce. Drizzle with Japanese mayonnaise, then sprinkle aonori (dried seaweed) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes) on prime. The bonito flakes will “dance” with the warmth—one of many joys of serving this dish. Take pleasure in!
Variations and Customizations
- Change up the okonomiyaki toppings – If you don’t like pork, no worries! You possibly can add different toppings as a substitute!
- Seafood – Calamari/squid, shrimp, scallops, octopus, or dried small shrimp (sakura ebi)
- Yakisoba noodles – Okonomiyaki with noodles known as Fashionable Yaki (モダン焼き)
- Mentaiko (spicy cod/pollack roe)
- Shredded cheese
- Shiso leaves (Ooba) – My favourite!
- Rice desserts (kiri mochi) – Obtainable on Amazon; lower the mochi into small cubes and place them straight on the pan earlier than pouring the batter
- Fish desserts (chikuwa)
- Greens – Parboiled potatoes, bean sprouts, candy corn, garlic chives
- Kimchi
- Mushrooms – shiitake, enoki, shimeji, maitake, king oyster mushrooms
Nami’s favourite is Fashionable Yaki:
- Pork stomach + mentaiko + mochi + cheese + yakisoba
- Pork stomach + shiso + mochi + yakisoba
How about you? What are your favourite okonomiyaki toppings?
- Make a Hiroshima-style – In Hiroshima, locals by no means name it “Hiroshimayaki“—they merely name it “Okonomiyaki” or “Okonomi.” The elements are nearly the identical as Osaka-style, however as a substitute of blending every little thing into the batter, they layer every element. To make it even heartier, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki consists of fried egg and layer of yakisoba noodles (or typically udon) as toppings.
Condiments and Toppings
Due to on-line retailers like Amazon, we will simply entry all these Japanese condiments and toppings as of late. Make your okonomiyaki genuine with the next gadgets!
- Okonomiyaki sauce – The flavour is determined by the sauce. I like to recommend Otafuku Okonomi Sauce (out there on Amazon or Japanese/Asian shops) or make my straightforward 4-ingredient do-it-yourself model within the recipe card!
- Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise – In Osaka, each Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki are sometimes completed with mayo and sauce. It’s elective, however I like the stability of sweet-savory sauce with creamy, tangy mayo. Search for Kewpie model on Amazon or at Japanese/Asian shops, or strive my Do-it-yourself Japanese Mayonnaise.
- Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito Flakes) – Paper-thin flakes of smoked bonito, wealthy in umami and infrequently used for dashi. Sprinkle on scorching okonomiyaki and watch them “dance” with the steam! Obtainable on Amazon and at Japanese/Asian shops. Omit in the event you don’t just like the fishy aroma.
- Aonori (Dried Inexperienced Seaweed) – Brilliant inexperienced, aromatic seaweed that provides umami to okonomiyaki. Discover it on Amazon or at Japanese/Asian shops, or substitute with common nori. Enjoyable truth: In outdated Japanese, ao meant inexperienced, however as we speak it normally means blue!
What to Serve with Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is made with cabbage, eggs, and flour, so I like to recommend serving it with numerous vegetable and protein-packed aspect dishes.
Regularly Requested Questions
You’ll find a bag of Okonomiyaki Flour Combine (Otafuku model) at Japanese/Asian grocery shops. These mixes normally include flour, nagaimo powder, and dashi powder. In case you choose comfort, it’s an incredible possibility! Similar to pancake combine, all it’s good to do is add the egg(s) and water to the flour. After making the okonomiyaki batter, add shredded cabbage and different elements. It’s the identical idea as a cake combine vs. do-it-yourself.
Readers’ Okonomiyaki Recipes
Okonomiyaki was the problem recipe for the JOC Cooking Problem March 2024. Take a look at the scrumptious dishes created by JOC readers!
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Earlier than You Begin: If time permits, let the batter relaxation for a minimum of one hour (and as much as in a single day) for a fluffier okonomiyaki. Now, collect all of the elements.
To Put together the Base Batter
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In a big bowl, mix 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour), ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ tsp sugar, and ¼ tsp baking powder. Combine all collectively.
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Peel and grate 5.6 oz nagaimo/yamaimo (mountain yam) in a small bowl (I take advantage of a ceramic grater that I like). Observe: The nagaimo might irritate your pores and skin and trigger itchiness. Work rapidly and rinse your arms instantly after touching the nagaimo. It is extremely slimy and slippery, so be sure to have a great grip on the nagaimo in the event you put on kitchen gloves.
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Add the grated nagaimo and ¾ cup dashi (Japanese soup inventory) to the bowl.
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Combine all of it collectively till mixed and put aside whilst you put together the elements. If time permits, cowl the bowl with plastic wrap, put it within the fridge, and let the batter relaxation for a minimum of one hour (and as much as in a single day). Tip: Resting the batter relaxes the gluten, improves the flavour, and makes the okonomiyaki fluffier. Some okonomiyaki retailers refrigerate the batter in a single day.
To Put together the Substances
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Discard the core of ½ head inexperienced cabbage and lower into ½-inch (1.3-cm) slices.
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Then, mince the cabbage strips. Wash the cabbage and drain properly (I take advantage of a salad spinner) to take away extra moisture that would doubtlessly dilute the batter.
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Chop ¼ cup pickled pink ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga). Reduce ½ lb sliced pork stomach into 4-inch (10-cm) items and put aside.
To Put together the Okonomiyaki Batter
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In case you rested the bottom batter for an hour or longer, take it out from the fridge. Add 4 massive eggs (50 g every w/o shell), ½ cup tenkasu/agedama (tempura scraps), and two-thirds of the pickled pink ginger to the bowl. Combine till mixed.
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Add the minced cabbage to the batter, one-third of it at a time. Combine properly earlier than every addition.
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Examine the consistency of the okonomiyaki batter. Be sure the cabbage is coated properly within the batter. You don’t want to make use of all of the minced cabbage whether it is overpowering the batter.
To Prepare dinner the Okonomiyaki
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Put together a big griddle or two massive frying pans with lids to cook dinner two savory pancakes at a time. Within the pans, warmth a little bit of impartial oil on medium warmth. When it‘s scorching (400ºF or 200ºC), add one portion of the batter to every pan.
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Utilizing spatulas, unfold and form the batter in a circle about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. We like thicker okonomiyaki (the ultimate thickness is ¾ inches or 2 cm). In case you’re new to creating okonomiyaki, make it smaller and thinner so it’s simpler to flip.
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Place 3 slices of pork stomach on prime of every okonomiyaki and cook dinner, lined, on medium-low warmth for 5 minutes.
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When the underside aspect is properly browned, flip them over.
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Gently press the okonomiyaki to repair their form and hold them collectively. Prepare dinner, lined, for an additional 5 minutes.
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Flip them over one final time and repair their form. Then cook dinner, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
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Switch the cooked okonomiyaki to particular person plates. Proceed cooking the remainder of the okonomiyaki.
To Make the Fast Okonomiyaki Sauce (elective)
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Mix 3 Tbsp sugar, ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) oyster sauce, ½ cup (8 Tbsp) ketchup, and 7 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Combine all collectively till the sugar is totally dissolved.
To Serve
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Now, it‘s time to customise your okonomiyaki with the condiments and toppings of your alternative. In Japan, we unfold okonomiyaki sauce on prime with a brush or spoon.
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Then, drizzle Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (you may make my do-it-yourself recipe) in a zigzag sample. Drag a chopstick tip by means of the mayo each ½ inch (1.3 cm) to create the long-lasting look.
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We wish to sprinkle the highest with katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), aonori (dried inexperienced laver seaweed), and chopped inexperienced onions/scallions. Lastly, garnish with the remaining pickled pink ginger (you may make my do-it-yourself beni shoga recipe).
To Reheat
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For the okonomiyaki from the fridge, reheat it in a toaster oven or oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10–quarter-hour. For the okonomiyaki from the freezer, you may defrost it in a single day within the fridge or reheat the frozen okonomiyaki within the oven for 25–half-hour. It‘s an incredible fast meal!
To Prepare dinner A number of Okonomiyaki at As soon as
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When you’ve got a Japanese griddle with a lid (we name it a scorching plate), you may cook dinner a number of items of okonomiyaki without delay. In any other case, I like to recommend cooking one okonomiyaki at a time in a frying pan.
Energy: 725kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 21g, Fats: 44g, Saturated Fats: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 5g, Monounsaturated Fats: 16g, Trans Fats: 1g, Ldl cholesterol: 227mg, Sodium: 643mg, Potassium: 916mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 502IU, Vitamin C: 73mg, Calcium: 153mg, Iron: 4mg
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Editor’s Observe: This put up was initially revealed on Mar 2, 2011, up to date with a brand new video and pictures on March 1, 2024, and republished with extra useful content material on August 20, 2025.
