Okonomiyaki (Osaka-Style Japanese Pancakes) Recipe

By
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
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Updated on 05/26/23
Japanese okonomiyaki recipe

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

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.

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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 chopped green onion, divided

  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup tenkasu, or tempura flakes, divided

  • 4 to 6 large eggs, divided

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

  • 12 to 18 strips thinly sliced pork (about 1 pound)

For the Toppings:

  • 1 dash okonomiyaki sauce

  • Mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie

  • 1 pinch aonori, or dried seaweed powder

  • Handful katsuobushi, or dried bonito flakes, optional

  • Beni-shoga, or pickled red ginger, optional

Steps to Make It

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 bowl and mix to make batter. Rest for about an hour in refrigerator.

    Mix flour
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Dough in bowl
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Add cabbage
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Add 1 egg ​into batter and stir.

    Add egg
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Add oil to griddle
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Pour 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

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

    Add meat
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Flip okonomiyaki and cook until cooked through.

    Flip
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. 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

Recipe Variation

  • If you prefer, use sliced beef instead of pork.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
534 Calories
21g Fat
47g Carbs
38g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 534
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 6g 31%
Cholesterol 289mg 96%
Sodium 395mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 47g 17%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 55mg 275%
Calcium 133mg 10%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 799mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)