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Authentic Osaka Style Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savory Pancake)
5 from 18 votes

Authentic Osaka Style Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savory Pancake)

Authentic Osaka Style Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese pancake made with a light batter of cake flour and dashi stock mixed with shredded cabbage, tempura flakes, pickled ginger, and eggs. Thin pork belly slices cook on top and the finished pancake is served with a rich homemade okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes, and green laver powder for a balanced umami and tangy flavor.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 3 servings
Course: Side Dish, Snacks, Lunch
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

Batter
  • 100 g cake flour see note
  • 75 ml dashi stock
  • 1 tsp milk
  • 1 tsp tsuyu sauce
  • 1 egg
Okonomiyaki Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
Fillings (see in post for more ideas)
  • 150 g green cabbage white cabbage or pointed cabbage
  • 2 tbsp tempura flakes tempura bits (optional, aka tenkasu
  • 2 tsp pickled ginger benishoga (optional, red, aka benishoga
  • 100 g pork belly thin sliced
  • 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil neutural flavor, generic cooking oil
  • 2 egg
Toppings (see in post for more ideas)
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise Japanese style
  • 1 tbsp bonito flakes katsuobushi (optional)
  • 1 tsp dried green laver powder aonori

Instructions

Batter
    Cup of Yum
  1. Sift 100 g cake flour into a large bowl. and add the 75 ml dashi stock, 1 tsp milk, 1 tsp tsuyu sauce and 1 egg to the bowl. Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated, but be careful not to over mix. (A few lumps in the batter is okay.)
  2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Okonomiyaki Sauce
  1. Take a small bowl and add the 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp soy sauce. Mix well and set aside for later.
Fillings
  1. Cut the 150 g green cabbage into into small rough pieces.Once the batter has been resting for 30 minutes, divide it into two bowls and place one of them back in the fridge for later. (Alternatively, make two at the same time in two frying pans.)
  2. Preheat your pan on a medium/medium-high setting.Once the pan is hot, add half of the cabbage, 1 tbsp tempura flakes, 1 tsp red pickled ginger and 1 egg to each bowl of the batter and mix well. (If you want to add other ingredients such as cheese, kimchi, mochi etc add them here. See in post for more ideas.)
  3. Add the oil to the pan and swirl around until evenly coated. Pour the okonomiyaki mixture into the center of the pan and use a spatula to neaten up the edges.
  4. Lay the slices of pork belly over the top of the wet mixture and fry the okonomiyaki until the bottom starts to become brown and crispy.
  5. Carefully flip it over and place a lid on the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to fry with the lid for about 5 minutes or until cooked all the way through.Pierce the middle with a toothpick to make sure it's cooked. If the toothpick doesn't come out clean, continue to cook on a low heat and check it every few minutes until it's done.
  6. Once it's cooked through, flip it over again and pour half of the sauce over the top. Use a pastry brush or spoon to spread it evenly. (You can do this while it's still in the pan or transfer it to a plate first.)
  7. Drizzle with mayonnaise and sprinkle generously with bonito flakes and aonori.
  8. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you have okonomiyaki flour, you can replace dashi stock with plain water following package instructions.
  • This recipe makes two pancakes, enough to serve 3 to 4 people.