Japanese Okonomiyaki Pancakes (Printable)

Savory Japanese pancakes with cabbage, tangy sauce, mayo, and smoky bonito flakes for a flavorful meal.

# 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)

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, dashi stock, eggs, salt, and baking powder until smooth.
02 - Fold in shredded cabbage, green onions, carrot, and shrimp or bacon if using. Mix gently to combine evenly.
03 - Warm 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
04 - Scoop about 1 cup of batter onto the skillet and shape into a round, roughly 6 inches wide. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom is golden brown, then flip gently and cook another 4 to 5 minutes until fully cooked.
05 - Repeat the process with remaining batter, adding oil as needed.
06 - Transfer pancakes to plates, drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle with bonito flakes, aonori, and pickled ginger. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's crispy on the outside, tender inside, and you can eat it with your hands or chopsticks without guilt.
  • The combination of umami sauce, creamy mayo, and those smoky bonito flakes creates a flavor depth that keeps you reaching for another bite.
  • You can prepare it in 40 minutes flat, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that tastes like you tried much harder than you did.
02 -
  • Don't skip the shredding step for the cabbage—knife-chopped pieces stay too chunky and won't cook evenly, leaving you with unpleasant texture variations.
  • The dashi really does matter; I once tried making it with plain water when I was out, and the pancake tasted flat and one-dimensional compared to the real thing.
  • Those bonito flakes need to go on while the pancake is hot enough to make them curl; add them to a cold surface and they just sit there looking sad.
03 -
  • Make all your prep work before you start cooking; once the batter is mixed, you'll want to cook right away so the baking powder doesn't lose its lift.
  • If your first pancake doesn't look perfect, consider it a practice round and a free snack—by pancake two, you'll have the timing and temperature dialed in.
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