Easy Okonomiyaki Recipe - Japanese Savoury Pancakes (2024)

For the Batter:

• 4 bacon slices sliced, fat & rind removed
• ⅔ cup plain flour / all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
• ½ cup warm water
• 1 tsp dashi powder dissolved in the warm water
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cabbage wombok / napa - finely shredded
• 1-2 spring onion / green onion sliced (half for batter & half for garnish)
• ½ cup corn tinned
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking

Toppings:

• 2 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp okonomiyaki sauce
• 1 tsp seaweed flakes / aonori
• 1 tsp bonito flakes / katsuobushi

Metric - US Customary

• Fry the bacon until cooked through and crispy, then set aside to cool. No need to use oil here, as the bacon will release its own oil as you cook it.

  4 bacon slices

• To make the batter, combine the eggs and dashi powder dissolved in the warm water in a small mixing bowl and beat gently. In a separate large mixing bowl add your all purpose flour and cornflour, then pour over with the egg and dashi stock mixture. Stir and combine until smooth.

  ⅔ cup plain flour / all purpose flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour, 1 tsp dashi powder, 3 eggs, ½ cup warm water

• Next, add the shredded cabbage, half of the spring onion, cooked bacon and corn into the batter mixture. Mix until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated (but don’t overmix, we want to keep that cabbage nice and fluffy). There shouldn’t be much excess batter liquid at the bottom - if there is, just add a little more chopped cabbage and mix through gently.

  ¼ cabbage, 1-2 spring onion / green onion, ½ cup corn

• Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add in the vegetable oil and allow to heat up. Scoop out the mixture onto the pan, aiming for a circle shape about 10 cm / 4 inches wide. Cook each pancake for a few mins per side, until lightly browned on both sides.

  1 tbsp vegetable oil

• Transfer your freshly cooked pancakes to serving plates, then top with drizzles of kewpie mayonnaise and okonomiyaki sauce. For even better tasting okonomiyaki, top with sprinklings of dried seaweed flakes, bonito flakes and a few slices of green onion to taste. You can also optionally top with the pickled ginger and Japanese 7 spice here.

  2 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise, 2 tbsp okonomiyaki sauce, 1 tsp seaweed flakes / aonori, 1 tsp bonito flakes / katsuobushi, 1-2 spring onion / green onion

• Thinly Sliced Protein is Key - Whether you use pork, bacon or a different protein, always make sure it's thinly sliced so it will cook through quickly.
• For Cool Visual Effect - add a layer of bacon or pork on the the pan before topping with the batter. When you flip the pancake, the meat will be visible on top.
• Pre-heat your Pan - This will help 'seal' the bottom of your pancake quickly and hold the round shape. Use your spatula to scrape any rogue batter back to the pancake.
• Medium Heat - Medium heat works best to cook the pancakes as it allows the inside of the pancake to steam and cook through the middle, without burning the outsides.
• Reheating - You can easily reheat okonomiyaki. We usually recommend cooking all the pancakes, then for any you won't eat that day, just store in an airtight container in the fridge. Eat within 1-3 days and reheat for 1-2 minutes in the microwave, then top with sauces and seasonings.
• As You Like It - If you don't like the traditional ingredients or toppings, you can substitute your "as you like it" pancakes with an endless variety of flavour combinations. For example, we love adding corn and occasionally cooked/chopped prawns (shrimp) to the batter base for extra protein. You could add thinly sliced chicken, beef, calamari, scallops, cheese or soba noodles if you're feeling adventurous! You're only limited by your imagination, your tastebuds, and what's available in your fridge.
• Add Tenkasu - These are scraps of cooked tempura batter that add a little extra texture to your pancakes, helping to make the batter fluffier once cooked. You can also use it as an extra garnish for little bites of crispiness. You can buy ready made tenkasu online or from Asian grocers, or make them yourself by flicking tempura batter into hot oil and scooping them out once cooked.