Japanese Okonomiyaki Pancakes (Printable Version)

Savory Japanese-style pancakes topped with tangy sauce, creamy mayo, and smoky bonito flakes.

# 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
11 - 1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise (e.g., 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)

# How To Make:

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 your choice of shrimp or bacon; mix until evenly combined.
03 - Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
04 - Scoop approximately 1 cup of batter onto the skillet and shape into a thick round pancake about 6 inches wide; cook 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom turns golden brown.
05 - Flip gently and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through.
06 - Repeat the process with remaining batter, adding more oil as needed.
07 - Transfer pancakes to plates. Drizzle generously with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise in a zigzag pattern, then sprinkle with bonito flakes, aonori, and pickled ginger. Serve immediately.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • Crispy outside, tender cabbage inside, with layers of umami that keep you reaching for another bite.
  • Surprisingly quick to pull together once your vegetables are prepped, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or unexpected guests.
  • Endlessly customizable depending on what's in your fridge and whether you want to add protein or keep it vegetarian.
02 -
  • The bonito flakes will only dance if the pancake is truly hot when you add them—this is worth the wait and worth not letting them cool.
  • Folding in vegetables gently matters more than you'd think; aggressive mixing develops gluten and makes the pancake dense instead of tender.
  • The flip is less scary than it seems; a thin spatula and a confident wrist motion keep everything intact.
03 -
  • If your dashi stock isn't available, a pinch of instant dashi powder dissolved in the water gives you almost the same savory note without a special trip.
  • A squeeze bottle makes the sauce application exponentially easier and more impressive-looking than trying to drizzle by hand.
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