Japanese Okonomiyaki Pancakes (Printable version)

Savory Japanese street food pancakes loaded with shredded cabbage, topped with sauce, mayo, bonito flakes, and aromatic garnishes.

# 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 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 tsp baking powder

→ Vegetables

06 - 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
07 - 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
08 - 1 small carrot, julienned
09 - 1/2 cup bean sprouts (optional)

→ Proteins & Fillings

10 - 4 strips bacon or pork belly, halved (optional)
11 - 1/2 cup cooked shrimp, chopped (optional)

→ Toppings

12 - 1/4 cup okonomiyaki sauce (store-bought or homemade)
13 - 1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise
14 - 1/4 cup bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
15 - 2 tbsp aonori (dried seaweed flakes)
16 - 2 tbsp pickled ginger (beni shoga)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, dashi stock, eggs, salt, and baking powder until smooth.
02 - Fold in cabbage, green onions, carrot, and bean sprouts until evenly coated. Add shrimp if using.
03 - Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly oil.
04 - Pour about 1/4 of the batter onto the skillet, shaping into a round pancake about 1/2-inch thick.
05 - Lay 2 bacon or pork belly halves across the top (optional).
06 - Cook for 4–5 minutes until the bottom is golden.
07 - Flip carefully and cook another 4–5 minutes until cooked through.
08 - Repeat with remaining batter.
09 - Transfer pancakes to plates. Drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise in a crisscross pattern.
10 - Sprinkle with bonito flakes, aonori, and pickled ginger. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like cooking theater—watching the transformation from batter to golden pancake is half the fun, and your guests will be drawn to the kitchen by the aroma alone.
  • You can build it your way, swapping proteins or vegetables based on what's in your fridge, so it never feels like the same meal twice.
  • That moment when the bonito flakes start curling from the heat of the fresh pancake is pure joy, every single time.
02 -
  • The flip is less scary once you realize the batter sets faster than you think; a properly cooked bottom will release cleanly from the pan, so if it's sticking, just wait another minute.
  • Overcrowding the skillet drops the temperature and creates steam instead of a crust, so even though you're impatient for the next one, cook them one at a time or use a large griddle to do two simultaneously.
03 -
  • Pressing the pancake gently with the spatula as it cooks encourages even browning and helps the interior set more evenly without compressing the vegetables.
  • Warming your okonomiyaki sauce in a small saucepan before drizzling it makes the flavors taste more pronounced and the whole dish feel more intentional.
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