Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese cabbage pancake “grilled as you like it“ with your choice of protein and tasty condiments and toppings. My recipe for this popular Osaka street food includes the 3 key ingredients that give it a truly authentic taste.
Among all the Osaka specialties, Takoyaki (たこ焼き) and Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) are the most well-known. Today I’m sharing my favorite Okonomiyaki recipe with you so you can make this popular street food at home!
What is Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a savory Japanese cabbage pancake. I’ve seen okonomiyaki referred to as a “Japanese pizza” or “Japanese frittata” in the U.S.
The batter is made with flour, tempura scraps (tenkasu), grated yam (nagaimo or yamaimo), and eggs. It’s then mixed with shredded cabbage and sometimes additional ingredients like shrimp and squid. A classic topping is pork belly slices, placed on top of the savory pancake while grilling. Once cooked, okonomiyaki is topped with a variety of condiments such as okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes.
This dish is highly adaptable even if you don’t eat pork or prefer another protein choice. The possibility for the filling and topping choices are endless, which is why this dish in Japanese translates to “grilled as you like it” - Okonomi (as you like it) Yaki (grill).
Why This Recipe Works
I’ve been making this recipe for my family and friends for over a decade, and everyone loves it.
- Easy and quick to make - Mix all the ingredients and cook!
- Budget-friendly - It’s a satisfying dish with economical ingredients.
- Family and kid-friendly - Okonomiyaki is customizable, and it’s fun to cook with family and friends at the table.
- Freezes and reheats well - I make ahead for future busy evenings. It’s a great meal prep dish!
Ingredients for Okonomiyaki
To make really good authentic okonomiyaki, certain ingredients are necessary. Okonomiyaki tastes much better compared to versions that omit them. Read below for vegan/vegetarian options.
For the base batter
- All-purpose flour (plain flour)
- Salt
- Sugar
- Baking powder - Use aluminum-free baking powder like this.
- Grated mountain yam (nagaimo/yamaimo) - Can’t find it? Check out the substitutions below.
- Dashi (Japanese soup stock) - Never made this before? Read more about this topic in the section below. Use Vegan Dashi for vegan/vegetarian.
For the Okonomiyaki
- Eggs - Use JUST Egg for vegan.
- Tenkasu (tempura scraps) - Read more about this in the section below.
- Pickled red ginger (kizami shoga)
- Green cabbage
- Sliced pork belly (skip for vegan/vegetarian) - This is the most popular and classic topping, but check out other options I listed in the section below.
How to Make the Best Okonomiyaki
Check out the recipe card below for the full step-by-step tutorials, but here is a quick overview:
- Make the base batter. It’s said that making the base batter ahead of time improves the flavor and fluffiness of the okonomiyaki. It’s up to you. You can at least rest the batter a little while you prep other ingredients.
- Prep the ingredients. Cut all the ingredients. Make sure to drain the cabbage well so the moisture won’t dilute the batter. The salad spinner comes in handy!
- Make the okonomiyaki batter. Add eggs, tempura scraps, chopped red pickled ginger, then finely chopped cabbage. Mix them all together.
- Cook the okonomiyaki batter in frying pans or an electric griddle. I said pans (plural) so that you can cook two savory pancakes at a time.
- Add condiments and toppings. Enjoy!
3 Key Ingredients and Their Substitutes
Let’s deep dive into the most important ingredients for okonomiyaki.
1. Nagaimo (Yamaimo)
This is Japanese long yam (nagaimo) and it’s the most important ingredient to yield a non-doughy, fluffy okonomiyaki. Grated nagaimo yields a slimy, slippery, thick liquid, akin to lightly beaten egg whites. When cooked, it adds volume to the batter and creates a fluffy okonomiyaki.
Alternatively, you can use Japanese mountain yam (yamaimo) instead of nagaimo, but yamaimo is a thick and paste-like texture while nagaimo is a loose and liquid texture.
Some people may get an allergic reaction (like itching), so you can wear a kitchen glove to grate or wash your hands quickly.
You can purchase nagaimo/yamaimo at Japanese and most Asian grocery stores.
Nagaimo Substitute
After I tested a few substitute options I found on the internet, I think the combination of baking powder and beaten egg whites works the best.
- Baking powder — It’s a good substitute. Since we already add baking powder to this recipe, you’re just increasing it a little. I would double the amount in the recipe.
- Beaten egg whites — Another good substitute. Fluffy egg whites add volume to the savory pancake. Beat 2 egg whites for this recipe.
- Grated taro — I haven’t tried this, but it’s another “slimy and gooey” texture slightly similar to nagaimo. I will need to try this one day.
- Well-drained tofu — I don’t think it will work as well, but tofu gives a texture that is not dense. It might be an okay substitute, but be careful with moisture released by the tofu, as it dilutes the batter.
- Grated potatoes — NEVER use this as a substitute! The grainy texture of grated potatoes does not have any effect on the okonomiyaki except for adding cooked potato texture. We’re not making potato pancakes!
- Grated lotus root — I haven’t tried this, but I assume it has a similar texture as grated potato, so I don’t think it would add fluffiness to okonomiyaki.
2. Tenkasu (Tempura Bits/Scraps)
This is another ingredient to make the batter fluffier. When you see ‘tempura scraps,’ you might wonder if you can avoid it. Well, I understand it is not a healthy ingredient; however, many people in Osaka claim this is one of the most important ingredients, next to nagaimo/yamaimo. Fried food adds rich flavor, depth, and complexity to the dish.
You can buy a bag of tenkasu from Amazon or Japanese grocery stores.
Tenkasu Substitute
You can make your tempura scraps using the leftover batter. All you need is to drop the batter into hot oil and scoop it up when golden brown.
Some people online suggest substituting tenkasu with Asian shrimp chimps (Kappa Ebisen, かっぱえびせん). I haven’t tried that, but it sort of has a similar texture and flavor.
3. Dashi (Japanese soup stock)
Dashi, or Japanese soup stock, is the key ingredient for most Japanese foods. It’s what makes Japanese food authentic. Without dashi, it’s not a true okonomiyaki!
The best part is that it’s super quick and easy to make! Please do not substitute dashi with water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock.
There are three ways to make dashi.
- Homemade dashi — You can make a basic Awase Dashi from scratch by steeping kombu (edible kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) in water. If you’re vegetarian/vegan, use Kombu Dashi or make Vegan Dashi with kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms.
- Dashi packet — The dashi packet is the best shortcut method that I use often. Similar to making tea, you steep the dashi packet in water and cook for a couple of minutes. Despite its quick method, the flavor of dashi is good.
- Dashi powder — Dashi powder (dashi granules) is my least favorite method due to its lack of flavor. The flavor and fragrance do not last long. But you can make a quick dashi with just dashi powder and hot water.
Condiments and Toppings
Thanks to online shops like Amazon, we can get all these Japanese condiments and toppings easily these days. Make your okonomiyaki authentic with the following items!
- Okonomiyaki sauce - The taste of the okonomiyaki strongly relies on the okonomiyaki sauce. I love the Otafuku brand’s Okonomi Sauce, which you can get from Amazon or Japanese/Asian grocery stores. For those who can’t get this sauce, I made a homemade version using just four ingredients. This homemade version tastes good, similar to Otafuku sauce!
- Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise - Osaka’s specialty, both Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki, has squirts of mayonnaise along with the sweet-savory takoyaki/okonomi sauce. But this is optional even for locals. I love the combination of flavors from both sweet savory okonomi sauce and creamy and tangy mayo. You can purchase a Kewpie brand from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery stores or you can make Homemade Japanese Mayonnaise.
- Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito Flakes) - Katsuobushi is shaved flakes of fermented and smoked bonito and these flakes are super paper-thin! It’s a super umami-rich ingredient that’s used for making dashi (Japanese soup stock). When you sprinkle them on top of the okonomiyaki, they dance along with the steam! You can buy it from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery stores. You can omit this ingredient if you dislike the fishy smell.
- Aonori (Dried Green Seaweed) - It is dried green (ao) seaweed (nori) flakes/powder. This umami-rich seaweed has a bright, intense green color and a unique fragrance. You can buy aonori from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery stores. Or you can substitute with regular nori if you can’t find it. Interesting fact: In ancient Japan, ao (pronounced as [ah-o]) means green in the traditional Japanese language. There were 4 colors; white, black, red, and green. These days, ao means blue in contemporary Japanese.
Optional Add-On Ingredients for Okonomiyaki
Besides the key ingredients above, there are other ingredients that you can add to the batter.
- Seafood - calamari/squid (my favorite), shrimp, scallops, octopus, or dried small shrimp (sakura ebi)
- Yakisoba noodles - Noodle-included okonomiyaki is called Modern Yaki (モダン焼き).
- Rice cakes (kiri mochi) - This is my favorite! You can get it on Amazon. Cut the mochi into small cubes and place them on the pan before pouring the batter over them.
- Shredded cheese
- Shiso leaves (Ooba) - My favorite!
- Mentaiko or tarako (spicy or non-spicy cod/pollack roe)
- Fish cakes (chikuwa)
- Vegetables - Parboiled potatoes, bean sprouts, sweet corn, garlic chives,
- Kimchi
- Mushrooms - I haven’t tried, but it’s a great vegetarian topping option.
Can We Use Okonomiyaki Flour (Mix)?
You can find a bag of Okonomiyaki Flour (Mix) at Japanese/Asian grocery stores. Just like pancake mix, all you need to do is add the egg(s) and water to the flour. After making the okonomiyaki batter, add shredded cabbage and other ingredients, if you like. It’s easy and quick, but I still like to recommend making your own okonomiyaki batter from scratch at home!
Okonomiyaki Restaurants in Japan
You can enjoy this dish at okonomiyaki restaurants (Okonomiyaki-ya お好み焼き屋) throughout Japan. There are usually 3 dining options:
- At a counter in front of a huge teppan (iron griddle), the chefs make them right in front of you.
- At a table that has built-in teppan (iron griddle), you can cook your own, but the staff will help you make it if you ask.
- The okonomiyaki is prepared and made in the kitchen, and they place it on a teppan (iron griddle) in front of you to keep it warm.
Besides restaurants, you can also purchase steaming hot okonomiyaki from street vendors during festivals (matsuri).
It’s not easy to replicate the food made on a hot iron griddle at home, and okonomiyaki made on the iron griddle simply tastes better. This is why sometimes I still choose to go to a restaurant even though I can make it easily at home.
Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki uses almost the same ingredients, but they are layered rather than mixed in with the batter like Osaka-style. Not only that, fried egg and yakisoba noodles (or sometimes udon noodles) are used as toppings.
If you prefer the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki recipe, click here.
What to Serve with Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is made with cabbage, eggs, and flour, so I recommend serving it with various vegetable and protein-packed side dishes.
- Japanese beer
- Edamame or Spicy Edamame
- Harusame Salad
- Spinach Namul and Bean Sprout Namul
- Tomato Salad
- Hiyayakko (Cold Tofu)
- Teba Shio (Salted Chicken Wings)
- Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage)
Readers’ Okonomiyaki Recipes
Okonomiyaki was the challenge recipe for the JOC Cooking Challenge March 2024. Check out the delicious dishes created by JOC readers!
More Popular Japanese Street Food Recipes
- Takoyaki (Octopus Balls)
- Yakisoba (Japanese Stir-Fried Noodles)
- Taiyaki (fish-shape cake with red bean filling)
- Kushikatsu (Kushiage)
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Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on Mar 2, 2011. It was republished with a new video, more helpful content, and new images on March 1, 2024.
