Japanese Okonomiyaki Pancakes (Print Version)

Savory Japanese pancakes loaded with cabbage and flavorful toppings, perfect as a snack or light meal.

# What You'll 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)

# 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 - 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 thick round pancake approximately 6 inches wide. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom turns golden brown.
05 - Flip gently and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes until fully cooked through.
06 - Continue with the remaining batter, adding more oil as needed to prevent sticking.
07 - Transfer pancakes to plates and drizzle generously with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle with bonito flakes, aonori, and pickled ginger. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a meal that comes together in your pan without fussy plating, just honest comfort food that tastes like someone cared.
  • The contrast of crispy edges, creamy toppings, and the theatrical moment when bonito flakes start dancing from the heat is pure kitchen magic.
  • You can load it with whatever proteins or vegetables you have on hand and it somehow always works beautifully.
02 -
  • The bonito flakes actually do dance from the heat—this is not folklore, and waiting a minute after topping lets you see it happen; it's why the dish feels alive and worth your attention.
  • If your batter is too thick, the inside won't cook through before the outside burns; if it's too thin, you'll get something closer to a crepe; you want a thick pancake consistency that holds its shape.
  • Don't skip the dashi if you can help it—it's the ingredient that separates this from a simple vegetable pancake and anchors it in authentic Japanese flavor.
03 -
  • If your cabbage is too thick, it won't cook through properly and you'll end up with crunchy, unpleasant bits; invest a minute in shredding it fine, or buy pre-shredded if that's what works for your life.
  • Keep your pan at medium heat and resist the urge to flip too early—the longer you let that first side cook undisturbed, the more golden crust you'll develop, and that crust is where the flavor lives.
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