A glass jar filled with dark brown sauce sits on a white surface. A red and white spatula rests inside the jar, and a small metal cookie cutter is nearby. The sauce has a glossy texture.

Love drizzling the thick and sweet brown sauce on your sizzling savory Japanese pancake? You can stir it together at home in just five minutes. Skip a trip to the store and make my Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce recipe that mirrors the signature flavors of beloved Otafuku okonomi sauce.

If you enjoy Japanese sauces, try my Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce, Homemade Takoyaki Sauce, and Homemade Yakisoba Sauce recipes next!

A glass jar filled with a dark brown sauce and a red spatula, surrounded by two bottles of sauce, a jar lid, a checkered cloth, and a metal clip on a white surface.

What is Okonomiyaki Sauce?

Okonomiyaki sauce (お好み焼きソース) is a glossy, sweet-savory condiment that’s similar to tonkatsu sauce but slightly sweeter. It’s the signature flavor of okonomiyaki, the Osaka street-food dish of batter, shredded cabbage, and pork belly cooked on a griddle. We top the Japanese savory pancakes with this umami-rich sauce along with Japanese mayonnaise, bonito flakes (katsuobushi), and aonori (dried green seaweed) for the perfect finish.

A white ceramic plate containing Okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese cabbage pancake topped with okonomi sauce, Kewpie mayo, and bonito flakes.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Why I Love This Recipe

  • Four pantry ingredients are all you need to rival ready-made okonomiyaki sauce in the bottle.
  • So convenient to whip up when I make my favorite okonomiyaki recipes at home.
  • Quick and easy – ready in just 5 minutes with my simple instructions.
A glass jar filled with dark brown okonomiyaki sauce and a red spatula sits on a white surface, with another sealed jar, a sauce bottle, metal clips, and a checkered cloth nearby.
A white ceramic plate containing Okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese cabbage pancake topped with okonomi sauce, Kewpie mayo, and bonito flakes.

Ingredients for Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe
A glass jar filled with thick brown sauce, stirred with a small red and white spatula, sits on a white surface beside a jar lid, a striped cloth, and another jar.

How to Make Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce

  1. Mix condiments. Combine oyster sauce, sugar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce, and mix well. Mix until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Close-up of hands using a spatula to mix dark brown liquid and granulated sugar in a clear glass bowl on a white surface.
A person uses a white spatula to mix a thick, red sauce in a clear glass bowl on a white surface.
  1. Add Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until silky and smooth. Taste and adjust sugar if you prefer a sweeter profile.
A glass bowl with a red-brown sauce being mixed with a white spatula, while another hand holds a small bowl of dark liquid above, ready to pour it in.
A person stirs a thick, reddish-brown sauce in a glass bowl with a white spatula on a white surface.
  1.  Drizzle over piping-hot okonomiyaki, or transfer to an airtight jar to store.
A white ceramic plate containing Okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese cabbage pancake topped with okonomi sauce, Kewpie mayo, and bonito flakes.
A glass jar filled with dark brown sauce and a small spatula sits on a white surface, surrounded by a sauce bottle, another jar, a jar lid, a metal clip, and a checkered cloth.

Nami’s Recipe Tips

  • Dissolve the sugar completely in the oyster sauce before adding the remaining ingredients to keep the sauce lump-free.
  • Don’t skip the sugar. It rounds the flavors of tangy Worcestershire and salty oyster sauce.
  • Adjust the amount of sugar based on the ketchup you use, as some brands are sweeter than others. If yours is very sweet, start without sugar, taste, and add only if needed.
  • Mimic the sweetness of Otafuku’s version by adding more sugar.
  • Make a half batch if you won’t use 1 cup of sauce within 2 weeks. To make ½ cup, simply use half the ingredients.

How to Use Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce

A white ceramic plate containing Okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese cabbage pancake topped with okonomi sauce, Kewpie mayo, and bonito flakes.
Hiroshimayaki (Hiroshima Style Okonomiyaki) | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

Storage Tips

To store: Keep in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does homemade okonomiyaki sauce last?

You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Can I substitute the oyster sauce?

If you’re allergic to shellfish or vegetarian, use Lee Kum Kee vegetarian stir-fry sauce instead of oyster sauce.

Can I substitute the Worcestershire sauce?

For a plant-based option, I recommend vegan Worcestershire sauce. You can try a different brand of Worcestershire sauce, like Japan’s Bulldog brand that’s milder and sweeter than Lea & Perrins. Some readers have used HP sauce as a substitute for Worcestershire sauce. Please adjust the amount if you use a substitute. Some readers have added a dash of soy sauce and apple cider vinegar to counterbalance extra sweetness.

Can I skip the sugar?

You need a hint of sweetness to balance the tang and salt. If your ketchup is very sweet, start without sugar, taste, and add only if needed.

Can I use a different brand of ketchup?

I used Heinz organic ketchup. If you use a different kind, be aware that it may be more tomato or spice forward and/or sweeter than mine. In that case, I suggest that you starts without sugar, taste, and add sugar to your liking.

A glass jar filled with thick brown sauce, stirred with a small red and white spatula, sits on a white surface beside a jar lid, a striped cloth, and another jar.
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4.63 from 129 votes

Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Learn how to make Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce with just 4 ingredients! This sweet and umami-rich condiment is a must-have for drizzling over the iconic Japanese savory cabbage pancake.
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 jar (1 cup, 240 ml)

Ingredients 
 

  • ¼ cup oyster sauce (4 Tbsp; I used Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce; or use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-fry Sauce if allergic to shellfish)
  • 3 Tbsp sugar (to taste; I used organic cane sugar)
  • ½ cup ketchup (8 Tbsp, to taste; I used Heinz Simply ketchup)
  • 7 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I used Lea & Perrins brand; or use vegan Worcestershire sauce for plant-based)

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients. One batch of this recipe makes 1 cup of okonomiyaki sauce. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. To make ½ cup, simply use half the ingredients.
    Four small glass bowls on a white surface, each containing a different ingredient: granulated sugar, a thick dark brown sauce, a dark liquid (likely soy sauce), and a red paste or sauce (possibly ketchup).
  • Combine ¼ cup oyster sauce (4 Tbsp) and 3 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl. Mix with a spatula or whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.
    Two-panel image: Left—hands holding bowls of brown liquid and granulated sugar above a larger bowl. Right—a spatula mixing the brown liquid and sugar together in a glass bowl on a white surface.
  • Add ½ cup ketchup (8 Tbsp) and 7 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce. Tip: Some ketchup is sweeter than others, so please adjust the amount of sugar to taste.
    Two photos showing a person mixing sauce in a glass bowl: the first photo shows ketchup being added, and the second photo shows a dark liquid, likely soy sauce, being poured in. A white spatula is in the bowl.
  • Mix it well, taste the sauce, and adjust it according to your liking.
    Two images: On the left, a hand stirs a reddish-brown sauce in a glass bowl with a white spatula. On the right, the sauce is being poured from the bowl into a small glass jar.

To Serve

To Store

  • You can keep the sauce in an airtight container or jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon, Calories: 25kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 264mg, Potassium: 86mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 44IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 27, 2014, and updated on August 16, 2025.