Okonomiyaki (literally means ‘grilled as you like it’) is a savory version of Japanese pancake, made with flour, eggs, shredded cabbage, meat/ protein and topped with a variety of condiments. Better known as ‘Japanese pizza’ in the US, you can definitely prepare the filling and toppings however you like it. A wonderful way to use up your leftovers!
Among all the Osaka specialty, Takoyaki (たこ焼き) and Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) are most well-known. Today I’m sharing my favorite Okonomiyaki recipe with you so you can make this popular dish at home!
Watch How To Make Okonomiyaki
As some of the readers know, I grew up in Yokohama (横浜). But did you know I was actually born in my mother’s hometown, Osaka (大阪)? Because of this, I consider Osaka my second home as I spent most of my school holidays there with my grandparents.
Osaka is known for its inexpensive and abundant food culture. Since the old days, Osaka has been called “The Country’s Kitchen” (Tenka no Daidokoro 天下の台所) and a “City Extravagant in Food” (Kuidaore no Machi 食い倒れの街).
What is Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki is sometimes called “Japanese savory pancake” or “Japanese pizza” by non-Japanese speakers, but personally, I think it’s more like a dish between pancake and frittata.
It’s made with flour, eggs, tempura scraps (tenkasu), cabbage, pork belly slices and topped with a variety of condiments like okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes.
If you don’t eat pork or prefer another protein choice, this dish is very adaptable. The possibility for the filling and topping choices are endless, which is why this dish in Japanese translates to “Grill As You Like” – Okonomi (as you like) Yaki (grill). I will cover this topic later on in the post.
Eating Okonomiyaki 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 for these restaurants:
- At a counter in front of a huge teppan where the chefs make them right in front of you.
- At a table which has built-in teppan, 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 in front of you to keep it warm.
Besides restaurants, you can also purchase steaming hot okonomiyaki at street vendors during festivals (matsuri).
It’s not easy to replicate teppan grilling experience at home (unless you have one built-in), and okonomiyaki made on teppan simply tastes better. This is why sometimes I still choose to go to a restaurant even though I can make it easily at home.
The Key Ingredients for Delicious Okonomiyaki
To make really good okonomiyaki, there are a few ingredients that are necessary and it tastes much better compared to the ones that don’t include them.
Some of these ingredients may be difficult to get outside of Japan. Hopefully soon in the near future, these unique Japanese ingredients will be more easily accessible from all corners of the world.
1. Nagaimo 長芋 / Yamaimo 山芋:
It’s a Japanese long yam (nagaimo) or mountain yam (yamaimo) and I think it’s the most important ingredient so your okonomiyaki won’t be a doughy pancake. You will need to grate the yam. I’m okay but some people may get an allergic reaction, so you can wear a kitchen glove to grate or wash your hands quickly. The raw grated yam is very slimy, but when it’s cooked, it helps the texture of okonomiyaki nice and fluffy. You can purchase nagaimo/yamaimo at Japanese and most Asian grocery stores.
Substitute: You can add silken tofu (For those who tried my fluffy Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs would know the amazing tofu effect!), meringue (beaten egg whites), or more baking powder to create a similar “fluffy” effect. I’ve never tried it personally, but I’ve heard from my readers that grated potatoes or lotus root will work as well (use a fine grater), but the texture may not become “fluffy” but rather chewy/bouncy texture.
With leftover, you can make this quick and easy Sauteed Yam!
2. Tenkasu 天かす (tempura bits/scraps):
This is another ingredient to make the batter fluffier. When you see “tempura scraps” you might be thinking can I avoid it? Well, I understand it is definitely not a healthy ingredient; however, many people in Osaka claim this is one of the most important ingredients, next to Nagaimo/Yamaimo.
If you can’t buy a bag of tenkasu from Amazon or Japanese grocery stores (convenient!), you can make your own tempura scraps using the leftover batter. All you need is to drop the batter in hot oil and scoop up when golden brown. Some people online suggested using Kappa Ebisen かっぱえびせん(Asian shrimp chips) as a substitute. I haven’t tried that, but maybe it might work.
3. Okonomiyaki Sauce:
The taste of the okonomiyaki strongly relies on the sauce. I love Otafuku brand’s Okonomi Sauce; however, due to many requests from JOC readers for homemade sauce, I came up with an easy sauce made with just 4 ingredients. This sauce actually tastes really good similar to Otafuku sauce, so no worries if you can’t get Otafuku’s Okonomi Sauce from Amazon or Japanese grocery stores.
4. Japanese Mayonnaise:
I understand many westerners don’t like mayonnaise and I am also not a fan of American style mayonnaise because it tastes rather bland. As some of you may know, Japanese loves (Japanese) mayonnaise and we do have quite a number of recipes that requires Japanese mayo.
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. Personally, I love the combination of flavors from both sweet savory okonomi sauce and creamy and tangy mayo. You can purchase Japanese mayo from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery stores or you can make Homemade Japanese Mayonnaise.
5. Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes):
Katsuobushi is shaved flakes of fermented and smoked bonito. It’s a super umami-rich ingredient that we use it to make dashi (Japanese stock for miso soup and all kinds of Japanese dishes). These flakes are super paper-thin – when you sprinkle 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 absolutely dislike the fishy smell.
6. Aonori (dried green seaweed):
It is dried green (Ao) seaweed (Nori) flakes/powder. This umami-rich seaweed has a bright intense green color and has unique fragrant. Interesting fact: in ancient Japan, Ao (pronounce as [ah-o]) means green in traditional Japanese language (there were 4 colors; white, black, red, and green. These days, Ao means blue in contemporary Japanese).
Japan has many types of seaweed from wakame, nori, to kombu. We use the specific name for each type of seaweed instead of just calling them “seaweed”. It helps identify which is the correct seaweed for a different type of dishes.
You can buy Aonori from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery stores. Or you can substitute with regular nori if you can’t find it.
What Ingredients Can We Add to Okonomiyaki?
Besides the key ingredients above, there are other ingredients that you can add in the batter.
Ingredients I’ve tried in my okonomiyaki batter:
- Calamari – My favorite!
- Shrimp
- Scallops
- Dried small shrimp (Sakura Ebi)
- Mochi/rice cakes – My favorite! Put small cubes on the pan first before pouring the batter.
- Cheese
- Green onions
- Pickled red ginger – It’s a must!
- Shiso leaves (Ooba) – My favorite after our recent trip to Okayama.
- Yakisoba noodles
Ingredients I haven’t tried in my okonomiyaki batter but heard it’s good:
- Octopus
- Mentaiko (spicy cod/pollack roe)
- Chikuwa (fish cakes),
- Garlic chives/Asian chives
- Blanched potatoes
- Corn
- Bean sprout
- Mushrooms
- Garlic slices
- Kimchi
- Potato chips, and more
This Okonomiyaki recipe is from my friend Hiroko who’s originally from Hiroshima. She cooked this delicious okonomiyaki years ago when she visited us from Los Angeles and we were really impressed and asked her for the recipe. Thanks, Hiroko!
Similar Recipe
If you prefer Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki recipe, click here.
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 g)
- ¼ tsp salt (kosher or sea salt; use half if using table salt)
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 2-3 inch Nagaimo/Yamaimo (5-8 cm, 160 g, 5.6 oz)
- ¾ cup dashi (180 ml) (See Notes)
- 1 large cabbage head (1.6 lb or 740 g)
- ½ lb sliced pork belly (227 g) (See Notes)
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup Tenkasu/Agedama (tempura scraps) (8 Tbsp)
- ¼ cup pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga) (4 Tbsp)
- neutral flavor oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
- 1 ½ Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 4 Tbsp ketchup
- 3 ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Gather all the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. sugar, and ¼ tsp. baking powder and mix all together.
- Peel and grate nagaimo in a small bowl. It can get itchy, so work quickly and rinse your hand right after. Nagaimo is very slimy and slippery, so make sure you have a good grip if you wear a glove.
- Add the grated nagaimo and dashi in the bowl.
- Mix all together till combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Gather all the ingredients for Okonomiyaki Sauce.
- To make homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce, combine 1 ½ Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce, 4 Tbsp. ketchup, and 3 ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Mix all together until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Remove the core of the cabbage and mince it. Set aside to let the moisture evaporate so it won’t dilute the batter.
- Cut the pork belly slices in half and set aside.
- Take out the batter from the refrigerator and add 4 large eggs, ½ cup (8 Tbsp.) tempura scraps (Tenkasu/Agedama), and ¼ cup (4 Tbsp.) pickled red ginger (Kizami Beni Shoga) in the bowl. Mix well until well-combined.
- Add chopped cabbage to the batter 1/3 at a time. Mix well before adding the rest.
- In a large pan, heat vegetable oil on medium heat. When the frying pan is hot (400F/200C), spread the batter in a circle on the pan. We like thicker okonomiyaki (final thickness is ¾ inches (2 cm)). If you’re new to making okonomiyaki, make a smaller and thinner size so it’s easier to flip.
- Place 2-3 sliced pork belly on top of Okonomiyaki and cook covered for 5 minutes.
- When the bottom side is nicely browned, flip over.
- Gently press the okonomiyaki to fix the shape and keep it together. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Flip over one last time and cook uncovered for 2 minutes. If you’re going to cook next batch, transfer to a plate.
Here are the ingredients for toppings. Apply okonomiyaki sauce with brush, add Japanese mayonnaise in zigzagging lines (optional), and sprinkle dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi). You can also put dried green seaweed (aonori), chopped green onions, and pickled red ginger on top for garnish. Please see the video for this step.
- If you have a Japanese griddle with a lid (We call it “Hot Plate”), you can cook several okonomiyaki at once! Otherwise, I recommend cooking two okonomiyaki (each in one frying pan) at a time.
- Okonomiyaki freezes well. Once it cools down (no sauce or toppings), wrap each okonomiyaki in aluminum foil and put it in a freezer bag. When you want to eat it, defrost first and put it in a toaster oven or oven to heat it up. It's a great quick meal!
Dashi: If you don't have homemade dashi, you can use 3/4 cup water + 1 tsp. granulated dashi (dashi powder).
Sliced Pork Belly: You can thinly slice the pork belly if your pork belly is a slab. You can use shrimp, squid, or other ingredients instead.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on Mar 2, 2011. Images were updated in March 2014 and July 2016. The video and more detailed content were added in July 2016.
This is very similar to the okonomiyaki recipe my mother makes, she is from Hiroshima as well. I will try making it with organic cabbage as recommended.
Thank you for your comment! I think organic cabbage made a big difference since that’s pretty much the main ingredient. Enjoy!
It was delicious
Hi Masanori! Thank you for trying this recipe! 🙂
Thank you Nami. This and th Ginger pork were the first dishes I cooked from JOC. It was okonomi so I used shrimp. Both were delicious and your post is very detailed and so easy to follow! I am glad that JOC will help to teach me a lot more about Japanese cooking. The toppings on the Okonomiyaki all complimented so well. Alisa really enjoyed it. Oh, and the Nagaimo is such cool stuff! Is it used often to thicken things? It seemed almost like glue. Duomo arigato gozaimasu!
Hi Todd! Oh I’m so happy to hear you made Okonomiyaki & Ginger Pork! Yaayyy! This is the happiest moment when I learn someone cooked my food and liked it. Thank you for taking your time to give me your feedback! Okonomiyaki is my favorite food… I love mayo & okonomi (tonkatsu) sauce mix. Glad Alisa liked it too. =) We sometimes use Nagaimo for “thickening” but we eat it as ingredients too. It’s so expensive here, so I only buy it for Okonomiyaki. 🙂 You made my day!
I love this so much! ^_^
Thanks Melissa! 🙂
Oh wow, Nami, this looks fantastic! I can’t wait to try this. 🙂
Looks so delicious! I can make a slightly Indianised vegetarian version of this too 😉
That looks so delicious! Am sure it is as good as it looks!
Wow, that looks amazing! I love the step by step method shown.
OH!! My favorite okonomiyaki. You make it so easy. I made it once (maybe a few months ago) with yakisoba noodles. They were horrible, tasted and looked like yakisoba with an egg 555. It was hard. I need more practice. Maybe I will give another try with your recipe.
I am glad I spotted this, I would love to try it your way. When I made this I didn’t have Japanese mayo…I thought it would be too sweet.
Hi Nami – I found your blog through Biren and then started exploring. So glad you have a recipe for okonomiyaki as it is the one obsession I brought back with me from Japan! Have never made it myself (there’s a restaurant in London where I go for my fix every now and then) but with your recipe in hand, I might be brave enough.
Makati (Philippines) has this in Little Tokyo and it was sooo good! Would love to make this and I’ll write the names of those yams in Chinese to look for it in the market 🙂 Was wondering though, how to make the okonomi sauce? Thanks for posting this!!! would this be similar to the batter of Takoyaki balls? 😀 I really really like those too!! 😀
Hi LA! Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki are similar, but Takoyaki batter is thinner than Okonomiyaki batter.
Nagaimo (長芋)/Yamaimo (山芋) – different name depending on regions.
Okonomi Sauce recipe: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry/tonkatsu-sauce/
It’s not exactly same as one you can buy from store but pretty close. Hope this helps!
Nami, ok this just keeps getting spooky! 😛 I was just writing about okonomiyaki this morning! We went to a Japanese restaurant where the owners are from Hiroshima and I was hoping to try a Hiroshima okonomiyaki but alas they discontinued it. But now I can try it-thank you Nami and Hiroko! 😀
Thank you Nami San for the recipe. I will try cooking it for my kids.
Hi Aruna! Enjoy! It’s one of my favorite food! 🙂
I love okonomiyaki! I didn’t know it was so easy to make, thanks!
This was so delicious!!! It transported us back to Japan and it was pretty straightforward! I didn’t end up using the whole cabbage and it turned out like the okonomiyaki at the restaurants we ate at.
Hi Ashley! Aww so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Now I feel like I want to eat this… I can eat okonomiyaki everyday. I hope you had some leftover to freeze for later. 😉
Hi Nami,
can you use regular potato instead of that potato you are using? Is it just to thicken the batter?
Hi Charlotte! You can completely omit it, but knead the batter well after you add the cabbage and all the ingredients. It helps a bit.
You can also increase baking powder to 1/2 tsp.
Do you know satoimo (Japanese taro)? It’s slimy like nagaimo. You can boil it first and smash it as it’s harder than nagaimo (it may be harder to grate).
Or like you said, you can use potato, but not sure as I’ve never used it before.
Hope that helps!
Unfortunately I do not have satoimo in the area. I am Australian and Japanese groceries not super available yet. I will try regular potato and let you know how it turns out.
Hi, I know it was a long time ago, but I could really use info on whether the potato worked or not, thank you!
hehe looks yummy i’ve also made it quite some times and i omit the dashi but it still tastes good ^^
Hi Nami,
I saw pre-packed okonomiyaki powder in the supermarket. Is it a good alternative? I do not have a griddle pan so will making it one at a time. Will the okonomiyaki still taste good after it has cooled down? Thanks.
Hi Ju! I just received email about your comment today – but now I look at the date and it says Feb 7… I have never had this issue before, but I apologize for my late response.
Yes, you can use those packaged one. You can make one at a time on a frying pan (just like regular pancakes – but it takes a little longer to cook than a pancake). It’s best to be eaten right after cooking. If there is oven/microwave available I would recommend to reheat it. 🙂 Hope this helps!
I love your recipes ^ω^ everything I tried making turned out delicious! And my family loves them too!!
I love the okonomiyaki but I was wondering if you have a recipe for monjayaki as well.
Thanks so much for all your postings (♡˙︶˙♡)
Hi Viv! I don’t have Monjayaki recipe with me, but I’ll put that in my list of recipes to try in the future. Thank you for trying my recipes! I’m glad to hear you enjoy them. 🙂
Pork is prohibited to eat in Muslims so can I use chicken Nami san
Yes, that’s totally okay! 🙂 Okonomi means “as you like”, so make your own okonomiyaki. I use okonomiyaki to clean up my ingredients from the fridge sometimes. 🙂
It’s look so delicous. Thank you for the recipe. However I prefer Hiroshima okonomiyaki style then next time when making, I will add 1 layer of yaki soba xD. OMG my mouth is watering :))
Hi Vanessa! I actually like Moderen Yaki (which includes noodles) too. Ahhh me too, now I’m drooling. 🙂
Hi ! I wanted to know, if we don’t have nagaimo or yamaimo, what can we use ? is it possible not put this ingredient ?
Hi Karen! If you cannot find it, just omit it, instead of adding substitute. When nagaimo is grated, it is very slimy and that is good for batter. But I don’t think there is any good substitute for it. But when/if you find it, please try making okonomiyaki! 🙂
I really love your site …thanks so much for sharing
Hi Georgette! Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my blog!! xo 🙂
I just found your site, and I love it! My Japanese grandmother always made such wonderful food, so I’m always on the look-out for delicious and easy to make, Japanese recipes. Okonomiyaki is one of my favorites! I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Kathleen! Welcome to my blog! Hope you like this Okonomiyaki recipe! 🙂
Thank you for sending me the link to this wonderful recipe! So delicious and fun. Nagaimo is not easy to find where I am right now so I had to omit it, however the result was still enjoyable! 🙂
Hi Damie! Good to hear you enjoyed Okonomiyaki! 🙂 Thank you for trying this recipe!
*Drolls* This makes me wish I was back in Osaka. I guess I will have to wait 2 more years until I am able to. I miss my friends… and the Home Made Okonomi sauce… so much better then store bought!
Hi Yuuki! Yes, Okonomiyaki in Osaka is the best! I have to make my own till I get to eat it in Osaka… 🙂 Thank you so much for the comment!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was actually planning to go with a recipe from another site, but as we walked to the store checkout my husband pointed and said “What’s that!” It was Nagaimo, which I had’nt even put on my shopping list! Now that I had the secret ingredient, I needed a new recipe that used it and found yours.
This is SO GOOD. I omitted the bacon (sad, I know) and subbed shrimp for the squid (will definitely try squid next time) and it still turned out so so tasty.
Can’t wait to try more of your recipes now!
Hi Beth! Thank you so much for writing! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this Okonomiyaki recipe! Yay! Nagaimo is very important to get that texture of okonomiyaki (otherwise the batter is too flat). I’m glad you found it as I assume a lot of people won’t be able to find it unless they have a Japanese grocery stores… Okonomiyaki can be any ingredients. Try adding your favorite ingredients. I like adding mochi in mine. 🙂 Hope you enjoy other recipes from my blog too. Thank you for your feedback!
There is an error in your link to the hiroshima style. You accidentally added an additional “http://” to the end of it.
Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Zach! Thank you so much for letting me know the error! I just fixed it. 🙂
I love this idea with cabbage in a pancake. The topping looks divine 😀 I am enjoying your 15 party recipes Nami 😀
I like japanese cuisine , especially okonomiyaki. Your recipe looks great easy to do.thanks!
Thank you so much, Ratnajati! I hope you enjoy cooking this at home! 🙂
Finally a recipe with instructions to cook the okonomiyaki all the way through. Nothing worst than raw in the middle. This is now my go-to recipe. Thank you
Awesome! Thank you so much for your kind feedback!
Hi it’s look very delicious nami. What is nagaimo? And how to make to sauce ur self? Thx
Hi Lidy! Nagaimo (or sometimes called Yamaimo) is this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioscorea_opposita
It’s slimy and help bind the batter together.
For the sauce, please follow this recipe: https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to/tonkatsu-sauce-recipe/
Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Tried your okonomiyaki recipe today . Comes out perfect! Thank you for all the wonderful and fool-proof recipes, saves me a lot from searching from one recipe to another.
Hi Darrell! Awesome! So happy to hear your okonomiyaki came out well! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I hope you enjoy other recipes as well! 🙂
Hi Nami, thank you for this recipe! I enjoyed Okonomiyaki when in I was in Osaka and I wanted to be able to have it a home. This came out just right! I was able to substitute the nagaimo with kamoteng kahoy. It’s a root crop found here in the Philippines and it came out very well. Thank you!
Hi Sylvia! Thank you for letting me know about kamoteng kahoy! I’m sure all of my readers from the Philippines appreciate your feedback. 🙂 I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you!!!
Oishii-desu-de !!
Arigato, Richard! 🙂
Hello again Nami,
I hope you and your family are enjoying your visit to Japan and your home renovation goes well and is completed in a timely manner.
I have enjoyed preparing quite few of you recipes so far on your blog and look forward to enjoying many more as time permits.
I find your instructions to be very clear to follow and your excellent photographs are a great bonus.
I have wanted to make Okonomiyaki for quite a few years since I have enjoyed it many times in Japan and your great blog has inspired me to give it a try. I even bought a new Zojirushi rectangular griddle today so that I can make lots at one time when we have company.
Our friends who own a Japanese sushi restaurant here in Toronto Canada coincidently requested it last night.
I made them your Sukiyaki last time they we over for diner and they loved it so I’m sure this dish will also be a success.
So my question is how can I print your photographs and instruction paragraphs with the recipe without all the other on screen background graphics as the page reformats when I try to print it.
Best regards,
Ken
Hi Ken! Thank you so much for your well wishes. We’re having a great time in Japan and will miss every moment once we go back to California… and the kitchen won’t be ready! Ahhh! >_
If you can’t get mountain yam, add 1/4 cup cornstarch per 1 cup all purpose flour, gives it lift, body, and acts as a binder. Just don’t over mix and use the batter asap or the bubbles in the cornstarch and baking powder will disappear.
Made some for dinner and was expecting leftovers for tomorrow’s breakfast, not a single one left.
Hi Hondo! Thanks for your substitute tip for Nagaimo! It’s hard to find if you don’t have a Japanese or Asian grocery store, so your information is very valuable. Thank you!
Hello Nami,
Your okonomiyaki recipe is one of our family favourites now! Amongst many other recipes from http://www.justonecookbook.com. 🙂 It’s a great way to get my children to eat cabbage! I initially used grated zucchini for this recipe because it has a softer texture. Then just last night, I mixed in pre-steamed shredded cabbage, and it worked really well! My children called it “veggie pancakes”; and they even asked for more!!
Thank you 🙂
Hi Elvina! Awesome! I’m so happy to hear you and your children enjoy this dish! Yeah we use a lot o cabbage for Okonomiyaki night. 🙂 You made me want to eat Okonomiiyaki now…. I’m so happy to hear your kids liked this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback!
Hi, I was just wondering if you could use regular or egg Mayo if you can’t get Japanese Mayo?
Hi Kira! I highly recommend Japanese mayonnaise because it has more egg flavor and it really goes well with Okonomiyaki / Tonkatsu sauce… American mayo is too creamy and too bland and no taste (in my opinion) for Okonomiyaki.
It’s not the same, but you can turn American mayo to Japanese mayo.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/japanese-mayonnaise/
Also, in case you don’t have Tonkatsu sauce or Okonomiyaki Sauce here’s a recipe.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how_to/tonkatsu-sauce-recipe/
Hope this helps!
HI Nami,
Thanks for this easy to follow Okonomiyaki (and sauce) recipe. It took us back to our wonderful time in Hiroshima-Ken. I plan on making this for the kids this weekend while we watch Japanese dramas on the computer.
Regards,
Edgar
Hi Edgar! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for your kind feedback! I used to watch Japanese dramas too but got too busy with blogging and no time to watch dramas anymore. Enjoy watching them for me too! 🙂
Thank you so much Nami for the recipe, tried for continuous 2 days, just so good that hv to share with more friends during Christmas, can i prepare in advance for 20 persons and heat up just before serving? preferably pan fried or oven? if oven what temperature and how long should i bake
thank you
Hi Angie! Wow I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Yay! Yes, it’s possible. But please understand that Okonomiyaki is best when it’s made fresh. However, I understand your situation. And I always feel even leftover tastes good, so I think you can make like all the okonomiyaki ahead (40-50 okonomiyaki? 2-3 per person?). Or make half and make half fresh etc…. If you make ahead, please use oven or oven toaster to reheat. Don’t use a microwave to heat up, it will be soggy and soft. Since it’s a lot, you might want to pan fry some of them to speed up process too. It’s already cooked, so you just need to make it crispy – maybe 400F (200C) for a few minutes (if not frozen). Just check and see – you don’t want to burn it or inside is cold. Hope this helps!
hello Nami, thanks very much for your reply, will start to do some planning, hopefully wont 手忙脚乱
Merry Christmas and happy new year
Good luck, Angie! Thanks, Merry Christmas and HNY to you too!
I’ve tried this recipe with a friend and found it scrumptious! As a personal variation I’ve added shrimp instead of squid. It’s sad I couldn’t find the red ginger anywhere, because it does have a distinctive taste. Surprisingly, I didn’t miss the bonito that much, as the dashi inside guaranteed the “fishy” taste.
Hi Eleonora! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for letting me know. 🙂
Hello Nami,
I’m in Australia and have 2 daughters who study Japanese; one in high school the other at University. I’ve found your website to be extremely accessible to help me compliment their interest by producing some Japanese meals. I have struggled to source some ingredients, but it hasn’t mattered. I made Okonomiyaki tonight and added grated carrot and zucchini to the batter. We had Chicken Katsu Donburi last night, and last week I made the Mille Fieulle. All fantastic and we will be trying more of your recipes !! Thankyou so much :))
Hi Sally! How wonderful that your daughters are both studying Japanese! And you’re cooking Japanese foods! I’m super happy to hear that three of you are enjoying Japanese culture. Thank you for trying out my recipes! There are quite a bit of Japanese (expats and students) live in Australia and I have heard that there are pretty good Japanese supermarkets there. Hope you can find ingredients you need. 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind feedback!
Hello Nami, i would need al little advice;
Since Aonori is not available anywhere in my city I orderd some online. However these people send me Aonori that will expire very soon, so that I am not able to use it up 🙁
So my question; can you maybe freeze Aonori? Liek you would freeze some herbs or chive?
They also send me Shiratamako+Joshinko which expires next month. I really do not not know how to use it up so quickly, but I guess flour is usable longer than the expire date if stored dry.
Hi Melanie! This company is horrible! If it’s Amazon you should write a feedback. If not, I would complain. Both should at least last 6 months or more, and it’s obvious this company is not doing well trying to get rid of their almost expired stuff. Very dishonest company… You can freeze them, but still, it should have been frozen 6 months or a year ago when it was fresh. Sorry you had this bad experience. 🙁
Hi
Thank you for your reply. It was a german online shop 🙁
I will try to freeze it, it is still better than throwing it away. I was really angry when I got the parcel.
Is it possible to make Aonori by myself? Out of Nori sheets maybe?
Hi Melanie! I see. They seem like they have a lot of inventory especially if it’s not as popular… 🙁
We don’t make aonori from scratch. Usually fisherman gets the seaweed/plant and dried, then make into powder.
Hi Nami! I love this recipe and have made it a few times, I love how it freezes so well. I do run into one issue over and over again, during step 1-3, when I use 3/4 cups dashi /liquid to 1 cup flour (and a tsp or so other things), I always end up with a dough rather than batter, in the times I made it I often double the dashi to ensure we get to a thick batter. Is there something I’m doing wrong or reading wrong?
Hi Carol! Yeah I make a lot too, and pack into individual package and freeze for my lunch. 😀
Maybe your 1 cup is more than 120 g. When you measure a cup, you need to fluff the flour first, then scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup. If you do that, weight should be 120 g. But if you scoop with a measuring cup, it ways more than 120. You might have more flour than you need. I also use large eggs. I always use this recipe too for my own okonomiyaki and I don’t have the issue. I thought it could be the flour amount. 🙂
Hi Nami
Made this for the first time. I always thought okonomiyaki is really difficult to make – now i know better. Its quite hard to find mountain yam even in Singapore (and expensive!) but i substituted with potato starch (which i had handy – does not taste as yummy but it still works.
Loving your recipes , and thank you so much for sharing them.
Hi Lizzie! Thank you for trying this recipe! It’s always a myth when the food is something you never cooked before. 🙂 Glad you gave it a try and liked this recipe! Thank you for the potato starch trick! I”m so happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. Thank you for following my blog!
I have been hungry for okonomiyaki. Thanks for reminding me of what I want to eat!
Haha, I hope you enjoy homemade Okonomiyaki! 🙂 Make a lot and freeze… so you can enjoy when you crave for it. 😉
Thanks for the new ingredients that I’ve never thought of including the pickled ginger. 🙂
Hi Maria! It’s REALLY good!! I like the kick from pickled red ginger. Hope you’ll like it. 🙂
Glad you brought this dish back! It’s such a good one. Nice to see the video, too. I can see why this is a good dish to order at a restaurant — there are dishes that I can make at home pretty well, but restaurants make better. Anyway your version of this looks terrific! You could run a restaurant. 🙂 Thanks so much.
Fabulous recipe Nami. I made it for my family while on holiday on Berlin. My son is a vegetarian and I added lots of shredded veggies.
Using nagaimo is really worth it. Great Asian grocers here I could get everything I needed.
Hi Debra! You’re in Berlin! It’s so nice to know you can still get Asian ingredients there. Have a wonderful summer! 🙂
I haven’t made this in a while since I have to plan on having shredded coleslaw mix in the house for it. One of my favourites though.
This looks SO delicious!! I love savory pancakes and my mouth is watering over all the yummy ingredients in here! My family would gobble this up in no time! Thanks Nami!
I have never had the luck or pleasure to have this but I’ve been dying to! I wonder if you could use panko instead of tenkasu?
Hi Claudia! Hmm, I’ve never thought of using panko as substitute for tenkasu! I guess it could add some fluffiness… maybe you can toast the panko first before adding so you get nice toasty flavor too (tenkasu has that deep fried flavor). Or, you can completely omit it. It’s going to be okay without it. 🙂
I started making Okonomiyaki after trying it it in a Japanese restaurant. It was delicious. Your post has helped me to tweak and better my version of it. Since most of the ingredients are hard to come by here in Holland, I had to resort to some other ingredients. Many thanks for your view of the dish. Your recipe was well written and gave me a lot of insights. It’s not just a recipe, it’s a journey, and thats what i loved about your recipe.
Hi Caran! I’m so happy to hear you created your version of okonomiyaki in Holland! I’m so proud of you! Thank you very much for your kind and supporting words. I’m glad you like the posts too. It takes a day or two to write a post but your comment made me really encouraged. Thank you for taking your time to write to me! xo
Hi Nami,
I don’t have Worcestershine sauce. What could i subtistue to keep the same flavor as you did? Thank you very much
Hi Thao! Hmm… For Okonomiyaki sauce making from scratch, Worcestershire sauce is the backbone for the flavor, and without it, it can’t become Okonomiyaki sauce. It’s like ketchup without tomato kinda thing… Hope you can find it online or grocery shop nearby! 🙂
Thank you Nami…i’ll try when i got this special sauce and can i tag you if i success your recipe? can’t wait to try =)
Hi Thao! Yes! Tag #justonecookbook on Instagram (if you use @justonecookbook I may not notice) OR share the picture on Facebook fan page! I look forward to seeing it!
I tried but i used nashed potatoes (raw)instead of namaigo and my okonomiyaki didn’t stick together. I’ll find this namaigo and re-do it again…Thank you Nami =)
Hi Thao! I’m so glad you told me. Some JOC readers told me potato worked, but I haven’t tried it myself before and not sure how effective it is. I think, grating potatoes might create some similar texture though, instead of mashing it. But Nagaimo will for sure work. 🙂
Absolutely delicious!! I pretty much followed the recipe exactly except doubling the portion for lunch next day. I didn’t have time to rest the mixture for one hour in the fridge but it still came out great. I managed to gather all the ingredients in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Lucky. Ever since I discovered your website I am so inspired to try Japanese recipes which I rarely did since I left Japan way back when. Thank you for the inspirations and we shall continue cooking. Cheers.
Hi Naoko! Yay! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! The one hour wait is a nice plus, but sometimes we don’t have that time. I’m glad you enjoy cooking Japanese recipes again! 🙂 Vancouver has so many great Japanese restaurants. I could live there and hoping to visit this winter. 😀 Enjoy cooking! xo
Hi Nami,
I love your site. I am a huge fan of your site and use it whenever I want to make a Japanese dish. I have made a few dishes from it and they are all delicious. My favorite so far is the TonKatsu. I want to try making this, but I was wondering if bacon is the same as pork belly used in this recipe. I don’t know if I can find regular sliced pork belly.
Hi Sarah! Thank you for using my site as a reference to your cooking! 🙂 Bacon is cured and made of sliced pork belly in fact, but they are not the same. Try Japanese, Korean, (maybe some Chinese), Mexican butcher or supermarket. They use pork belly and often have slices (or they can cut for you). If not, use shrimp, squid, etc. We never use beef or chicken for Okonomiyaki. 😉
I made this tonight after having Okonomiyaki for the first time in Osaka this summer. I couldn’t get mine as crispy on the outside but it was still plenty delicious! I ended up cooking the pork pieces first and including inside with the batter because I didn’t have the super thin slices. It still turned out great.
I’ve tried a lot of your recipes now and every single one has been a winner. I think I could eat Japanese food 24/7 forever and not get tired of it. Thanks!
Hi Deb! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I’m happy to hear you like Japanese food and tried many of my recipes! The “crispy” part comes with some extra oil that comes out from the (fatty) pork belly slices. If you don’t use it outside, you might want to add a tiny bit more of oil and that will make the okonomiyaki crispy on the outside. 😉 Thank you for your kind comment!
Made this tonight – no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t quite make it look picture-worthy, but it tasted damned good!
Hi Alex! Have you tried making smaller okonomiyaki? It’s easier to flip (at least). 🙂 I usually hide the ugly parts with sauce and katsuobushi. 😀
So delicious, mine didn’t quite look as pretty but so yum. I need some practice with my pancake flipping skills!
Hi Alice! Make smaller ones so it’ll be easier to flip. I usually make smaller ones so it’s easy to freeze and perfect for kids’ one serving. 😀 I hide all the ugly parts with sauce and katsuobushi. 😀
This was delicious! Thanks for the recipe! Wondering, can we keep the finished batter (with cabbage, etc. already inside) in the fridge for a few days (it was more than we could finish)? Or will it get too wet? Thanks!
Hi Gordon! Cabbage contains some moisture, therefore, the batter will have more liquid by next day. I recommend keeping the batter and cabbage separately. However, it’ll be okay for just a day, but no more than that as it contains raw eggs. 🙂
Hi, Nami.
I’m Shuni. I want to try this recipe. But since I only have tororo (Gagome Tororo Dashi) and no nagaimo, can you suggest how much tororo I need to apply for this recipe?
Thank you, Nami.
Hi Shuni! The amount of tororo should be the same as I specify here, not related to Nagaimo. I know nagaimo is not easy to find outside of Japan, so you can skip or replace with grated potato or taro root (I haven’t tried but heard from JOC readers it works). Hope this helps!
No, Nami. This doesn’t help at all.
1. I do NOT HAVE nagaimo
BUT
2. I HAVE tororo
In this link: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/nagaimo/ you said grated nagaimo is called tororo. That’s why I wanted to replace the nagaimo with tororo.
Now, in your comment above you say:
a) “not related to Nagaimo” –> So grated nagaimo is called tororo but not related to tororo??
b) “as I specify here” –> Where is ‘here”? I can’t find it.
Thanks.
Oh I now see where the misunderstanding was. In your first comment, you mentioend Tororo Kombu.
That looks like this and it is a type of kombu: http://www.kobuya.net/%E3%81%A8%E3%82%8D%E3%82%8D%E6%98%86%E5%B8%83/
Tororo Kombu is a completely different thing from “Tororo”, which is grated nagaimo like this:
https://amanaimages.com/info/infoRM.aspx?SearchKey=22709006711&GroupCD=0&no=
So you can’t replace one another.
Sorry about as “I specified here” comment – I mixed up with Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki, which uses TORORO KOMBU, while I am answering for Osaka style Okonomiyaki post… I answered too quickly.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/hiroshima-okonomiyaki/
Hi, Nami.
Sorry for late respond. Have been busy with my new toys. LOL Actually I tried this recipe immediately after reading your reply.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPhTgSTAwt1/?taken-by=automidori
I substituted tororo with tofu as you mentioned here. I didn’t try the Hiroshima style, because it doesn’t sound like the okonomiyaki I use to know.
Yeah, I got mixed up between “tororo” and “tororo kombu”. Sorry about that. I bought tororo kombu when I went to Hokkaido last month. I’ll have to think of something else to make of this tororo kombu. Since I had traveled far away to purchase it, I don’t want to make something just for the sake of making something.
Best regards,
Shuni
Hi Shuni! Thank you for your feedback! I’ve received many feedback on my Okonomiyaki recipe cooked by JOC readers around the world. I enjoy reading every single feedback as everyone adapt it differently with ingredients they have in their country. It’s very creative and impressive. I’ve learned a lot from JOC reader including you! We use tororo kombu to make Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki. You can sprinkle tororo kombu on steamed rice, or make rice ball… what else. Add to miso soup, add to udon or soba noodle soup…. it is a bit salty so it goes well with plain food. 🙂
Hello..
How can I replace the nagaimo?
Hi Sjanita! Some JOC readers told me grated potatoes work for substitute, but I’ve never tried it before…
I tried this just the other night. In a word — fantastic! — and I can’t wait to try some more of your recipes this weekend. I made a mess of flipping them over, but they were enjoyable just the same. All the ingredients work so well together; just the right proportions.
Next time, however, I am going to make a half batch. All five of us in my family ate this and I still had over half left over; it makes a huge amount. Three of us had second helpings, as well. We ate it with rice, as that’s how my students from Kobe and Osaka would eat it.
Thank you so much for your site and your recipes.
Hi Matthew! So happy your okonomiyaki came out well and thank you for your kind feedback! Have you frozen the leftover? This is one of the best leftover foods for later. You can wrap individual okonomiyaki in aluminum foil. Defrost and reheat in oven or oven toaster. It’s just like freshly made! It is a great lunch at home for myself. I highly recommend if you haven’t thought of it. 🙂
Whilst I have not yet tried this recipe for okonomiyaki, I have tried the two ramen recipes and they are out of this world! Nami, you are an amazing cook and thank you so much for sharing your receipes! – Lem
Hi Lem! Yay!!! I’m so happy to hear you like my recipes! I’m happy that I could share the recipes and you could eat the same/similar thing elsewhere. Very cool. 🙂
Can I substitute tempura scraps (Tenkasu/Agedama) with Japanese Bread Crumbs?
Hi Christina! Sorry, no. It’s not the same… Tempura scrap has the greasy flavor from the oil (I know it sounds disgusting) that actually adds nice flavor, and the batter actually absorbs moisture and fluff up inside the butter. Panko doesn’t give flavors and you don’t need the bread texture in Okonomiyaki. 🙂
Hi,
I love Japan. I love Japanese food. And I love your website ^_^
About recipe, unfortunately, I couldn’t find Nagaimo/ Yamaimo where I live.. Can I skip it or replace it with something else?
Thank you.
Hi Tanida! So happy to hear you like Japanese food, and thanks for reading my site! I mentioned in the blog post, but some JOC readers tried this recipe with grated potato and told me it was a good substitute. 🙂
tried this recipe and the whole family loved it . used silken tofu instead of nagaimo as I am allergic to it but it was still very tasty!
Hi Colette! Thank you for trying this recipe, and I’m so glad your family enjoyed it. What a creative alternative to Nagaimo! Thanks for sharing that with me and JOC readers!
My God Nami! I can’t get over your collection of ceramics!! Where did you get the condiment bowl set with the blue leaves? And could you please add to the Pantry section with your ceramics and recommendations for traditional serveware?
Thanks!
Hi Germenn! That one… where did I get it… I think… World Market from like 6-7 years ago?! I buy my ceramics mostly from Japan and bring them back, so I can’t really list them. 🙁 I can’t find anywhere online or locally… what type are you looking for?
Hi Nami, Thank you for taking the time to reply. Now I have more reason to make that trip to happen Japan! Meanwhile, I made my first okonomiyaki and it was excellent – threw in some shredded brussels sprouts and made mini pancake sized appetizers. They were a big hit but I’d really want these for an entree next time. The little ones were gone in two bites. Yummy, thank you so much for such a well laid out recipe !!!
Hi Germenn! So happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I hope to try to cook it. I first had it in Japan when I was there 16 years ago, and again a couple years later, and I will never forget how delicious it was. I really miss it. I live in Tucson, and I’ve called all the Japanese restaurants to see if any of them serve Okonomiyaki, but sadly, none of them do. It seems pretty complicated to make, but I’m sure it’s worth it.
Hi Gary! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed Okonomiyaki in Japan! If you can find Nagaimo, you can definitely make this and it’s very easy. Restaurant Okonomiyaki can be not-so-authentic… so try making this at home! If you can’t find Nagaimo or want to get shortcut, try this okonomiyaki mix:
http://amzn.to/2pOipl4
Yesterday I cooked a Japanese dinner which I have never done before. I cook Vegetable Tempura, Vegetarian Ramen, Okonomiyaki and Japanese cheesecake. It was delicious. Thank you so much for the great recipes and the detailed instructions. I had to use many ingredients, that I had never even heard of before. It was so much fun experimenting with new food.
Thank you again!
Hi Brigitte! Whoa! You had never made Japanese dinner and you made all these dishes!!!! Amazing! I hope you enjoyed using new ingredients and use them again in the near future. Thank you for trying my recipes! xoxo
Man oh man. I just made this and added squid and shrimp. My husband ate 3 whole ones and washed them down with 4 beers. I think it tasted good. Haha! This is the best recipe hands down. I will be making this for years and years to come. Thank you so much!!
Hi Abby! I’m so happy to hear your husband really enjoyed your homemade Okonomiyaki! I’m glad you like the recipe too. Thank you for trying this recipe! I’ve been making this recipe for a long long time too! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! I lived in Japan briefly and okonomiyaki was my favorite food. This is the best recipe I’ve found, it tastes very similar to the okonomiyaki I had in Japan, really tasty!
Hi Tom! I’m really happy to hear that you liked the recipe. Thanks for trying this recipe! 🙂
I dislike frying things because it’s messy, but I can see how this dish would suffer without adding something like tempura pieces. I think for convenience, fried onion bits like we use for green bean casserole would be a great, flavorful substitution!
Hi Kim! Ah that’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing your idea with us! Hope you enjoy this recipe!
We make it at least twice a month. Love it
I haven’t figured out how to get pics from my phone to my computer to your site. Working on it.
Hi Thomas! Nice, I am so happy you enjoy making Okonomiyaki! Thanks for sharing your picture with me. If you use Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you can share your photo….and tag me and put #justonecookbook so I won’t miss it. 🙂 Thank you!
I found a better substitute for nagaimo instead of potato or tofu, which is tapioca powder. Tapioca is a starch extracted from cassava root. For details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapioca I personally think cassava is related closer to nagaimo than potato. When liquid is added, tapioca becomes gluey (also). In one of the comments here, a reader from the Philippines mentioned a substance which I checked turned out to be cassava.
Since tapioca powder is completely dry, unlike grated nagaimo or potato, I added another 1/4 cup of dashi to this recipe. Hence, 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1 cup of dashi, and 3/4 cup of tapioca. The rest all the same. If you use grated cassava, maybe you wouldn’t need to add the dashi amount. But, I haven’t tried that yet.
Hopefully this would help those who are like me, within reach more to cassava than nagaimo. Plus…. cassava over here, is the commoner’s plate. 😀
I have posted the result of okonomiyaki using tapioca on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BY55dEEnYx2/
Hi Shuni! Thank you so much for your detailed feedback! This will be very helpful for those who can’t get nagaimo. Thank you Shuni!
Tried making this, it was SO delicious! I will definitely be making this again! 🙂
Hi Kayla! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Excellent! Domo agitato gozaimasu. Oishi desu!
Arigato, John-san! 🙂
I have used your recipe many times, thanks for sharing. We love okonomiyaki!
Hi Phill! Thank you for using my recipe! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy the recipe. Thank you for taking your time to write your kind feedback, Phill!
Hi Nami,
I have been making this recipe without nagaimo so far. Thought I will try out with silken tofu this time, for a fluffier pancake. I have a few questions regarding this though:
– How much silken tofu shall I use for this recipe? 150g?
– Do I need to dehydrate the tofu before adding to the okonomiyaki mixture?
– When do I add the tofu? Before resting the batter in the fridge? Together with the eggs etc. or right before cooking?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Bernice! I would actually break the tofu into puree form using a whisk, as a part of batter. Maybe there are other ways to do it, but I think it works when the tofu becomes part of batter. Hmm sure 150 g to start and see how it works? I had never tried it, so I can’t guarantee the amount. Add the tofu and put in the fridge. 🙂
Hi Nami,
I experimented with tofu the other day and the result is great! My hubby actually told me the okonomiyaki tasted yummier without me telling him that I’ve made changes to the recipe. 🙂 I whisked the tofu in, like you mentioned, but along with the tempura scraps. The batter turned out slightly thicker than the previous times.
Thanks for your reply. Will be checking out your soup curry next!
Hi Bernice! Haha your husband is funny. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you very much for your kind feedback. xoxo
OH my goodness!! I haven’t had Okonomiyaki since 1996 when I was visiting my father in Japan since he was there on business!! Thank You!!! I have been missing this dish!! I would say it’s one of my favorite dishes ever!!!! 🙂
Hi Barbara! I hope you enjoy this dish and as good as you remember. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to find nagaimo, but my local Chinese supermarket had it, so I was able to follow the recipe exactly. It turned out so well, and it reminded me of the okonomiyaki I had when I visited Osaka. Delicious!
Hi Alex! AWESOME! Yeah, Chinese uses nagaimo (and sometimes cheaper than Japanese grocery market!), so I think most stores carry it. I’m glad you could make Okonomiyaki according to the recipe! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I’m happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hello, is it alright if I omit the cabbage out and replace it with green capsiums?
Hi Min! I think it comes down to personal preference. In my opinion, I think green bell pepper (capsium) tastes too strong for this dish and it’s not something I can eat whole a lot (to replace the cabbage amount). But if it’s your favorite ingredient and love it, maybe it doesn’t bother you as much? If you can eat cabbage, I would recommend using cabbage. 🙂
Hi Nami, we love okonomyaki and I always turn to your recipe as it is pretty much the same as I was shown by my friends from Tokyo. I just watched your video again, now I have to make okonomyaki again. Thanks for your recipes, Darryl.
Hi Darryl! It’s great to know your friend and I make similar recipe! Hope you enjoy(ed) making Okonomiyaki. 🙂
I love your version for a quick okonomiyaki sauce, I use it when I don’t have any store bought sauce on hand. I recently made my own version of simple mini okonomiyakis and mentioned that your sauce is a great one in my blog post. Thanks!
Hi Caz! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I’m really happy to hear you enjoy my Okonomiyaki sauce. Yeah, it’s helpful when you don’t have the okonomiyaki sauce in hand and we can quickly make it with common condiments. Thank you for your kind mention of my blog on your post. You have a really cool life!!! 😀
I have been dreaming about okonomiyaki ever since I saw the recipe here (and after shamelessly watching Terrace House B&GItC. I never thought I’d be able to make it though, but your recipe is amazing. Living in Mexico I did have to adapt it: 1/4 cup of corn starch instead of nagaimo, homemade pickled red onion instead of red ginger, and a lighter than air, Cheetos-like, local snack called Totis instead of tempura scraps. I also used shredded cooked chicken (mixed into the batter) because I forgot to buy bacon. I am SO happy! And your sauce recipe is awesome too. Arigato!
Hi Bruna! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I am so happy you use available ingredients to make this recipe work. Thank you for your kind feedback. Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!! 🙂
Followed your recipe and it turned out sooooo well!!!
Hi Rolanda! I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you for your kind feedback. xoxo
Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted to try okonomiyaki, ten years later I found this recipe and tried it and finally got to fulfill that longtime craving. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Cassie! I’m so happy to hear you finally got to try this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. Hope this recipe didn’t disappoint you. 🙂
Hello Nami, I absolutely love this recipe and have already prepared it several times. It always turns out great, bringing back memories from my trip to Japan 🙂
I have a question though. You mentioned that okonomiyaki with mochi is one of your favourites. How do you prepare them though? Do you preboil/prebake them? Somehow I cannot get it right with this ingredient.
Greeetings from Vienna
Rafal
Hi Rafal! Thank you so much for trying this recipe so many times! So happy to hear you enjoy it. 🙂
My first question would be what type of mochi are you using? For Okonomiyaki, we use “kiri mochi” (pre-cut mochi) like this:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/mochi-rice-cakes/
And we usually cut into slice pieces, about 5 mm thickness or so. During the steaming process, mochi will be softened.
Talking about it really make me crave some okonomiyaki with mochi! Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi Nami, thank you very much for quick reply. I usually use Korean rice cake (garaetteok or similar), I guess it should work? I tried soaking mochi as well as baking it before adding to the batter, I guess it was a mistake. Will try again tomorrow 🙂
Hi Rafal! Ahh I see. They are little bit different from Japanese rice cakes (even though English translation is the same). Their rice cake is made with rice, NOT glutinous rice. Japanese kiri mochi is glutinous rice cake, which is why it becomes elongated and elastic when it’s cooked. Texture is quite different. Korean one is similar to dango – it’s not elongated when you pull, right? It cuts off easily. Glutinous rice you can pull and rice cake just being pulled, like mozzarella cheese. 🙂
As always, thanks for the great recipe Nami! I made this last weekend and didn’t do a great job as I was still getting used to it, but made it again this weekend and it was terrific! For those who (like me) have some trouble flipping, just invert a plate on top (or inside of) the skillet and then invert the whole skillet to drop the okonomiyaki onto the plate. Way, way easier than doing it with spatulas in my opinion.
It may also be worth noting that nagaimo can be grated and then frozen in baggies. At least that’s what I’ve read… haven’t tried defrosting any yet. My local market only sells nagaimo in 2 lb (!!) stalks. That’s like… *five* 4-serving okonomiyaki recipes, and the nagaimo isn’t cheap over here in Chicago. Definitely worth the trouble of freezing if it works well.
I did one batch with pork belly and another with pork belly plus scallops. I think the scallop one would’ve been better without the pork belly though. I look forward to trying out the calamari suggestion next – that sounds terrific! While it’s not a traditional Japanese flavor, I think a bit of garlic (a clove or two across 4 servings?) would go nicely with that.
Yummy… this will definitely become a regular recipe for us. Thanks again!
Hi Todd! Thank you for trying this recipe!
I love your suggestion of using a plate for flipping okonomiyaki. Great tip!
And 2 pounds of nagaimo!!!!! Oh boy. You can soon open up an Okonomiyaki stand to sell it. 😀 And yes, you can definitely freeze nagaimo and use it after defrosting. If you only use nagaimo for okonomiyaki, you can grate and freeze as well.
I think garlic would be a fun flavor to enjoy! Scallops are rather bland and you can’t enjoy the texture as much when it’s embedded in the okonomiyaki. But squid has a nice taste that goes well with okonomiyaki. 🙂
Thank you again for your great feedback!
Made some squid okonomiyaki tonight with surume from the Japanese market. Oh, yeah! The pork belly version isn’t bad at all, but I definitely prefer the squid. The flavor of the squid works perfectly with everything else and it’s healthier too. 3 oz of squid per serving seems about right – that’s a little less than the mantle of one squid. Didn’t try the garlic yet, but I think a bit of that could be nice as a variation too. Maybe next time.
Also – and I know this is a matter of personal taste – I find this recipe makes 4 large, *thick* okonomiyaki. I think I’ll make this as 5 servings next time in order to get slightly thinner, crispier okonomiyaki. But I know some people prefer them thicker and more custard-y inside. To each their own!
Hi Todd! I love squid in my Okonomiyaki too. My favorite toppings are pork belly, squid, and mochi. 😀 I’m happy to hear you are finding your favorite style Okonomiyaki. Even in Osaka, each restaurant makes it differently too. 🙂
Hi Nami! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. Since we first tried it out several years ago, it has become one of our staples. My favourite topping is scallop. I found a shortcut for nagaimo: after peeling it, I cut it into several large chunks and then finely shred it using a food chopper with a pull string.
Hi Olesya! So happy to hear you like this recipe! The scallop is delicious. And thanks for sharing your tip for nagaimo too! 🙂
I made this tonight, but, after getting inspiration from a post in a sourdough group, I used 1 C of sourdough discard in place of the flour, and a scant 1/2 C of turkey broth left over from Thanksgiving in place of the dashi. Grated in potato, cabbage, zucchini, and carrots, and topped it with flaked tilapia and nori pieces. Quick and easy, no rest time because the sourdough was already fermenting, and my kids loved it! Thank you for the delicious 4-ingredient sauce recipe as well — paired with a spicy mayonnaise, this made for a wonderfully filling and tasty meal!
Hi Valerie! Thank you for trying this recipe! How interesting that you found my recipe through a post in a sourdough group! And it is so cool to see your version and thanks so much for sharing it with us! You must be a great cook to spin a recipe with what you have, and it sounds really good!! Thank you very much for your kind feedback, Valerie!
Hi Nami,
I appreciate your recipes, I’ve used them several times and they are great and clear.
However, I hope you will consider switching to using more traditional cookware. You can influence people’s perception of “the best way to do things”. Teflon pans are most likely not good for anyone – certainly not for the workers who have to make them, but also for all of us who eat food from them. The entire class of fluorinated chemicals Teflon is made from accumulate in the body and are toxic to life, including human life. It’s crazy that they are still so popular.
Obviously they are cheap to make, easy to clean – but most importantly they give good profits to the chemical company that has the patent on Teflon, and they have a financial interest in claiming it’s safe.
Food should simply be healthy, and the alternatives are easy to find! Check out UC Berkeley Health’s recommendations: http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food-safety/article/should-you-stick-teflon
Hi Andrew! I am so glad to hear that you enjoy cooking with my recipes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and viewpoint on Teflon. I appreciate it. And I agree that food should simply be healthy.
However, my focus for the website is to share Japanese recipes and cultures, and not other areas that I don’t have expertise in. Topics such as this are best to be brought up by experts who would be able to discuss proficiently with others. Thank you again! 🙂
Hi
Thanks for this recipe. I’m v keen to try it. Before doing so, I would like to know the purpose of adding baking powder? How would the okonomiyaki taste without baking powder.
Hi Tan! This is my friend’s recipe, so I follow her recipe. It’s to make it fluffier. You can omit it if you prefer. 🙂
Excellent Recipe! I tried variations (pork, shrimp and tako) but plain with nothing is also very good. Thank you!
Hi Jan! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it. Thank you for the kind feedback! xo
I really love okonomiyaki. This is probably my most favorite Japanese food. I really want to make this at home and I have a question. Can I use Nagimo powder instead of grating fresh one? I don’t think I have seen Nagimo at the local Asian markets but I found the powder one. Can anyone answer my question, please? Thanks!
Hi Red! Your favorite Japanese food! I’ve never used nagaimo powder before, but once it’s wet (mix with liquid) they become slimy/sticky texture? If it is, it’s great! I don’t think it’s included for the taste (as it has no flavor). I know Okonomiyaki powder includes nagaimo powder in it, so I assume it’s the same thing. Should work! 🙂
So a note on nagaimo—I was really excited to find the Latin version of this vegetable here in a local supermarket. It may be slightly different, but according to this Wikipedia article (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_yam), these are the names for the same vegetable in different cultures (listed below). I was able to find it in Wynn Dixie down here in Key West!!
Chinese yam
Nagaimo (Japanese)
huáishān (怀(淮)山), shānyào (山药, 山藥) (Chinese)
Ma or Seoyeo (Korean)
củ mài or khoai mài (Vietnamese)
Tuge (Philippines)
White name or white ñame (Latin American countries—the name I found it under at our supermarket)
Excited to try this later in the week 🙂
Hi Jon! WOW this is super fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing this. It’s so cool you can buy Nagaimo at Latin American supermarket! Enjoy Okonomiyaki!
Good
Thank you! 🙂
I was introduced to Okonomiyaki a few years ago by a Sasebo-Minami High School student who stayed with us for two weeks. Really liked the flavors and she brought all of her Japanese ingredients with her in small plastic bottles. I have tried different recipes on the internet but have not come close to the flavor.
Your recipe looks very good and very simple. I will give it a try and will provide a rating and comment later. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Tadami! That’s so wonderful that you hosted a Japanese student. I also have an American host family (my mom did too when she was in high school), and I always feel thankful for those experience. Hope this recipe is similar to the one she cooked. Okonomiyaki has varieties too even in Osaka and Kansai region. Sasebo is in Kyushu so she might have a different style to make hers too. Enjoy!
I just made this recipe tonight, and it was so good! I don’t really care for ketchup, and I don’t keep any on hand, so I just used coconut aminos for the sauce, and it was great. I think I’m going to try it with kimchi next time since I have some that’s been around a while and is too strong to eat by itself. Thanks for this delicious recipe! I could see making this a lot of different ways. I can’t believe I’ve never had a savory pancake before. It’s almost better than sweet pancakes!
Hi Lady E! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it. Yes, so many variations you can make! Thank you for your feedback. xo
Kon’nichi wa Nami-san,
I have a question for you. What would you know what I can use instead of eggs in this recipe? I’ve read that you can use Chia seeds but wanted to see if you had any suggestions.
Konnichiwa Stephen-san! If you don’t use the egg, I would highly recommend not to skip Nagaimo in the recipe. It makes it fluffy and increases in volume and that’s the reason why it won’t look like a flat pancake. Not sure about chia seeds… I mean the texture will be kinda strange in Okonomiyaki?
Hi. I just want to clarify on the exact amount of nagaimo used. You say use 2 to 3 inches but they come in varying widths. An actual volume measurement would be better. It would be greatly appreciated if u could give the extra amount.
Emily
Hi Emily! It should be around 160 g or 5.6 oz. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Fantastic!!! We just reurned from our first visit to Japan where we fell in love with the country, and Okonomiyaki (who wouldn’t???). We followed your recipe almost exactly, and it came out perfect! We could not find nagaimo so we increased baking powder to 1/2 teaspoon. Instead of tonkatsu scraps, we used shrimp. Happy, happy, happy! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Hi Kendra! I’m so glad to hear you had a fantastic trip to Japan and you already tried making Okonomiyaki at home! Awesome!! I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback! xoxo
Hi, Nami!
Cooking it all this weekend long:) The worst is that I already cooked it (like year ago) and it was great, but I forgot, what exactly I did. The only thing I remember, is that tempura scraps I totally successfully substituted with rice crispies.
Questions, I’m struggling today:
1.Can batter be made a day ahead? Like very next dinner?
2. Is pork belly much different from bacon? Is it very different in texture? I use thin bacon, but think a lot about going to original. I have weird prejudice against unsalted pork fat:(
+ my lifehack for lazy people: cabbage can be shredded on cheese grater and nagaimo is super easy to shred, if to leave some skin to hold on. Our stores sell it in pretty big packages, so, leftovers I usually sauteed, following your other recipe. Wonderful weird vegetable:)
Thank you very much for wonderful opportunity to learn!
Hi Asa! What a fun cooking weekend for you! 🙂 Oh I love your tip on rice crispies and grater! Thanks for sharing!
1) Yes, you can, but eggs are included so I’d say just one day ahead is max.
2) Bacon is salty, so as long as you like that additional salt count in your Okonomiyaki, you can use it. I like my Okonomiiyaki with lots of sauce (gets salty after all), so I don’t want to put bacon. The texture of sliced pork belly is very much like bacon, so texture-wise, you’re okay. Just the extra salty flavor in the recipe.
Happy cooking! I wish I can join you! 🙂
This was amazing! I made a low carb keto version with almond flour and omitted a few ingredients like the tempura and yam. Also, I made substitutions for the sauces and mayo. My family loved it! Miso soup and Wakame salad served on the side completed our meal. Thank you, Nami!
Hi Lanie! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! It’s wonderful that you could make a low carb keto version! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. xo
I will try it for sure 🙂
About beeing fluffy – I think that when you add eggs – not bad idea would be add yolk as it is, but beat the protein foam and add it to rest of the mix – like mix it with spoon slowly. This trick is to make normal pancakes fluffy – meaby in this it will also work 🙂
Hi Jo! Thanks so much for sharing your tip!
hi Nami
I am glad I found your recipe for Okonomiyaki, There are 3 versions of this Japanese pizza/ crepe : Hiroshima, Osaka and Tokyo style. Which style is the original Okonomiyaki ? Some said it was Hiroshima and others said it was Osaka. I am thinking how to in-corporated your recipe into mass production of Okonomiyaki and sold them as frozen products which they will be reheated using microwave oven and then added your own sauce comes with the product.
Hi Law! Sounds like you got a great business plan! 🙂 Well, each region says differently, but here’s Japan wiki on Okonomiyaki (and reference year): https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%8A%E5%A5%BD%E3%81%BF%E7%84%BC%E3%81%8D (please use google translate). 🙂
hi, Nami
Thank you for your response. I shall improvise the recipe as time goes by. I don’t really like to copy other chefs’ recipe. It is to suit the local market demand and pricing of Okonmiyaki depend on the ingredients for the toppings. For Muslim , they can not eat pork and all ingredients must be HALAL certified ingredients. We also plan to get the new factory certified to ISO 22000:2018 food safety management system (FSMS) incorporated HACCP and GMP system. That is my job as consultant to develop the FSMS for my clients.
Sending best wishes to your business! 🙂
Thank you for this delicious recipe. If you put a little sake in the batter its very oishi. Thank you too for the okonomiyaki sauce recipe. Much cheaper to make than store bought.
Hi Joan! I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thank you for your tip on little sake. 🙂
So can I just use baking powder as the leavening agent? Does the nagaimo a flavor/taste factor?
Hi May! You can, most of Okonomiyaki recipes use Nagaimo for the “fluffy” texture factor, not much of the taste factor. 🙂
Excellent recipe and detail explanation 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 thanks
Thank you for your kind words, Bernardino!
Very tasty! My kids called it “okonomi-yummy”, cos it’s too good to be “okonomi-yucky”!
I made mine with fresh squid and added the raw pieces directly into the batter.
Hi Gladys! Thank you so much for your kind (and funny) feedback! I love your kids’ response! 🙂 I’m happy to hear your family enjoyed this dish!
Hello!
First of all thank you for all the fantastic recepis!
My question is about the Okonomiyaki recipe.
Is it possible to replace the Nagaimo root with cassave root?
I’m from the Netherlands and I can’t seem to find Nagaimo/yamaimo or daikon (also a good replacement, or so I heard)
And another question is: can I freeze the Okonomiyaki and reheat them later in the oven or in a frying pan on low temperature?
Thanks again, looking forward to any suggestions!
Hi Daan! Thank you for your kind words! The purpose of nagaimo/yamaimo in the Okonomiyaki recipe is to make it fluffy. The grated nagaimo/yamaimo is slimy, but once it’s cooked it becomes a fluffy texture. Both daikon and cassava root do not give this texture. In Japan, some people use tofu or meringue or more baking powder for “fluffy” texture as a substitute. Some readers have tried grated taro and potatoes, but I heard the texture is more for chewy texture. Chinese cuisine uses Nagaimo (Chinese yam) and I hope one day Asian grocery stores in the Netherlands will carry it. And to answer the second question, yes you can freeze, reheat in the oven or oven toaster or frying pan to make it crispy on the surface again. We make a lot and freeze them for lunch box (actually Okonomiyaki was our dinner last night, so kids brought it for lunch in bento box today). 🙂 Hope that helps!
Thanks Nami that helps a lot!
And thanks for the quick reply!
I bet it’s possible to get some nagaimo/yamaimo in the Netherlands, with a little help from the internet! I’ll just keep on searching!
Glad to hear it can be frozen! just a little follow up question: do you freeze it completed (with the okonomiyaki sauce, mayo and bonito flakes) or do you add those after re-heating?
Hi Daan! I’m glad my answer helped. You put all the toppings (sauce and bonito flakes etc) after you reheat. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Nami!
If you can’t find Nagaimo what would you recommend as an alternative?
cheers,
Hi Nicole! Here’s what I suggested in the post.
Substitute: You can add silken tofu (For those who tried my fluffy Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs would know the amazing tofu effect!), meringue (beaten egg whites), or more baking powder to create a similar “fluffy” effect. I’ve never tried it personally, but I’ve heard from my readers that grated potatoes or lotus root will work as well (use a fine grater), but the texture may not become “fluffy” but rather chewy/bouncy texture.
Tried your recipe and did it Streetfood way, pouring the batter on a griddle first a bit thinner, then putting the cabbage on, then the egg in the middle of it, throwing on cooked shredded pork belly, matchsticked: green pepper, water chestnuts, mushrooms, carrots. Then pouring more batter over that then cutting it into (four was the perfect sized square for my portable square griddle). Then I flipped them to cook on other side on high to seal in the juices. Flipped them again and rolled them into a log and kept brushing the sauce on them. Put the 4 of them close, topped them with the bonito flakes, after about a minute I put the thn egg vermicelli, aonori then more sauce and Japanese mayo. AMAZING! Thanks for posting the pancake recipes! Made the Roll taste killer!
Hi Sommer! It seems like you made Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki (https://www.justonecookbook.com/hiroshima-okonomiyaki/)! It made me so hungry by reading your description! Sounds like you had an excellent meal! Thanks for trying my recipe. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! xo