Okonomiyaki

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A&M say: Eggy and crisp, Midge's Kyoto-style pancakes are studded with plump morsels of tender shrimp and threaded through with ribbons of cabbage and rings of scallion. The savory batter is enriched with a dash of sesame oil and soy sauce, and the accompanying soy and sriracha mayo is a zippy accent -- we tore off bite-sized pieces of pancake and dunked them in the sauce before gobbling them down. - A&M

Midge says: I went to Japan about 10 years ago and while I ate some seriously amazing things, I’d be hard-pressed to remember exactly what they were. That is, except for okonomiyaki, which I first tasted in a cramped corner shop in Kyoto that sold only these delicious savory pancakes. When I came home, my friend Becky – a fellow okonomiyaki nut -- and I tried to replicate the recipe to satisfy our cravings. This is by no means authentic and there are a ton of variations, but it sure hits the spot. - Midge

Makes roughly a dozen pancakes depending on their size

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha, more or less to taste

Pancakes

  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/3 cup AP flour
  • 2 cups cabbage, shredded with a mandoline or finely chopped
  • 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
  • 3/4 cups (roughly) baby or chopped shrimp
  • canola oil for frying
  • 1-2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  • bonito flakes (optional)
  1. Whisk the first set of ingredients together and voila, your sauce. Set aside while you make the pancakes.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour until incorporated. Fold in cabbage, scallions, and shrimp.
  3. Warm a couple glugs of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until glistening. Ladle the batter into the skillet as you would for regular old pancakes. I usually make them about the size of saucer. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Keep pancakes covered in a warm oven as you make the rest. Scatter sesame seeds and/or bonito flakes on top of pancakes and serve with dipping sauce and a cold pilsner.

Tags: japanese, savory

Comments (256) Questions (14)

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about 3 hours ago AZ Rox

I made this last Sat. I followed the recipe to a T. They were out of this world! My husband discussed that for our tastes, we'd like a little more cabbage and shrimp. So, I made them again Sun. with extra cabbage and shrimp and they were still fabulous! The sauce is wonderful too and I'm not even a mayonnaise fan! Will make these again and again! Thanks for the recipe!

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5 days ago Terry Miller

I spent 2 years home-ported in Yokosuka where my favorite foods were Nori Cha and Squid Okonomiyaki. This recipe seems closest to what I enjoyed in Yoko and Tokyo.

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17 days ago creamtea

I've made this twice <3

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about 1 month ago FrancineL

I discovered this website last night and I'm simply in looove! I will definitely try this recipe as soon as I'm off my detox. Thank you for posting such amazing recipes.

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27 days ago SeanO

The exact same thing with me! I am on a cleanse and I just found this site! I've been obsessed with cooking new food when I am done. What a great site this is!

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about 1 month ago MathildaCooks

I love this recipe! Super delicious and reminiscent of the ones that I crave from as now closed sushi joint in the East Village. Finally I can eat these at home on a cold and snowy day! My husband was skeptical but quickly won over and the two of us ate almost an entire recipe! I ate the last few pancakes for breakfast the next day! Added bean sprouts and kicked up the siracha in the sauce a notch since we like it spicy, but otherwise delicious and easy to make!

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about 1 month ago BJ Godby

Made this last week. My husband and I are still eating them and LOVE these. I put brown rice over mine. They are addictive! Will be making again. Cabbage is abundant.

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about 1 month ago nancy.patek

These were absolutely delicious with salmon!!!

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about 1 month ago Midge

Ooh I have to try that. So glad you experimented!

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about 1 month ago Pamela Trefler

I made this recipe one night, then the next day for lunch and then again that night for dinner. The last time I made them I left out the shrimp and added some briefly sautéed carrot and celery - yum.

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about 1 month ago Midge

It can be addicting! I like the veggie additions.

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about 1 month ago BocaCindi

I love these pancakes. Tried it with ground pork and, although they were delicious, I like the lightness of the shrimp instead.

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about 1 month ago Midge

Thanks so much. Glad you tried them.

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about 1 month ago bmgid

Bull Dog sauce rocks with Okonomiyake as well.... http://www.bulldog.co.jp...

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about 1 month ago kimikoftokyo

I love these I make them for lunch and appetizers

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about 1 month ago nancy.patek

My good friend made these for an appetizer a few weeks ago. She was kind enough to use chicken as I am allergic to shrimp. They were absolutely outstanding - I am hoping she will repeat them for NYE!!!!

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about 1 month ago student epicure

made this again after my mom received the second food52 cookbook for christmas. my husband and i are cabbage crazy and we love this recipe! my mom is gluten-free, so we used brown rice flour with great success. agree that they are on the salty side -- i would omit the salt altogether next time since the soy sauce in the batter and the dipping sauce would suffice.

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about 1 month ago Midge

Thanks student epicure!

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2 months ago walkie74

deelicious! This was tonight's dinner... my only problem was running out of mix!

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2 months ago mle18

So delicious! And so easy! Nom nom nom!

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3 months ago RebekahCecillia

I recently discovered this website and this was the first recipe I tried. I couldn´t be more pleased! It is so easy and delicious and as a lot of people have said, the sauce really makes it. I added a little sesame oil to the sauce for some extra sesame flavor.

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3 months ago cabfood

The pancakes and sauce was very fun to make and super delicious! I made the recipe exactly as written (except didn't have any sesame or bonito flakes). The sauce definitely made the dish!
Heated leftover pancakes the next day for lunch and they were just as good! Poured the twice leftover sauce over cold edamame the following day! I want to serve these pancakes as appetizers next. I will either cut the pancakes into wedges or make tiny pancakes. Whichever, I think the sauce will make them a real hit.

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3 months ago emcsull

these are sensational, have a foo-yungy quality about them. I found the batter separated into two distinct elements and the wet part was quite runny, did that happen to anyone else ? I ended up just pushing the egg-dough towards the veggies as it started to set.

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3 months ago jhpace

We were in Japan about 21 years ago, and had okonomiyaki at a small counter in Hiroshima. I've been searching for a comparable recipe ever since - thank you! This comes really close...and the dipping sauce is so good I could eat it off the spoon...

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3 months ago mike4321

I love mayonnaise in food and that really adds an amazing taste to the dish. I liked the idea and the ingredients sounds great to me. Hopefully this turns out wonderful as it looks. visit here