Japanese savory cabbage pancake with pork, topped with sauce, mayo, and bonito flakes — Osaka soul food.
Okonomiyaki ('grilled as you like it') is Japan's beloved savory pancake from Osaka, made with shredded cabbage, eggs, and a light flour batter, topped with bacon or pork belly. The finished pancake is slathered with sweet okonomiyaki sauce, drizzled with Kewpie mayo, and crowned with bonito flakes that dance from the heat — a theater of flavor and texture.
Serves 2
Whisk flour, dashi, eggs, and salt until smooth.
Stir in cabbage, green onions, and tenkasu. The mixture will be thick — that's right.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
Pour half the batter into pan, shape into a 2cm thick round. Don't press down too much.
Lay strips of pork belly on top, slightly overlapping.
Cook 5 minutes until bottom is golden and pancake holds together.
Carefully flip with a wide spatula (or invert onto plate then slide back). Press lightly. Cook 5 more minutes.
Slide onto plate, pork-side up. Drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce, then mayo. Sprinkle with bonito, aonori, and pickled ginger. Serve immediately.
Don't compress the pancake — it should be fluffy.
Bonito flakes 'dance' from the heat — that's the signature visual.
Hiroshima-style: layer ingredients separately with noodles.
Seafood okonomiyaki: replace pork with shrimp and squid.
Best fresh. Reheat in skillet to restore crispness.
Okonomiyaki originated in Osaka after WWII as a way to stretch limited ingredients. The name means 'how you like it'.
Mix 2 tbsp Worcestershire + 1 tbsp ketchup + 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tsp sugar.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 2 servings total
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