Japanese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Okonomiyaki (Osaka Style)
Dig into a comforting, wildly savory cabbage pancake loaded with pork, topped with an irresistible criss-cross of sweet sauce and rich mayo.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Crispy
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Whisk the flour, grated nagaimo, and cold dashi until smooth. Let the batter rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- 2
In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of the cabbage, 1 egg, a handful of tenkasu, and half of the batter. Fold gently with a spoon to incorporate air.
- 3
Heat a griddle or large skillet to 400°F (200°C) and oil lightly. Pour the cabbage mixture onto the griddle, shaping it into a 1-inch thick circle. Do not press down.
- 4
Lay 3 slices of pork belly evenly across the top of the raw pancake. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the bottom is nicely browned.
- 5
Confidently flip the pancake using two spatulas. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes until the pork is crispy and the cabbage is steamed through.
- 6
Flip it one last time, brush a thick layer of okonomiyaki sauce on top, pipe zig-zags of mayo, and finish with a dusting of aonori and a handful of dancing bonito flakes.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
61/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving175
Calories
8 g
Protein
29 g
Carbs
3 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Okonomiyaki, roughly 'grill what you like', is a savory cabbage pancake from the Kansai region around Osaka. Everything is mixed into one batter and griddled, then crowned with sauce, mayo, and bonito, a hearty, customizable comfort dish.
Listahan note
This version uses grated nagaimo yam for a light, fluffy interior and follows the cardinal rule of Osaka style: mix everything together and never press the pancake down.
Technique cues
- Fold the batter gently to keep it airy and never press the pancake on the griddle; pressing makes it dense instead of fluffy.
- Grated nagaimo yam is the secret to a light interior, binding the cabbage without heaviness.
- Lay the pork on the raw top, then flip once confidently; a hesitant flip breaks the pancake apart.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Rest the batter while you shred the cabbage and slice the pork, then mix per pancake to keep it airy.
- Make-ahead
- Make the batter and prep toppings ahead; griddle to order since okonomiyaki is best hot off the pan.
- Leftover move
- Reheat leftovers in a pan to re-crisp the surface, or chop into a quick fried-rice scramble.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Scrape and wipe the griddle while warm; the sauce and mayo wipe off easily before they set.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Shredded cabbage
The bulk and texture
Purpose: Finely shredded cabbage steams inside the pancake, giving sweetness and body.
Handling: Shred fine so it folds in evenly and cooks through.
Adaptation: Napa cabbage works; a little kale can be mixed in.
Nagaimo (grated mountain yam)
The lightening binder
Purpose: Its sticky, airy quality is what makes the interior fluffy rather than dense.
Handling: Grate it raw into the batter.
Adaptation: If unavailable, a little extra egg and baking powder approximate the lift, though not exactly.
Flour and dashi
Batter base
Purpose: Flour bound with savory dashi holds everything together.
Handling: Whisk smooth and rest the batter briefly before mixing in cabbage.
Adaptation: Use a gluten-free flour blend; the dashi can be kombu-based to keep it fish-free.
Pork belly slices
Savory richness
Purpose: Thin pork crisps on top and renders fat into the pancake.
Handling: Lay raw across the top before the first flip so it cooks against the griddle.
Adaptation: Thin bacon, shrimp, or sliced mushrooms work as toppings.
Okonomiyaki sauce, mayo, bonito
The finish
Purpose: The sweet sauce, rich mayo, and bonito flakes are the unmistakable crown.
Handling: Brush sauce, pipe mayo, and dust with aonori and bonito at the end.
Adaptation: Tonkatsu sauce stands in; skip bonito and use a vegetable-based sauce for fish-free.
Technique notes
- Do not press the pancake; the cardinal okonomiyaki rule is to let it cook into a fluffy round on its own.
- Use two spatulas and commit to the flip in one motion to keep the pancake intact.
- Mix each pancake's batter just before it hits the griddle so the cabbage stays crisp, not weeping.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Use a gluten-free flour blend and a gluten-free sauce; confirm the dashi powder is gluten-free.
- Vegetarian direction
- Use a kombu dashi, top with mushrooms or corn instead of pork, and skip the bonito flakes.
- Fish-free direction
- Use a kombu or vegetable dashi and skip the bonito topping.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Miso soup
- Japanese pickles
- Edamame
- Cold lager
- Barley tea
- Green tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate up to 2 days; reheat in a pan to bring back some crispness.
- Add fresh sauce and mayo after reheating rather than storing it pre-topped.
- Freeze plain cooked pancakes up to 1 month; reheat in a hot pan or oven.
Equipment
- Griddle or large skillet
- Two spatulas for flipping
- Box grater for the yam
- Mixing bowl
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