Okonomiyaki: Japan’s Savory Pancake (+ Recipe!)

Have you heard of (or even eaten) お好み焼き (おこのみやき / okonomiyaki) before?

To put it simply, okonomiyaki is kind of a savory Japanese pancake filled with cabbage and meat, and slathered in sauce — but it turns out there’s a bit more to the dish.

Okonomiyaki is often considered the soul food of 大阪 (おおさか Osaka) . The name itself means “grill what you like” (お好み＋焼き), and that’s exactly the spirit of the dish. Families and friends gather around a hot plate, mixing batter with chopped cabbage and their favorite ingredients (usually pork, seafood, or both) then cooking it together. Casual, comforting, fun, and delicious — what’s not to love?

If you want to try cooking it at home, below is a very simple, home-style recipe that I use myself, easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Simple Okonomiyaki Recipe (Serves 2-3)

Basic Ingredients

• 2 cups finely chopped cabbage
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2-2/3 cup water
• 4-6 slices thin pork belly (or bacon)
• Oil for cooking

※ If you have dashi no moto (powdered bonito broth) add a teaspoonful for that beautiful umami.

Toppings

• Okonomiyaki sauce (or a mix of Worcestershire sauce 3 tbsp + ketchup 1 tbsp + honey 1 tbsp + soy sauce 1/2 tbsp)
• Mayonnaise
• Dried bonito flakes (optional)
• Aonori (seaweed powder, also optional)

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix flour, egg, and water to make a smooth batter.
2. Stir in the chopped cabbage. Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Pour in the mixture and shape into a round pancake.
3. Place the pork slices on top.
4. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, then flip carefully and cook the other side until golden and cooked through.
5. Add sauce and toppings as you like (see the post’s featured image for an idea of how it usually looks).

That’s it! Simple, hearty, and satisfying. Whether you have it in Osaka or your own kitchen, enjoy!

Vocabulary:

–       お好み焼き    Okonomiyaki

–       キャベツ       a cabbage

–       たまご           an egg

–       水（みず）    water