Okonomiyaki — Ad-Free Recipe, Ingredients First

The batter is mostly shredded cabbage held together by just enough flour and egg, so it steams tender inside while the outside crisps. The move that matters is not pressing the pancake flat on the griddle; leaving it tall lets the cabbage stay juicy instead of collapsing into a dense cake.

The Ingredients — and where to get them

Cook for 2 pancakes

Flour

Just enough to bind the cabbage into a pancake.

1 cup

Source it →

Eggs

Bind the batter and enrich it; fresh eggs give better lift.

3 large

Source it →

Pork belly

Thin slices laid on top crisp as the pancake cooks.

1/2 lb

Source it →

Okonomi sauce base

A thick sweet-tangy brown sauce built from a bbq base with soy and Worcestershire.

1/3 cup

Source it →

Cabbage, scallion & bonito

Finely shredded cabbage is the bulk; bonito flakes and scallion finish it.

4 cups cabbage

Local / market

Using pork belly? It behaves the way it does for a reason — what this cut is for and how to cook it →

The Rundown

Greedometer ●●●●● Barely a splurge

A light hand — your arteries say thanks.

EffortSome doing

Cook it with

Stovetop

The Method

BatterWhisk flour with dashi or water and eggs to a loose batter, then fold in the shredded cabbage and scallion.
GriddleMound the batter into a thick round on an oiled griddle over medium and lay pork slices across the top.
Flip onceCook 4 to 5 minutes until the underside is deep gold, flip, and cook the pork side without pressing it down.
FinishFlip back, brush on the okonomi sauce, and drizzle Kewpie-style mayo in lines across it.
TopScatter bonito flakes and scallion so the flakes wave in the heat, and serve hot off the griddle.

The Toolkit

Cast iron griddle · Wide spatula · Squeeze bottles · Mixing bowls

Straight Answers

Can you make Okonomiyaki in an air fryer? — Not really

Not really — loose batter spreads and needs a flat, hot surface. Keep this one on the stovetop or griddle.

Can you freeze Okonomiyaki? — Not ideal

Not really — the cream, custard, or emulsion turns grainy or splits once thawed. This one is best kept fresh in the fridge.

Can you make Okonomiyaki ahead of time? — Partly

The components hold — prep the parts ahead and finish it close to serving for the best texture.

Is Okonomiyaki gluten-free? — Not as written

Not as written — it contains gluten. Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free flour blend (check the other labels too).

Is Okonomiyaki vegan? — No

No — it contains meat, so it isn’t vegetarian or vegan.

Community Notes

Cooked it? Changed something that worked? Leave a note for the next person — first-name basis, no account.

Loading notes…

More Japanese recipes

Gyudon Onigiri Yakisoba Chicken Karaage Agedashi Tofu Oyakodon

All Japanese recipes → · Browse all 1433 →

Some ingredient and tool links are affiliate links — if you buy through one, 5best2buy may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never costs the maker anything, and it never decides who we recommend. The list is the list.
© 2026 5best2buy.com · Recipe No.342

Okonomiyaki, and where to source it