Shareable Mini Okonomiyaki

Classic Japanese street food doesn’t get much better than okonomiyaki. Hearty, saucy, and incredibly flavor-forward, this recipe will definitely be on repeat once you get your first taste.

What is okonomiyaki?

Okonomiyaki is a classic Japanese dish. Think of it as a savory cabbage pancake that can be infinitely customized with mix-ins or toppings. Okonomiyaki is thick and hearty with slightly crispy edges. They’re always always finished with a sweet and savory sauce and kewpie mayo.

The name okonomiyaki is a combination of a phrase, “okonomi,” and a word, “yaki.” Okonomi translates to “how you like it” and yaki means grilled. Together they combine to "grilled how you like."

You can find okonomiyaki all over Japan, but there are two distinct regions where okonomiyaki is considered a specialty: Hiroshima and Osaka. The okonomiyaki from these two areas differ quite a bit and in this case, we’re going to be making Kansai-style (Osaka) okonomiyaki, which is the most common version of the dish.

What’s in okonomiyaki?

The Kansai or Osaka style of okonomiyaki has a batter that consists of flour, dashi, eggs, and cabbage. Traditionally, the batter also contains grated nagaimo, a type of Asian yam. Along with the batter, different mix-ins are added as you like. These mix-ins vary, but some typical add-ins are green onions, vegetables, thinly sliced pork belly, seafood, mochi, or cheese.

Mini okonomiyaki

Mini okonomiyaki are just the same as regular okonomiyaki but mini. They’re perfect for sharing, bringing to a potluck, or tucking into bento lunchboxes. Being mini means you can top each okonomiyaki with just what you like.

How to make okonomiyaki

Making okonomiyaki is pretty much like making a pancake:

Prep - before you make the batter, you’ll need to prepare the vegetables. Finely shred the cabbage, cutting the strips into shorter 2-inch lengths. Alternatively, you can slice the cabbage into 1/2-inch slices and then chop them so they become a 1/2 inch dice. Peel and julienne or shred carrots and thinly slice one bunch of green onions. You’ll need about 6 cups of cabbage and 1/2 cup of shredded carrots.

Mix - Grab a large bowl and mix 1 cup of flour, 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp baking powder. To the flour mix, whisk in 3/4 cup dashi and 2 large eggs. Stir in the prepped cabbage, carrots, and green onions.

Heat - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and brush the surface with oil.

Cook - When the pan is hot, add 2 tbsp of batter per okonomiyaki, adding to the pan into a rough circle. Let the bottoms firm up and brown.

Flip - Once the okonomiyaki have been cooking for 2-3 minutes, use a thin spatula to peek underneath. They should be golden brown and release easily. Flip and continue to cook the other side, about 1-2 minutes. When golden and brown, remove from the pan, keep warm, and continue to cook the remaining okonomiyaki.

Top - To finish the okonomiyaki, brush on a generous amount of Original Bachan’s and drizzle on kewpie mayo to taste. Finish with aonori (seaweed flakes) bonito.

Serve - Bring to the table and enjoy hot with extra sauce and toppings.

What kind of sauce do you need for okonomiyaki?

Okonomiyaki is served with a thick, brown, sweet and savory sauce. In Japan, it’s called “soosu” a Japanese transliteration of “sauce.” Traditional okonomiyaki sauce is a thick brown sauce made with soy sauce, sugar, tomato paste, mushroom powder, and spices. It’s thick and savory and really delicious. Even in Japan, no one makes it at home and Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce is the perfect okonomiyaki sauce.

Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce for okonomiyaki

The sweet and savory punchy flavor of Bachan’s is an ideal okonomiyaki pairing. The base is premium traditionally brewed and aged soy sauce, high-quality Japanese mirin, and organic rice vinegar, which meld together into a teriyaki-ish umami full sauce. Fresh organic ginger, organic garlic, and green onions are in there as well, highlighting the flavors and adding freshness. Brush it on, dip it in, and basically, bathe your okonomiyaki in it - you won’t regret it.

What toppings can you put on okonomiyaki?

Okonomiyaki almost always comes with bonito flakes and seaweed on top. Katsuobushi (aka bonito flakes) is bonito fish that’s been smoked and then shaved into paper thin flakes. You can find it online and in Asian grocery stores. If you don’t have any katsuobushi, you can skip it, there isn’t any real substitute. The other traditional topping on okonomiyaki are tiny flakes of seaweed called aonori. Just like bonito, you can find bags of aonori online or in Asian grocery stores. If you don’t have aonori, you can grab a pack of roasted seaweed and blitz it in a food processor or simply crush it up in your hands. You can also have red pickled ginger on the side or on top for a vinegary bite to contrast the richness.

Do I need special equipment to make okonomiyaki?

Nope - while okonomiyaki is traditionally made on a teppan (a large, flat iron griddle), you don’t necessarily need one. You can make okonomiyaki in a frying pan or skillet just as easily. If you do have a griddle pan or even better, a Blackstone grill, making okonomiyaki will be a breeze. A crepe pan will work great as well.

How to okonomiyaki like a pro

Here are a few tips to make okonomiyaki like the best chefs in Japan:

Mise en place - having everything ready to go is immensely helpful. Before you start grilling your okonomiyaki: have the batter, cooking tools, serving equipment, Bachan’s, mayo, and toppings at the ready.

Let the pan heat up - The key to good okonomiyaki is a good crust that is slightly crispy that gives way to a tender, cabbage-y inside. To ensure a golden brown crust, let your pan heat up before adding the batter.

Flipping - it helps if you have two spatulas or one spatula and a spoon/fork/pair of chopsticks to help flip the okonomiyaki. They’re mini, and having another utensil to push the pancake onto the spatula will allow you to get a clean flip.

Customize - you can let everyone dress their okonomiyaki just the way they like it. Why not try some other Bachan’s flavors? If you’re a spice head, Hella Hot is where it’s at and if you want an addictive sweet and savory pancake you won’t be able to stop eating, Sweet Honey is the way to go.

Itadakimasu!