Among all the Osaka specialties, Takoyaki (たこ焼き) and Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) are the most well-known. Today I’m sharing my favorite Okonomiyaki recipe with you so you can make this popular street food at home!

What is Okonomiyaki?

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is sometimes called “Japanese savory pancake” or “Japanese pizza”, but personally, I think it’s more like a dish between savory pancake and frittata. It’s made with flour, eggs, tempura scraps (tenkasu), cabbage, and pork belly slices and topped with a variety of condiments like okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes. If you don’t eat pork or prefer another protein choice, this dish is very adaptable. The possibility for the filling and topping choices are endless, which is why this dish in Japanese translates to “grilled as you like it” – Okonomi (as you like it) Yaki (grill).

6 Key Ingredients to Make Okonomiyaki

To make really good okonomiyaki, there are a few ingredients that are necessary and it tastes much better compared to the ones that don’t include them. Some of these ingredients may be difficult to get outside of Japan. Hopefully soon in the near future, these unique Japanese ingredients will be more easily accessible from all corners of the world.

1. Nagaimo (Yamaimo)

It’s a Japanese long yam (nagaimo) or mountain yam (yamaimo) and I think it’s the most important ingredient so your okonomiyaki won’t be a doughy pancake. You will need to grate the yam. I’m okay but some people may get an allergic reaction (like itching), so you can wear a kitchen glove to grate or wash your hands quickly. The raw grated yam is very gooey and slimy, but when it’s cooked, it adds fluffy volume to the savory pancake! You can purchase nagaimo/yamaimo at Japanese and most Asian grocery stores.

Nagaimo Substitute

So, I’ve tried a few substitute options I found on the internet.

Baking powder — It’s a good substitute. We already add baking powder to this recipe, so you’re basically increasing a little. I would double the amount of the recipe.Beaten egg whites — It’s a good substitute. Fluffy egg whites would definitely add volume to the savory pancake. Beat 2 egg whites for this recipe.Well-drained tofu — I don’t think it will work as well, but tofu gives a texture that is not dense. It might be an okay substitute, but be careful with moisture released by the tofu. It dilutes the batter.Grated potatoes — NEVER use this as a substitute! The grainy texture of grated potatoes does not have any effect on the okonomiyaki except for adding cooked potato texture.Grated lotus root — I haven’t done this, but I assume it’s a similar texture as grated potato, and I believe this won’t add fluffiness to the pancake.Grated taro — I haven’t tried this, but it’s another “slimy and gooey” texture slightly similar to nagaimo. I will need to try this one day.

I love the combination of baking powder and beaten egg whites. You got big nagaimo and what to do with the leftover? Try this quick and easy Sauteed Yam! So delicious!

2. Tenkasu (Tempura Bits/Scraps)

This is another ingredient to make the batter fluffier. When you see “tempura scraps” you might be thinking can I avoid it? Well, I understand it is definitely not a healthy ingredient; however, many people in Osaka claim this is one of the most important ingredients, next to Nagaimo/Yamaimo.

3. Okonomiyaki Sauce

4. Japanese Mayonnaise

I understand many westerners don’t like mayonnaise and I am also not a fan of American-style mayonnaise because it tastes rather bland. As some of you may know, Japanese loves (Japanese) mayonnaise and we do have quite a number of recipes that requires Japanese mayo.

5. Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito Flakes)

6. Aonori (Dried Green Seaweed)

It is dried green (Ao) seaweed (Nori) flakes/powder. This umami-rich seaweed has a bright intense green color and a unique fragrance. Interesting fact: in ancient Japan, Ao (pronounce as [ah-o]) means green in the traditional Japanese language (there were 4 colors; white, black, red, and green. These days, Ao means blue in contemporary Japanese). Japan has many types of seaweed from wakame, and nori, to kombu. We use a specific name for each type of seaweed instead of just calling them “seaweed”. It helps identify which is the correct seaweed for different types of dishes.

Other Ingredients You Can Add to Okonomiyaki

Besides the key ingredients above, there are other ingredients that you can add in the batter.

Ingredients I’ve tried in my okonomiyaki batter:

Calamari – My favorite!ShrimpScallopsDried small shrimp (Sakura Ebi)Mochi/rice cakes – My favorite! Put small cubes on the pan first before pouring the batter.CheeseGreen onionsPickled red ginger – It’s a must!Shiso leaves (Ooba) – My favorite after our recent trip to Okayama.Yakisoba noodles

Ingredients I haven’t tried in my okonomiyaki batter but heard it’s good:

OctopusMentaiko (spicy cod/pollack roe)Chikuwa (fish cakes),Garlic chives/Asian chivesBlanched potatoesCornBean sproutMushroomsGarlic slicesKimchiPotato chips, and more

Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki

Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki uses almost the same ingredients, but they are layered rather than mixed in with the batter like Osaka-style. Not only that, fried egg and yakisoba noodles (or sometimes udon noodles) are used as toppings. If you prefer the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki recipe, click here.

Okonomiyaki Flour (Mix)

You can find a bag of Onkonomiyaki Flour (Mix) at Japanese/Asian grocery stores. Just like pancake mix, all you need to do is to add the egg(s) and water to the flour and you can make okonomiyaki batter instantly! You still need to prepare and add shredded cabbage and other ingredients (if you like).

Eating Okonomiyaki in Japan

You can enjoy this dish at okonomiyaki restaurants (Okonomiyaki-ya お好み焼き屋) throughout Japan. There are usually 3 dining options for these restaurants:

At a counter in front of a huge teppan (iron griddle) where the chefs make them right in front of you.At a table that has built-in teppan (iron griddle), you can cook your own but the staff will help you make it if you ask.The okonomiyaki is prepared and made in the kitchen and they place it on a teppan (iron griddle) in front of you to keep it warm.

Besides restaurants, you can also purchase steaming hot okonomiyaki from street vendors during festivals (matsuri). It’s not easy to replicate the food made on a hot iron griddle at home, and okonomiyaki made on the iron griddle simply tastes better. This is why sometimes I still choose to go to a restaurant even though I can make it easily at home.

Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce (only 4 ingredients)Takoyaki (Octopus Balls)Taiyaki (fish-shape cake with red bean filling)Yakisoba (Japanese Stir-Fried Noodles)

Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on Mar 2, 2011. Images were updated in March 2014 and July 2016. The video and more detailed content were added in July 2016.