Vegan Okonomiyaki is a savoury Japanese pancake made with yamaimo, rice flour, cabbage and tenkasu, topped with delicious okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. Learn how to make this popular Japanese street food right in your own kitchen!
Today, I’m finally getting around to sharing one of my favourite Japanese street foods: Okonomiyaki!
What is Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki is a popular street food in Japan, often referred to as “Japanese savoury pancake”. It’s mainly made with a batter using flour, eggs and yamaimo (mountain potato) mixed with cabbage, a protein and other various ingredients.
There are so many different ingredients you could add into okonomiyaki, the options are endless! Especially in recent years, you’ll see ingredients like cheese, mochi, chips and kimchi added to okonomiyaki. The customizability of this dish is reflected in its name: okonomi translates to what you like or how you like it and yaki meaining grilled.
Okonomiyaki is near and dear to my heart and brings back so many nostalgic memories. When we were out and needed a quick meal or snack, we would always turn to Okonomiyaki because of how fast it was to make and we could each order our favourite. Plus, I loved watching the chefs make it right in front of me over a huge teppan (iron griddle). It was incredible how fast their hands moved! I’ve also been to other restuarunts where there is a teppan in the middle of the table and we cook our own and other places where they prepare it in the kitchen and bring it out on a single serve teppan.
Styles of Okonomiyaki
There are two main styles of okonomiyaki that you may run into in Japan: Osaka (Kansai) style and Hiroshima style. I grew up eating the Osaka style because it was much more readily available and it’s much easier to make at home. For the Osaka style, the batter is mixed in with the other ingredients for one large batter whereas Hiroshima style is fried in layers and includes yakisoba noodles. I’ll be covering how to make Osaka style today but stay tuned for the Hiroshima version!
Ingredients for Vegan Okonomiyaki
To make vegan okonomiyaki, there are a couple of essential ingredients that will make it stand out from the rest. I’ve been able to find all these ingredients at my local asian market so I hope you have access to these too! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Yamaimo (Mountain Yam) / Nagaimo (Long Yam): This is what makes the pancakes fluffy and chewy at the same time. This ingredient needs to be grated and it gets very slimy but don’t be alarmed! If you don’t have access to Nagamio I have also tested it using soft/silken tofu and water which works quite well. About 1:1 ratio of tofu and water mashed together.
- Rice Flour: This makes for a pleasant chewy pancake and keeps it gluten free! If you prefer a more traditional-flour texture pancake, use all purpose flour instead.
- Baking powder: Optional, but adds a bit of fluffiness.
- Tenkasu (Tempura scraps): Gives texture and extra fluffiness to the pancakes. You can buy them on amazon or make them at home! Simply just drop tempura batter into hot oil, scoop with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to get rid of excess oil.
- Shiitake Mushrooms: Gives more umami flavour and replaces the pork belly typically used. You could also use soy curls!
- Kombu Dashi: Gives the pancakes a delicious umami flavour.
- Cabbage: Used in all okonomiyaki and gives texture to the pancakes.
- Okonomiyaki Sauce: This is a MUST. I use the Otafuku’s Okonomiyaki sauce which is vegan (and the most popular). However, if you can’t find you can make a DIY version by mixing ketchup, tonkatsu sauce / Japanese Worcester sauce, soy auce and brown sugar.
- Japanese Mayonnaise: I use my own vegan Japanese mayonnaise here. I don’t suggest using western mayo because the flavour is completely different.
- Anori (dried seaweed): Is particularly more fragrant than just slicing up seaweed.
- Beni Shoga (Pickled Ginger): Thinly sliced ginger can also be used but use less than recipe amount.
- Scallions
Other ingredients you can add to okonmiyaki:
Ingredients I love to add:
- mochi cakes (LOVE THIS ONE)
- vegan cheese (with the mochi… so good)
- corn
- kimchi
- yakisoba (hiroshima style includes this)
- potato chips (so good)
Other ingredients I’ve seen in Japan:
- potatoes
- carrots
- bean sprouts
- sliced onions
- kabocha
How to Vegan Okonomiyaki
Making okonomiyaki is easy. The most difficult part may be flipping the pancake because of how large it is. If you’re new to making okonomiyaki, you can make smaller pancakes that are easier to flip!
- Prepare the Yamaimo: peel and grate the yamaimo into a bowl. Be careful because it is very slimy and slippery!
- Make the batter: add the dashi, rice flour and salt and mix. Then add the other ingredient and mix until combined and everything is coated in the batter.
- Cook: Heat a griddle (this is the one I use when making more than 2) or large pan on high. Once you see some sizzling, decrease the temperature to medium and then spoon the batter creating a large thick pancake (about 2 cm in thickness). Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Covering the pancake keeps the pancakes moist and ensures it cooks all the way through. Carefully but quickly flip the pancake using two turners. Then cover and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
- Serve: Place on a serving plate and generously drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. Then garnish with green onions, aonori and more beni shoga.
Chewy yet fluffy, thick and vegetable packed. So much flavour and deliciousness in one pancake!
I really hope you try and love this Vegan Okonomiyaki recipe as much as we do. And if you ever have the chance, defiantly check out okonomiyaki spots in Japan for the experience and because it’s so much fun! My go-to spot for vegan okonomiyaki is Zen in Tokyo. 🙂
More Vegan Japanese Recipes to Try:
- Fluffy Japanese Pancakes
- Yakisoba
- Japanese Curry Fried Rice
- Onigiri
- Chilled Tanuki Udon (Cold Udon Noodle Soup)
- Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)
- Vegan Gyoza
- Hiyashi Chuka
SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓
If you recreate this Vegan Osaka Okonomiyaki recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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Vegan Osaka Okonomiyaki
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 pancakes 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Learn how to make authentic Vegan Okonomiyaki at home! Fluffy, chewy & so flavourful! The perfect veggie loaded Japanese savory pancake for any meal.
Ingredients
- 225–250g yamaimo / chinese yam*
- 1 tsp kombu seaweed dashi
- 3–5 tbsp rice flour or all purpose flour (30-50g)**
- 3/4 tsp baking powder, optional
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 spring onions, chopped (30g)
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated (60g)
- 2 tbsp tenkasu / tempura scraps (20g // see blog post on how to make it at home)
- 2 cups finely chopped cabbage (180g)
- 1 heaping tbsp beni shoga (25g // or half the amount if using fresh thinly sliced ginger)
Toppings:
- Japanese Vegan Mayo
- Beni shoga
- Anori
- Okonomiyaki sauce
- Green onions
Homemade Okonomiyaki sauce:
- 4 tbsp ketchup (60ml)
- 2 tbsp Japanese Worcester sauce (30ml // Bulldog brand, tonkatu sauce or chuno sauce)
- 2 tsp soy sauce (10ml)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (12g)
Instructions
- Use a peeler to remove skin off the yamaimo and grate into a large mixing bowl. Yamaimo is very slimy and slippery to be careful when using a grater.
- Add in the dashi, rice flour and salt and stir to combine. Add in the green onions, sliced shiitake mushrooms, tenkasu, cabbage and beni shoga and mix until well combined and everything is coated in the batter.
- Heat a large pan or griddle on high and grease with oil. Once heated, bring the temperature to medium (400 F / 200 C), add half the batter and spread it into a circle about 2 cm in thickness. If flipping a large pancake intimidates you, make smaller pancakes so it’s easier to flip. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Once the bottom of the pancake is golden brown, use two turners and flip the pancake. Cover and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat for the next pancake.
- To serve, place the pancake on a plate and drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese vegan mayo and garnish with green onions, anori (nori) and more beni shoga.
Notes
- *The more yamaimo is added, the more gooey and mochi-mochi the texture will be. Adjust to your texture preference. If you cannot find yamaimo, you can use 1:1 ratio of soft tofu and water (ie. 112g tofu and 112ml water).
- **This okonomiyaki has a typical mochi-mochi and gooey texture. If you prefer your okonomiyaki to be slightly cooked, you can increase the amount of rice flour (up to 2 tbsp) and add 3/4 tsp baking powder for a fluffier texture.
- Helpful Equipment: mixing bowls, large flat pan, griddle, turner
- Nutritional Information Disclaimer: Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated on an online tool (Cronometer) without toppings.
- Category: entree
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: vegan, gluten free, japanese
Keywords: okonomiyaki, vegan vegetable pancake, japanese savory pancakes
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I used to work in a Japanese restaurant and since going vegan I’d never had or tried Okonomiyaki again. Until now! I made this recipe and it was simply amazing, exactly how I remembered Okonomiyaki from back in the day! So simple to make too. I highly recommend you try this. You won’t regret it!
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Thats amazing, I’m so glad to hear that– thank you so much!
If we were to substitute with silken tifu, would it be the same amt? Ie 250g?
Yes! 🙂
When I was in Japan I found a restaurant that had a vegan okonomiyaki (because you cannot go to Japan and not have tried it, vegan or not). And it was so freaking delicious. I kind of forgot about it when I got back home, but when I saw your recipe I knew I had to try and make it. So I did. I had a bit of trouble finding the ingredients in this western corner of the world (the Netherlands), but eventually got them or some acceptable replacement. I am so glad I made it, once again your recipe is perfection. Just that, the taste, texture and everything else. So thank you for that!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed, thank you for sharing! 🙂
Absolutely delicious and very adaptable! I used my sourdough discard for the batter and it worked a treat 😋😋
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Thanks so much for trying this recipe Hannah! Love that you tried it with sourdough discard, I’ll have to try that 🙂
A little confused at the rest of the comments, as I found the texture of this quite unlike normal okonomiyaki – the large amount of yamaimo and small amount of flour makes it very squishy and soft. The flavour was fine but the texture was odd.
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This was so delicious! I made a few modifications based on what I had on hand, so I will definitely be trying this again with more of the ingredients in the recipe. So good!!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed Jessica!
this was so good! the texture was so chewy and delightful and the vegan kewpie was also awesome!!! will make again. a little bit of prep but so worth it, seriously!!
this was so good! the texture was so chewy and delightful and the vegan kewpie was also awesome!!! will make again. a little bit of prep but so worth it, seriously!!
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It was really good!! I was kinda scared of making it and being disappointed, because it’s a lot of prep…and the ones I had in Japan were just WOW
But what a good surprise!!! Super delicious!!
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I loved this recipe! It was easy to follow and the okonomiyaki turned out so fluffy! I will definitely be eating this more often. Thank you for this recipe!
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Very tasty! I changed a few ingredients based on what I had on hand, but the okonomiyaki was filling, flavorful, and satisfying 😊
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Great recipe, I love Okonomiyaki but my Husband is vegetarian, well partially vegan, and therefor Egg isn’t an option. When I found this recipe I knew it would be the perfect match for our Japanese Cocktail Night.
The recipe was great, we had trouble with the Yam because we chose the wrong grind. But with some troubleshooting and our kitchen machine we were able to fix it.
Overall a great recipe we plan to do again, thanks a lot for this and highly recommended to everyone.
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Hi, can i substitute dried chinese yam?
I think if you re-hydrate yes!
LOVED this recipe! The steps are really easy to follow and the end result was amazing!! I used silken tofu and water because I couldn’t find Nagaimo and I was very happy with the texture and taste 🙂 Can’t recommend this recipe enough!
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I loved your recipe.
I live in Japan and your vegan recipes help me a lot to practice my vegan diet 🌱
Especially this recipe was the easiest and the best!!
They were so light and couldn’t stop eating 😂
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Loved this Okinomiyaki recipe, what a killer breakfast!
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H O L Y C O W!!! Where has this been all my life!?! This was y first time making and even trying okonomiyaki. I had to make a couple adjustments based on what I had available.
Kombu dashi powder – I didn’t have this, so I ground up kombu and used 1 tsp of that.
Beni shiva – also didn’t have, so I chopped up fresh ginger – like she recommended.
I used ¼ c rice flour and also added the ¾ tsp of baking powder.
Oh lawd, this stuff is amazing!
★★★★★
H O L Y C O W!!! Where has this been all my life!?! This was y first time making and even trying okonomiyaki. I had to make a couple adjustments based on what I had available.
Kombu dashi powder – I didn’t have this, so I ground up kombu and used 1 tsp of that.
Beni shoga – also didn’t have, so I chopped up fresh ginger – like she recommended.
I used ¼ c rice flour and also added the ¾ tsp of baking powder.
Oh lawd, this stuff is amazing!
★★★★★
Okonomiyaki Thursdays are now a thing.
I made mine with some rice cakes, which texturally, was so much nicer than using animal derivatives.
Most of the ingredients I can find in my local store, which I feel very lucky to have nearby.
This was such a treat to eat, and I enjoyed my raccoon nap afterwards!
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OMG. This is definitely one of my favorite recipes ever! I have two boys at home, who does not like vegetables and they love this! It is soooo delicious and goes so well with Japanese beer! It taste better than what I had in Japan!
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amazing recipe!! this was my first time making okonomiyaki and I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but it held up so nicely and tasted absolutely delicious!
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It tasted absolutely amazing! It was soft and fluffy and just the right amount of chewy too 🙂 I never used nagaimo in anything before and I am so glad I bought it for this recipe! Bin-vegan family members loved it too btw 🥰
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I missed okonomiyaki so much since I became vegan. This recipe tastes even better than I remember and the texture is amazing. I used local yams (brazilian) instead of yamaimo and I think they worked pretty well. 🙂
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Really nice balance of japanese flavors! I subbed buckwheat flour for the rice flour, and blended tofu for the yam…also didn’t have green onion so i added onion powder to the batter and sliced red onion to the cabbage mixture as well. Was really good though fell apart a bit-will try using tapioca starch next time for a chewier texture. I served this with some panfried homemade tofu “pork” on top as well as siracha hempseed “mayo”, pickled ginger, roasted nori, and the recipe on this page for the brown sauce. This recipe tasted better than the last recipe I tried from elsewhere. Lots of flavor and dosn’t taste like it’s lacking anything! I loved the chewiness of the mushrooms in there!
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This is super yummy!! I actually used grated taro root instead of the Nagaimo because it was super expensive at hmart to get one nagaimo root and I have also tried it with the tofu sub. Both were delicious but I preferred the taro way! I also have just put different veggies sometimes for whatever I have and it turns out great!
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