Okonomiyaki: Japanese Seafood Pancake for Creative Menus

US Foods® Food Fanatics® Chef John Leavitt says his restaurant customers have been asking for ideas on how to draw in younger audiences and offer exciting new dishes and flavors – especially Asian flavors. He recommends okonomiyaki, an easy-to-make Japanese savory pancake that’s great for sharing and snacking.

There are two main regional styles of okonomiyaki: Osaka-style and Hiroshima-style. Osaka-style is the most common version, where ingredients are blended together for the batter. Hiroshima-style features a more layered construction, where the batter is spread thin like a crepe first, then topped with cabbage, bean sprouts, pork or seafood and sometimes noodles (yakisoba or udon) and a fried egg. For his version, Chef Leavitt chooses an Osaka-style pancake with seafood.

“You can cross-utilize seafood you might already have on hand, or leftovers from another dish, so it’s a great way to reduce waste and maximize your spending,” he says. Plus, the cabbage is cost-effective, and the okonomiyaki sauce can be made with just sweetened oyster sauce or substituted for pre-made Japanese barbecue sauce. “The bonito flakes look like little waves when the plate’s brought out because of the heat. It makes for a cool presentation.”

How to make Okonomiyaki

Here’s the step-by-step on how to make it:

Step 1: Prep the Seafood

Clean and chop your choice of seafood – lightly seasoned or marinated, cooked shrimp, squid, octopus or other fish. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the Batter

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, dashi (or water), a touch of soy sauce and flour. Fold in the shredded cabbage and prepared seafood.

Step 3: Cook the Pancake

Heat a skillet, griddle or flat top over medium heat and lightly oil the surface. Pour a portion of the batter onto the pan, spreading it into a thick, round pancake. Cook for about 4–5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Step 4: Garnish & Serve

Top pancake with a drizzle each of Japanese mayo and okonomiyaki sauce – a sweet and savory blend of oyster sauce and sugar – or Japanese barbecue sauce. Add sliced scallions, dried seaweed (aonori), if using, maybe some pickled ginger and the bonito flakes. Serve hot.

Click here for a recipe for Osaka-style okonomiyaki served at US Foods customer DŌZO in Charlotte

To purchase ingredients for okonomiyaki, click here to shop MOXē®, the US Foods all-in-one ordering app and e-commerce portal.

Credits: Illustrations by Tobatron for Food Fanatics; comic by Jeremy Nguyen for Food Fanatics