Feature the mighty potato in a spin on Japanese okonomiyaki, a savory pancake loaded with umami flavor and fun toppings.
Potatoes and Japanese cuisine may not seem like the most obvious combination, but trust us, the results are nothing short of magical. In this recipe, we’re taking the beloved Japanese savory pancake, okonomiyaki, and giving it a hearty twist by featuring the humble potato as the star ingredient. The result is a dish that is both filling and packed with umami flavor, making it the perfect meal for any time of the day.
The first step in making potato okonomiyaki is to mix together the batter. Whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and dashi granules in a large bowl. Then, lightly beat eggs and water together and add them to the dry ingredients, using a spatula or wooden spoon to mix everything together. Finally, add the chopped savoy cabbage and pickled ginger to the batter and mix well.
Next, it’s time to get cooking! In a medium nonstick skillet, heat sesame oil over medium heat and add some of the thinly sliced potatoes. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and cook until they’re golden brown on each side, about 3-5 minutes per side. Once they’re finished, remove them from the skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat the process with the remaining potato slices.
Reheat the same skillet over a medium-high flame and add a touch of sesame oil if needed. Scoop 1/4 of the batter into the skillet and top with 3 or 4 potato slices. Cook the pancake on the first side for 3-5 minutes or until it’s golden brown, then carefully flip the pancake so the potatoes are on the bottom and cook for another 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Finally, it’s time to dress up your potato okonomiyaki with some delicious toppings. We recommend using Kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayo), green onions, black sesame seeds, ground seaweed, katsuobushi (dried fish flakes), and pickled ginger. A good drizzle of okonomiyaki sauce is also essential for that classic umami flavor.
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Potato Okonomiyaki
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Description
Feature the mighty potato in Japanese okonomiyaki, a savory pancake loaded with umami flavor and fun toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon dashi granules
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups savoy cabbage (roughly chopped)
- 2 tablespoons pickled ginger (chopped)
- 1 medium russet potato (scrubbed and thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (plus more if needed)
- salt
Toppings
- Kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayo)
- green onions (thinly sliced)
- black sesame seeds
- ground seaweed
- katsuobushi (dried fish flakes)
- pickled ginger
- Okonomiyaki sauce (sold in Asian grocery stores and also on Amazon)
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder and dashi granules in a large bowl. Lightly beat the eggs and water together and add them to the dry ingredients. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix everything together. Add the cabbage and pickled ginger to the batter and mix well. Set aside.
- In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add some of the potato slices, only enough to fit in an even layer. Don’t crowd the slices or they will not brown. Sprinkle the potatoes with a tiny bit of salt and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Remove the slices from the skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining slices.
- Reheat the same skillet over a medium high flame. Add a touch of sesame oil if there isn’t any left in the pan from the potatoes. Scoop 1/4 of the batter into the skillet and top with 3 or 4 potato sliced. They can overlap slightly. Cook the pancake on the first side for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully flip the pancake so the potatoes are on the bottom and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve the pancakes with the toppings immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Cuisine: Japenese
