I know, I know, two cabbage recipes in a row? While I’m sure some of you are delighted, some might be totally “over” cabbage. But I’m all about reducing waste over here, so I needed to find a recipe to use up my leftover cabbage, carrot, and green onion from my Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry. I decided to try my hand at Okonomiyaki, or Japanese savory cabbage pancakes. And as per usual, this is my interpretation of Okonomiyaki, not a traditional representation of the dish. I love putting spins on classics to make them work for my pantry and taste buds.
What Else Can You Add to Cabbage Pancakes?
What attracted me to this dish is the extreme flexibility of ingredients, which makes it a great “sweep the kitchen” recipe. And you know how I love recipes that accept whatever leftovers you might happen to have in the fridge at the time!
I didn’t buy anything special ingredients for my cabbage pancakes. Instead, I used all the ingredients that I had on hand, and you can too. Other vegetables that would be great in these pancakes include:
- kale
- bean sprouts
- radish
- shredded broccoli or Brussels sprouts
- zucchini.
In addition to vegetables, you can toss all sorts of meat into your pancakes. Try:
- shrimp
- canned salmon
- shredded chicken
- pork
- bacon
Have Fun with Toppings!
And that’s just what you can put IN your cabbage pancakes. Don’t even get me started with what you can put ON your pancakes. Traditionally, Okonomiyaki has a special sauce that is kind of sweet-salty-tangy (here’s a great Okonomiyaki Sauce recipe from Just One Cookbook if you want to give it a try!). But since I was using what I had on hand today, I went a different route.
I kept it simple with a drizzle of sriracha mayo, sesame seeds, and sliced green onion, but you could do hoisin sauce, toasted seaweed snacks, a fried egg, bonito flakes, pickled ginger, kimchi, or anything else you like. Honestly, the toppings are where it’s at for this recipe. It’s like pizza (and sometimes called Japanese pizza). The toppings make it fun, unique, and just all around extra special.
So, what do you have in your fridge that you could put in or on a savory cabbage pancake?
Cabbage Pancakes (Okonomiyaki)
Servings 6 6-inch pancakesIngredients
PANCAKES
- 2 extra large eggs ($0.53)
- 1/2 cup water ($0.00)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.14)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil ($0.33)
- 3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour ($0.07)
- 4-5 cups shredded green cabbage ($1.78)
- 1 carrot ( $0.11)
- 3 green onions ($0.17)
- 2 Tbsp oil for frying ($0.04)
TOPPINGS
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.28)
- 2 Tbsp sriracha ($0.10)
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds ($0.04)
- 2 green onions ($0.11)
Instructions
- Remove any wilted leaves from the outside of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the core. Thinly slice or shred half of the cabbage, or until you have 4-5 cups shredded cabbage. Peel the carrot and shred it using a large-holed cheese grater. Slice the green onions.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, soy sauce, and sesame oil until smooth. Begin whisking in the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it forms a thick, smooth batter (about 3/4 to1 cup total flour).
- Add the cabbage, carrots, and green onion to the batter and stir until the vegetables are mixed and everything is evenly coated in batter.
- Heat 1/2 Tbsp oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 3/4 cup of the vegetable and batter mixture. Press it down into the hot skillet to form a circle, about 6 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Place a cover on the skillet to hold in the steam, which will help the cabbage soften as it cooks. Cook the pancake until golden brown on the bottom (3-5 minutes), then flip and cook until golden brown on the second side. Pile the cooked pancakes on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm until ready to eat. Add more oil to the skillet as needed as you cook the pancakes.
- To prepare the sriracha mayo, mix together 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 2 Tbsp sriracha in a small bowl. Drizzle the sriracha mayo over the pancakes just before serving, followed with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and sliced green onion.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Cabbage Pancakes – Step by Step Photos
Begin by shredding the vegetables. You can use a food processor, mandolin, or just a knife. Just remember, the thinner the better. Shred 1/2 of a small head of cabbage (4-5 cups once shredded), 1 carrot (about 1/2 cup), and slice three green onions.
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 extra large eggs, 1/2 cup water, 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil until smooth.
Begin whisking in flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it forms a thick, smooth batter. You’ll need between 3/4 to 1 cup flour.
Add the cabbage, carrots, and green onion to the batter, then stir until everything is well mixed and coated in batter.
Since eggs and flour both like to stick to surfaces when cooked, I highly suggest using some sort of non-stick surface in addition to the oil. I used a cast iron skillet. Heat about 1/2 Tbsp cooking oil in the skillet over medium heat. Once hot, place about 3/4 cup of the vegetable and batter mixture into the skillet. Press the mixture down to form a 6-inch circle that is about 1/2 inch thick. Place a lid on the skillet to hold in the steam (this helps soften the cabbage) and cook until it is golden brown on the bottom (3-5 minutes). Flip the pancake and cook on the second side until golden brown as well. I could actually fit two pancakes in this skillet, but doing one at a time made for prettier pictures. :P
To make the sriracha mayo, stir together 1/4 cup mayonnaise with 2 Tbsp sriracha.
Drizzle the sriracha mayo over the savory cabbage pancake and then top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and more sliced onion. Dig in!
Great Recipe for SAVORY CABBAGE PANCAKES (OKONOMIYAKI). It’s a different variation. Bcuz some other Recipes you need to pre-cook + drain the Cabbage, wait for it to cool off, then squeeze out any water from the pre-cooked Cabbage. This Recipe is faster + a bit easier.
Is it possible that I have seen you taking part in Guy’s grocery games?
You made that and got to the next round. It sounds absolute delicious and I am going to make it.
Looking forward to your recipes.
I’m not absolutely certain if Monti has been on GGG, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit! (And she’s not near me right now to confirm!) But she’s the real deal, that’s for sure, and you’ve likely seen her somewhere on TV…Food Network, MasterChef, Netflix, etc. If you click her image at the top of the recipe, it will take you to her bio and all the recipes she’s made for BB! ~Marion :)
Thank you for my new favorite breakfast! Made these for this morning and immediately whipped up another batch for a breakfast meal prep. Hoping the veggies keep me full in the mornings which is usually a struggle. Yay for breakfast veggies!
So easy and so good!!! Was a hit with my family, served it with a little white rice and kimchi on the side.
I keep trying these and I just can’t get them to work. I think next time I’ll omit the water and get a batter that’s less thick than pancake but thicker than I’m getting with this recipe. The flavor is great, but the texture is not.
Thank you for this recipe! Okonomiyaki is another favorite food among the Japanese and other individuals around the world. The meal is famous in parts like Hiroshima and Osaka which are in the western part of Japan. Preparation of Okonomiyaki requires a griddle that facilitates its preparation. You can find more facts about Okonomiyaki here: https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-cultural-presentation-of-sushi-and-okonomiyaki-recipes/
Hello! If anyone subs a gluten free flour in this recipe, can you tell me what you used?
Looks delicious
Hi, Jo! We haven’t tested this recipe using GF flour, so I can’t promise equally successful results. However, I will say — the founder of one of our sister blogs (Mama Knows Gluten Free) is a HUGE fan of Pillsbury’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour (available at Walmart) and they use it in all their recipes. It *should* be a 1:1 substitution for the conventional AP flour in this recipe — as should any other brand of GF flour that promises the same ease in substitution. Good luck & let us know how it goes if you try it! ~ Marion :)
https://www.mamaknowsglutenfree.com/
I just harvested a cabbage from my garden that is so nice and sweet so I wanted some of these bad boys. Recipe didn’t disappoint even with my modifications for what I had in the house. Too tasty.
Can you freeze the pancakes?
Yes- but the texture will change.
This is an amazing recipe. I add a few extra carrots and use a whole bunch of scallions and the batter amount still works fine :)
just to save time I buy a bag of 3 color coleslaw and add smoked salmon for a little extra protein…………very good
I forgot to say – sometimes I put a slice of bacon in the pan and form the pancake on top of it so that the bacon cooks into it. Delicious!! Similar to the Okonomiyaki that I had at a Japanese bazaar.
This is one of my favorite recipes. I’m making it just for me, so I make half a batch. I make one pancake and store the rest in the fridge. The next day I give it a stir and make another pancake. The batter is a little thinner on the 2nd and 3rd days but it still cooks up fine. I top it with the Okonomiyaki sauce that you linked, sriracha mayo, and a fried egg. Yummy!!
Love this
Wow! crazy delicious, such a great way too use up cabbage. This will be on repeat!