Gluten Free Okonomiyaki Japanese Savoury Pancake
Updated: 3 days ago
This Gluten Free Okonomiyaki Japanese Savoury Pancake is packed with shredded cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, carrots and spring onions, pan-fried until golden and finished with a delicious combination of sauces and seasonings. Inspired by Japan's much-loved savoury pancake, my version includes homemade okonomiyaki sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise, seaweed and a little Everything Bagel Seasoning for a personal twist.
About Gluten Free Okonomiyaki Japanese Savoury Pancake
Okonomiyaki is one of Japan's most popular savoury dishes, particularly associated with Osaka and Hiroshima. Often described as a cross between a pancake and a frittata, its name loosely translates to "grilled as you like it", reflecting how easily the ingredients and toppings can be adapted. Traditional versions commonly include cabbage, flour, eggs and ingredients such as mountain yam, dashi, pork or seafood, finished with a rich okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise.
My gluten-free version is inspired by these wonderful flavours but uses everyday vegetables and a simple gluten-free batter. Finely shredded cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, carrot and spring onions are mixed into the batter and pan-fried until golden, creating a savoury pancake that's crisp on the outside and tender inside.
This is one of my favourite Japanese-inspired recipes, and it's become a family favourite too. The combination of sweet and savoury okonomiyaki sauce, creamy Kewpie mayonnaise, seaweed and my little addition of Everything Bagel Seasoning makes every bite delicious. I particularly love that you can change the vegetables depending on what you have in the refrigerator.
Watch How to Make Gluten Free Okonomiyaki
Helpful Tips
Choose gluten-free flour.
Gluten-free flour blends vary in their ingredients and absorbency, so the consistency of the batter may differ depending on which brand you use. The batter should be thick enough to coat and hold the shredded vegetables together.
Using gluten-free plain flour instead.
If you don't have gluten-free self-raising flour, use 180 g gluten-free plain flour with 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder. Whisk them together before adding the stock and eggs. Choose a plain flour blend containing a binder such as xanthan gum for structure. This is an alternative rather than the original tested flour, so the batter consistency may vary.
Rest the batter.
Allow the gluten-free batter to rest for 15 minutes while preparing the vegetables. This gives the flour time to absorb the liquid before cooking.
Slice the vegetables evenly.
Finely shred the cabbage and carrot and slice the mushrooms and spring onions thinly. Evenly prepared vegetables distribute more easily through the batter and cook more consistently.
Try different vegetables.
One of the lovely things about okonomiyaki is how adaptable it is. You can experiment with other finely sliced vegetables, depending on what you have available, while keeping the overall quantity similar.
Use a non-stick frying pan.
A 22 cm frying pan is ideal for creating the large pancakes in this recipe. Use a wide spatula to carefully turn each pancake once the underside is golden and set.
Check your sauces and seasonings.
Choose gluten-free vegetable stock, tomato sauce, oyster sauce, tamari, Everything Bagel Seasoning and suitable Kewpie mayonnaise. Ingredients vary between brands and countries, so always check labels.
Make the sauce ahead.
Prepare the homemade okonomiyaki sauce in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed.
Finish with your favourite toppings.
I love the combination of okonomiyaki sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise, seaweed, Everything Bagel Seasoning and sushi pickled ginger. Traditional toppings such as bonito flakes are another option, if you prefer.
Enjoy freshly cooked.
These pancakes are particularly delicious straight from the frying pan, while the outside is golden and the vegetables are tender.
More Gluten Free Asian-Inspired Recipes to Try
If you enjoy the flavours of this Japanese savoury pancake, here are more delicious gluten-free Asian-inspired recipes to explore, from easy chicken dinners to flavour-packed vegetable dishes.
Gluten Free Okonomiyaki Japanese Savoury Pancake
Makes: 2 large pancakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 40 minutes
Recipe Category: Dinner / Main Course
Recipe Cuisine: Japanese-inspired
INGREDIENTS
Gluten Free Batter
180 g (1¼ cups) gluten-free self-raising flour
250 mL cold vegetable stock (gluten-free)
2x 70g eggs
Vegetables
4 tablespoons light olive oil
300 g (3 cups) green cabbage, finely shredded
100 g (1 cup) shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
100 g (1 cup) carrot, shredded
2 spring onions, finely sliced
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce
4 tablespoons gluten-free tomato sauce
2 tablespoons gluten-free oyster sauce
1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari soy sauce
Toppings
Kewpie mayonnaise (gluten-free)
Gluten-free Everything Bagel Seasoning
Seaweed snack sheets, crushed (or seaweed flakes)
Sushi pickled ginger
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare the Okonomiyaki Sauce
In a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce, oyster sauce and tamari soy sauce.
Mix well and set aside.
2. Prepare the Gluten Free Batter
In a separate, very large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free self-raising flour, cold vegetable stock and eggs until smooth.
Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
If the batter is too thick, add a little water.
3. Prepare the Vegetables and Combine
Meanwhile, finely shred the cabbage, thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms, shred the carrot and finely slice the spring onions.
Add all the prepared vegetables to the bowl of batter and stir well, making sure the batter is evenly distributed throughout the vegetables.
Season with sea salt and pepper.
4. Fry the Okonomiyaki Pancakes
Heat half the olive oil in a non-stick 20–22 cm frying pan over medium heat.
Add half the vegetable and batter mixture, pressing down with the back of a spoon so it fills the frying pan in an even, flat layer.
Cook for 6 minutes, or until the underside is golden and the pancake is set.
Carefully flip the pancake and cook for a further 6 minutes.
Repeat with the remaining olive oil and vegetable mixture to make the second pancake.
5. Add the Toppings and Serve
Transfer each cooked okonomiyaki pancake to a large serving plate.
Drizzle with the homemade okonomiyaki sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise.
Sprinkle with crushed seaweed flakes and gluten-free Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Finish with sushi pickled ginger.
Slice and serve while warm.
Have you tried this recipe?
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW ❤️
and share it with me at @createcookshare on
Recipe and Photography by Margaret Pahos for @CreateCookShare
Comments