Vegan Tofu Japanese Savoury Pancake (Vegan Okonomiyaki)

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake but not the type of pancake you are familiar with. It is a savoury vegetable pancake coated with Okonomiyaki sauce which is a type of Worcestershire sauce and drizzled with mayonnaise. Okonomiyaki is one of many soul food in Osaka which is the place to go if you want to have good food on a budget. However, the pancakes are usually not vegan since they have egg, pork, fish stock, and even dried fish flakes (Katsuobushi) on top, so I thought it would be great if you have a recipe for a vegan Okonomiyaki because they are so delicious and you should definitely try them!

What is Okonomiyaki?

There are mainly two types of Okonomiyaki in Japan, one is Hiroshima Okonomiyaki which originated from Hiroshima prefecture and the other is Kansai Okonomiyaki which originated from Osaka. In this post, I’m going to introduce the latter one. Kansai Okonomiyaki is usually made by mixing lots of shredded cabbage, pork, or seafood and batter which is made with egg, flour, and dashi stock. The batter is fried like a pancake and drizzled with some condiments like okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. Sprinkling some dried fish flakes and dried green seaweed is a kind of essential in classic Okonomiyaki.

However, I came up with a recipe for a vegan Okonomiyaki which uses tofu in place of egg in the batter and it is just as good as the original one!

Ingredients You will Need

Tofu – You can use either medium firm tofu or silken tofu to make the batter. Firm tofu is not ideal for this recipe because of the lack of moisture you want in your batter.

Soy Sauce – Usually, fish stock is used to make Okonomiyaki batter in Japan, soy sauce is the perfect alternative for it. It is full of umami.

Plain flour – I like to use cake flour because it makes my pancake lighter and fluffier, but plain flour works well too.

Baking Powder – It is for the fluffiness of the pancake.

Cabbage – Some people in Osaka say that cabbage is the most important ingredient in Okonomiyaki. You need to use lots of chopped cabbage!

Green Onion – This is kind of optional. Some recipes don’t use green onion or leek at all, but for some colour, it can be used for the topping too.

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce – You can find some vegan version of Worcestershire sauce in vegan shops or online nowadays.

Vegan Mayonnaise – I like to use soy based vegan mayo but you can use any type of vegan mayo you prefer.

Step-by-Step Guide

1 In a bowl, mash your tofu with a fork until smooth and add water and soy sauce.

2 Add the flour and baking powder in the bowl and whisk together, then add chopped cabbage and combine them all.

3 If you like some colour in your pancake, add chopped green onion to the batter and fold until all vegetables are coated with the batter.

4 If you like some colour in your pancake, add chopped green onion to the batter and fold until all vegetables are coated with the batter.

5 Wait until the edges of your pancake become golden and crispy. It will take about 5-8 minutes, then flip it over and fry it for another 3-5 minutes. Rotate your panceke occasionally to make it evenly fried.

6 Transfer the pancake onto a plate and spread some vegan worcestershire sauce on top, then drizzle some mayonnaise.

7 Finally, sprinkle some chopped green onion to make it look presentable. Immediately serve while it’s warm. Enjoy!If you want to make your okonomiyaki more traditional, sprinkle some dried green sea weed on top.

Tips for Making Okonomiyaki

Use silken tofu or medium-firm tofu

Firm tofu is not smooth enough to make okonomiyaki batter. If you use firm tofu for this recipe, the consistency of the batter would be different from what it should be.

Adjust the amount of water accordingly

You need to change the amount of water for the batter according to what type of tofu you are using. 50ml for silken tofu and 100ml for medium firm tofu.

Fry your Okonomiyaki over medium-high heat

To crisp up the outside of the pancake, it is important to fry the pancake on medium-high heat not gentle heat.

Rotate your okonomiyaki occasionally

Rotating the pancake while frying it is the trick to get an even fried pancake.

Q & A

What to spread on my okonomiyaki apart from Worcestershire sauce?

If you don’t like Worcestershire sauce, you can use other condiments like soy sauce, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and sriracha sauce if you want spiciness.

Can I make okonomiyaki day ahead?

Yes, you can make the pancake ahead and refry it in a frying pan before you eat.

How can I store reftover okonomiyaki?

You can store your okonomiyaki without putting sauce and mayo in the fridge for about 3 days. You can even freeze the pancake for 1 month in a freezer bag. Thaw it in a microwave or refry it in a frying pan before eating.

More Tofu Recipes

Vegan Crispy Fried Tofu Rice Bowl with Korean Spicy Sauce (Yangnyeom)

Vegan Deep Fried Tofu with Sweet Miso Sauce and Peanuts (Miso Peanut Karaage)

Mashed Tofu Salad (Shiraae)

Deep Fried Tofu Balls (Ganmodoki)