Sourdough Okonomiyaki - Savory Japanese Pancakes

A Sourdough Okonomiyaki pancake displayed on small white plate.

Sourdough Okonomiyaki - Savory Japanese Pancakes

Crispy, crunchy, and full of flavor, this Japanese savory pancake might just be your new favorite dinner. With a hint of sourdough tang and tons of fun toppings, this frittata-like pancake is both family-friendly and full of delicious vegetables!

Course Breakfast, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American, Japanese

Keyword Sourdough Discard

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings Pancakes

Calories 168kcal

Author Kate Freebairn

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Frying Pan

Ingredients

To Make The Pancakes

3 Eggs
120 g Sourdough Starter
30 g Cornstarch
20 g All-purpose Flour
5 g Salt
1 g Baking Powder (approx. ¼ tsp)
300 g Cabbage (shredded)
2 Scallions (thinly sliced green onions)
20 g Chicken Stock (or dashi)

For Frying and Topping

30 g Neutral Oil (for frying)
Sesame Seeds
Scallions
Nori (Japanese seaweed)
Pickled Ginger (optional)
Mayonnaise (optional)

Okonomiyaki Sauce

50 g Ketchup
15 g Worcestershire Sauce
10 g Honey
8 g Soy Sauce

Instructions

Beat the eggs in a medium sized bowl. Then, whisk in the sourdough discard, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and baking powder.
Use a spatula to mix in the shredded cabbage and scallions. The batter should be fairly thick with the vegetables, not a runny batter with a bit of vegetables mixed in.
This part will depend on the texture of your starter. If your sourdough starter or discard is quite thick, mix in the chicken stock or dashi until you have a uniform batter. If you have a runny discard, you may not need any more liquid, or may even need a bit more flour. You should be able to scoop up a large spoonful without liquid running everywhere. If you’re not sure about the texture, you can adjust further once you scoop the okonomiyaki batter into the pan.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a splash of neutral oil to lightly coat the bottom. Once the oil is shimmering, scoop about a cup’s worth of the sourdough okonomiyaki batter into the pan. The batter should stay in a big puffy pancake. (Don’t worry if it runs a bit, just use a spatula to push the batter back into the circular shape. If it runs a lot, whisk in a bit more flour). Fry until the bottom is set and golden brown, about 5 minutes, then flip the pancake and cook the other side until nicely browned.
Repeat until all the pancakes are cooked, then dress them up with your favorite toppings! If you want to make your own okonomiyaki sauce, whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and honey, then spread on top of the pancake before drizzling mayonnaise and sprinkling on the toppings of your choice.

Nutrition