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Mushroom and Cabbage Okonomiyaki

Thick cabbage-and-mushroom okonomiyaki brings tender vegetables, a golden skillet crust, and the classic sweet-savory topping combination to a meatless supper.

Two thick golden mushroom and cabbage okonomiyaki pancakes are topped with sauces, scallions, nori, and sesame.

Okonomiyaki is at its best when it feels substantial: cabbage stays tender in a thick egg-and-flour batter while the skillet gives both sides a crisp, deeply browned crust. Mushrooms add savory depth here without making the pancakes meat-heavy, and the finishing sauces turn each hot round into a complete meal.

Aim for shaggy, not pourable

The batter is a binder, not a pool surrounding the vegetables. Start with cooled stock and fold it through the cabbage only until every shred is coated; the mixture should stand in a loose mound, which helps the finished pancakes stay thick and tender instead of spreading into crepes.

Mushrooms add depth

Thinly sliced shiitakes bring a concentrated woodsy note, though everyday creminis work beautifully and are often easier to find. Their slices cook alongside the cabbage inside the pancake, adding savory contrast without changing the straightforward one-skillet method.

Two thick cabbage and mushroom pancake rounds cook in a nonstick skillet with set golden edges. — Two thick cabbage-and-mushroom rounds cook undisturbed until their edges set in a nonstick skillet.

Give the first side time

Resist checking underneath too soon. When the edge is set and a wide spatula can slide fully beneath the pancake, support the top with a second spatula and turn in one committed motion; that support keeps the soft center from splitting.

Protect the crisp edge

Medium heat gives the cabbage time to soften before the exterior darkens too far. Cook in pairs with room around each round, and bring the toppings to the skillet before you finish so the pancakes spend as little time as possible waiting after they leave the heat.

A cut okonomiyaki wedge reveals tender cabbage and mushrooms beneath its deeply golden crisp crust. — A cut okonomiyaki shows tender cabbage and mushrooms beneath a deeply golden crisp surface.

Sauce while hot

Okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise are the familiar finish, with nori and sesame supplying a salty, toasty accent. If those items are out of reach, use ketchup and Worcestershire for the sauce, regular mayonnaise, and crushed roasted seaweed, then eat immediately while the contrast between crisp edge and tender center is strongest.

Mushroom and Cabbage Okonomiyaki

4 generous servings

49 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 lb green cabbage, finely shredded
•
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens divided
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
•
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
• 1/3 cup okonomiyaki sauce, or equal parts ketchup and Worcestershire sauce
• Japanese mayonnaise, nori strips, and sesame seeds, for topping

Method

Prepare the vegetables
Finely shred the cabbage, thinly slice the mushrooms and scallions, and reserve the scallion greens with the nori and sesame seeds for the finished pancakes. Use shiitake mushrooms by default; use cremini when unavailable. Use dashi by default; use vegetable stock for a meat-free or easier-to-source version.
Look for: The cabbage is in fine, short shreds and the mushrooms are thin enough to cook through quickly.
Make a thick batter
Whisk the flour, cooled dashi or vegetable stock, eggs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth, then fold in the cabbage, mushrooms, and scallion whites until coated.
Look for: The mixture is thick and mounded, with cabbage coated in batter but no puddle of liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
Heat the skillet
Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then divide half the cabbage mixture into two loose mounds with space between them.
Look for: The oil shimmers gently and the two mounds are each about 3/4 inch thick rather than spread thin.
Cook the first side
Press each mound lightly into a 5-inch round and cook without moving for 5 to 6 minutes, until the underside is deeply golden and the edges look set.
Look for: A thin spatula slides under each pancake cleanly and the edge holds together when gently lifted.
Turn and finish
Slide a wide spatula fully beneath each pancake, steady the top with a second spatula, and turn in one confident motion; cook 5 to 6 minutes until the center is tender and the second side is deeply golden.
Look for: The pancakes turn as intact rounds and a skewer inserted in the center meets tender cabbage with no wet floury batter.
Cook the second batch
Transfer the first two pancakes to a warm plate, add the remaining 2 tbsp oil, and repeat the shaping, first-side cooking, and careful turn with the remaining cabbage mixture.
Look for: All four pancakes are thick, browned on both sides, and tender through their centers.
Sauce and serve immediately
Drizzle the hot pancakes with okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise, then scatter with reserved scallion greens, nori strips, and sesame seeds; serve at once while the edges remain crisp.
Look for: The sauces glisten on the hot surface and the browned edges are still audibly crisp when cut.