This baked vegan okonomiyaki is a healthier twist on the popular street food found throughout the cities of Japan. Loads of tender veggies in a savory pancake smothered in creamy vegan mayo, green onions, nori and anything else you can dream up!
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I'm VERY excited to share this recipe with you all. Once upon a time, I journeyed to Japan. (Gosh, I miss traveling) We have family who lives there and were lucky enough to be able to make the trip to visit them, pre-children and pre-vegan times. I just loved being immersed in a different culture. The food was mind blowing.
While there, one of my favorite food experiences was, you guessed it... Okonomiyaki (pronounced oh-ko-no-me-ya-ki)! I came home and had to recreate it, and we've been eating it ever since!
Traditional Okonomiyaki is a savory vegetable pancake that literally translates to "as you like it". It's a savory pancake based in a wheat batter and loaded with veggies (and other non vegan things 😬) fried up on an iron gridle and topped with so many toppings, like okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, ginger, nori and green onions.
My Vegan Baked Okonomiyaki takes a non-traditional twist. It's vegan, whole food, plant based and easily made oil-free for a lightened up version that doesn't sacrifice in taste.

Ingredients
To make your own homemade okonomiyaki you'll have to grab...
Batter Ingredients
- whole wheat flour
- all purpose flour
- ground flax seed
- sesame oil (omit for oil free)
- tamari or soy sauce
- veggie broth or kombu dashi
Veggies
- shredded green or purple cabbage
- green onions
- carrots
Optional (but not really) Toppings
- roasted seaweed
- sesame seeds
- sriracha
- spicy mayo
- okonomiyaki sauce (there's a 2 second homemade version in the recipe!)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Whisk together all batter ingredients into a large bowl.
Shred cabbage, carrots and thinly slice green onion. I prefer to use my food processor to save time. Toss all that veg into the bowl and give it a good mix. Should be about the consistency of coleslaw.

Use a 1 cup measuring cup to scoop out the batter and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Use your hands or the back of the measuring cup to flatten into pancakes.
Bake according to directions.
Hint: If you try to flip your okonomiyaki and it feels too soft, or like it's going to break, either let it bake another 5-10 minutes or just leave them un-flipped. They do not need to be flipped, the flip is for aesthetics only.
Top however you like and enjoy! I highly recommend that you do not skimp on the toppings. Do a little bit of everything, trust me.
I personally top mine with...
- Spicy Mayo
- Okonomiyaki sauce or Bachan's Japanese BBQ Sauce
- Roasted Seaweed
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Sliced green onions and
- Sriracha!

Substitutions & Variations
This recipe super versatile, it's called "as you like it" so go crazy and make it however YOU like!
- Swap the veg- instead of cabbage, you can use chopped kale or another hearty green that you love. You could also try a combination of shredded diakon radish or sweet potato in place of the carrot!
- Fry it- You could alternative pan fry these with oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until cooked through and crispy on the edges, about 5-8 minutes per side.
- Oil Free- The sesame oil is in this recipe for flavor but can easily be left out
- Change up the toppings- Every time you make this can be a new experience with topping changes!
If you experiment leave a comment below to let us know what you tried and how it went!! I'd love to hear how YOU like your okonomiyaki!
Equipment
Some equipment that I find useful for this recipe include
- Ninja Blender with Large Food Processor Attachment
- Non-Stick Baking Mat (my favorite for all roasting and baking- not silicone)
Storage
Uneaten okonomiyaki can be stored after fully cooled in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove or oven before enjoying.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram @samcookskindness !
Need something to pair with your Okonomiyaki??
Recipe

Baked Okonomiyaki
Ingredients
Batter Ingredients
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil omit for oil free
- ½ tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 cup veggie broth or kombu dashi*
Veggies
- 5 cups green or purple cabbage shredded or sliced very thin
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots about 2 cups shredded
Topping Options
- roasted seaweed
- sesame seeds
- sriracha
- Spicy Mayo **see notes
- okonomiyaki Sauce see recipe below
Simple Okonomiyaki Sauce (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
How to make Baked Okonomiyaki
- In large bowl, whisk together whisk together all Batter ingredients until fully combined. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°. Prep veggies - Shred cabbage & carrots and slice green onions. (I like to use my food processor to save time)
- Add veggies into batter mixture and mix till fully combined. Mix should look like the texture of coleslaw.
- Scoop 1 cup servings onto parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Use hands (or back of measuring cup) to compress into round pancake like shapes. This should make about 6-7 pancakes.
- Bake for 25 minutes, rotate baking sheet position in your oven if you're using two, and OPTIONALLY, you can carefully flip the pancakes at this time. Bake for another 10-15 minutes.
- Plate & add as many toppings and sauces as you'd like.
How to make Okonomiyaki Sauce
- Combine EQUAL parts of ketchup and vegan Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl and mix!
Sarah says
I love Japanese food and never heard of these before; I can’t wait to try them!
Sam says
I hope you enjoy it!! I love trying new foods!
Nicole O. says
I just tried these and thought they were great! 😊 I did end up adding 1/2 tsp salt to the mixture, and replaced the carrots with mushrooms, and it was delicious! Definitely going to make this every time I have cabbage sitting in the fridge. Thanks for the recipe! 😊
Sam says
Thank you for giving it try Nicole!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I never thought to add mushrooms and I'm really excited to try it the next time I make this!