Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese pancake that is typically made up of flour, eggs, cabbage and a variety of vegetables and meats. I first tried it in college when my roommate and dear Japanese friend Natsuko treated me. Every time I make this dish I think of her.

It is a great option for a savory breakfast or any meal really. It is also a quick way to use up random bits out of the fridge. You can easily make it meatless or low carb if you choose. Okonomiyaki means “grilled as you like it” so although my recipe isn’t exactly authentic, I think the name supports trying whatever fillings and toppings you like 🙂

I love to use sourdough starter in place of flour as much as I can. For this recipe I reduced the amount of starter and added an extra egg. You can substitute a low carb flour like coconut or almond if desired, you just want to make sure the consistency is like thick pancake batter.

I happened to have lots of avocado on hand so I blended half of a small one up with the egg mixture and the result was tasty! If you want really smooth results an immersion blender works great, I decided to try my much loved milk frother and it worked great! I have had this one for 4 years and bought it multiple times as gifts for people: https://amzn.to/493gmPr

This recipe makes approximately two 4-5 inch pancakes depending on the amount of add-ins. You can add more starter and egg if needed to ensure all the toppings are covered in batter.

As with most of my cooking, I like to experiment and quantities aren’t set in stone so you can play with the recipe and still have delicious results.
If you want to just make one you can save the batter in the fridge for when you are ready for another!

Sourdough Discard Okonomiyaki
★★★★★
Breakfast, Dinner Ideas, Low carb, Sourdough discard
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:
For the pancake:
2 eggs
50g sourdough discard
1 cabbage leaf, finely chopped or grated (I used Napa cabbage)
2 diced green onions
Finely diced peppers
A splash of soy sauce and sesame oil
1/8 tsp powdered ginger or fresh grated
Oil (for frying)

Other filling ideas:
Meats: shrimp, chicken, ham
Bean sprouts
Shredded carrots
Leftover cooked veggies diced
Mushrooms

Optional toppings:
Kewpie (or another mayo)
Hoisin sauce
BBQ sauce
Roasted sesame seeds
Sriracha
Green onions
Avocado slices
Sprouts

Directions:
Combine sourdough discard, egg, soy sauce, ginger and mix well with fork or whisk until it becomes a batter like consistency

Add in shredded vegetables and stir until coated

Heat up oil on a skillet on med-high heat then pour in mixture and shape into pancake about 4-5 inches across

Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown. Flip and continue cook for another 3-4 minutes, uncovered

Serve with toppings of your choice. I like to drizzle mayo mixed with a hot sauce and top with sesame seeds, scallions, sprouts or something crunchy

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