Fluffy Vegan Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki — Japan's beloved savory cabbage pancake — usually leans on eggs for its lift. Here silken tofu takes over that job, and the result is somehow even fluffier: soft, custardy inside, crisp-edged outside, with okara powder quietly adding fiber and body.
At 300 calories and 19 grams of protein per serving, it's the rare comfort food you can eat on a diet without a shred of guilt. Pile on the sauce, sesame and pickled ginger and dig in.
Ingredients
- Okara (soy pulp) powdersee substitutions2 Tbsp
- Silken tofutwo 10- to 12-oz blocks
- Cabbage1/4 head
- All-purpose flour5 Tbsp
- Salt1 pinch
- Kombu dashi powder1 tsp
To serve
- Okonomiyaki sauce (vegan)check the label — many contain fishto taste
- Sliced green onionto taste
- Pickled red ginger (beni shoga)to taste
- Ground toasted sesameto taste
- Aonori (green seaweed flakes)to taste
Nutrition
per serving🛒 Ingredient notes & substitutions
Okara powder: Soy flour is the closest swap; almond flour or 2 extra Tbsp of all-purpose flour also work (the pancake will be slightly less tender).
Okonomiyaki sauce: Stir together 2 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire-style vegan sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp maple syrup.
Kombu dashi powder: Vegetable bouillon powder in the same amount.
Instructions
Finely chop the cabbage.
In a bowl, whisk together the silken tofu, okara powder, flour, salt and kombu dashi powder until smooth — the tofu breaks down into the batter.
Fold the chopped cabbage into the batter.
Heat a little oil in a skillet and pour in half the batter (one pancake). Shape it with a spoon, cover, and cook 4 minutes over low to medium heat.
Flip, cover, and cook another 4 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the batter, then top with okonomiyaki sauce and your favorite finishes.
Tips
The batter is softer and more fragile than an egg-based one — that's normal. When shaping, press it together gently with a spoon in the pan and it sets into a clean round as it cooks.
Cook it covered and low. The trapped steam is what cooks the middle through while the tofu keeps everything cloud-soft.
Mayo lovers: a drizzle of vegan mayo alongside the sauce takes it all the way to street-stall flavor.