Noodle Okonomiyaki (Cabbage and Egg Pancakes)

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Published May 15, 2025

  • An overhead shot of okonomiyaki-style cabbage and noodle pancakes on a blue plate.
    Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(1,382)
Comments
Read comments

These hearty, vegetarian main-meal pancakes have it all: noodles, eggs and big umami flavors. Loosely inspired by Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, this weeknight-friendly recipe is a shortcut version, with cabbage and instant noodles tossed with seasoned eggs to make a thick, satisfying pancake. It provides a good chance to use up that leftover wedge of cabbage in your fridge, as a little cabbage goes a long way here. There’s room to experiment with other vegetables, too, such as carrots, bean sprouts, potato or broccoli. The egg seasonings — soy sauce, scallions and sesame oil — are also flexible: Try adding a dab of miso paste, a drizzle of chile crisp, Maggi seasoning or a spice paste like gochujang. For a gluten-free alternative, opt for glass noodles. This recipe shows that the best weeknight recipes are the ones that work with what’s available in your pantry.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2 (3-ounce) instant-ramen noodle packages (seasoning packets discarded)

  • Boiled water

  • 8 large eggs

  • 4 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari

  • 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced

  • Salt and pepper (preferably white pepper)

  • ½ medium green, red or savoy cabbage (1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds), halved, core removed and thinly sliced crosswise

  • Vegetable or sunflower oil

  • Sriracha, for serving

  • Mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie brand), for serving 

  • White sesame seeds, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the instant noodles into a large, heatproof bowl, top with about 6 cups just-boiled water, and soak for 7 to 8 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, place the eggs into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and ¾ of the scallions (keep some for garnish); season with about 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and whisk to combine.

  3. Step 3

    Drain the noodles and loosen them up with tongs or your hands. Add the cabbage and the noodles to the eggs and toss well to make sure everything is coated.

  4. Step 4

    Heat a small 6-inch or 8-inch nonstick skillet on medium-high. When hot, drizzle with vegetable oil and add ¼ of the cabbage and noodle mixture. Use a spatula (a flexible fish spatula works well here) to tuck in the sides around the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cover (if you don’t have a lid, use a large skillet or sheet pan) and leave to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bottom is golden. Uncover and top the skillet with a plate that is slightly bigger than the skillet, then confidently flip the pancake so that the cooked side is facing up. Slide the pancake back into the skillet to cook the other side. Leave to cook on medium, uncovered, for another 3 to 4 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the pancake to a plate and continue cooking the other three pancakes, wiping the pan clean and adding another drizzle of vegetable oil between batches.

  6. Step 6

    To serve, drizzle each pancake with Sriracha and mayonnaise, and scatter over the sesame seeds and remaining scallions. (Pancakes can be cooked ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours in an airtight container. Reheat in the skillet or microwave.)

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,382 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Al

Why does everyone who publishes an okonomiyaki recipe want us to flip the gummy barely cooked top side onto a plate? Simply slide the browned, first-cooked side out of the pan onto the inverted lid (let it dry for 20 seconds first), then invert the pan onto the lid & pancake, then flip the whole thing back over!

Canuck Cook

This was tasty, filling, inexpensive, and quick. We added shredded carrot and onion, and sautéed all of the veggies to soften and brown them before adding them to the noodles. We cooked a half recipe as 1 pancake in a 10" fry pan.

Wynne

For those who are a bit timid about flipping from a heavy pan (I am one), there is a workaround. Simply slide the pancake from the pan onto a plate, then place another plate on top of the pancake, and flip it. Then slide the pancake back into the pan.

Tarah

For anyone wondering if this can be made vegan - yes! I substituted just egg and it worked great. The carton says 3T per egg, I’d go 1/4 cup next time. I used protein ramen and the high end of the veggies by weight. Served with sriracha vegenaise and homemade chili crisp.

bsj40052

Surprisingly tasty and popular at our house. Very easy to flip, Def recommend the use of sauces. Will be on our rotation when we need to make a pantry meal.

Lulu

I was skeptical at first and it took a few pancakes before I had my sautéing and flipping down. Finally, creamy and flavorful. Sauces are a must. No Sriracha so mixed barbecue sauce with tahini.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.