This easy okonomiyaki recipe does wonders with your Christmas leftovers, repurposing your sliced ham into a delicious Boxing Day breakfast.

What you need to know before you start

This recipe requires you to use two medium frypans simultaneously to make two okonomiyaki. This optimises your cooking time and ensures the dish stays warm. If you only have one frypan or prefer to cook one at a time, keep the first one warm in a 120°C/100°C fan-forced oven while you cook the second. If you pour all the batter into one frypan, your pancake will be too thick, and you run the risk of it either being raw inside or burning on the outside before it cooks through. 

You’ll need to set aside roughly 1 hour to cook this recipe from start to finish. However, it’s not all hands-on – there’s 30 minutes of chilling time for the batter and about 20 minutes of cooking the okonomiyaki where you will only need to flip once, halfway through. 

Why is this the best leftover ham and vegie okonomiyaki recipe?

Sometimes referred to as ‘Japanese pizza’, okonomiyaki originates in Japan and is a great way of using up leftovers. It’s easy to prepare, great for weeknight dinners or in lunchboxes the next day. In our version, we use leftover sliced ham, but feel free to use turkey, pork, beef or seafood, or omit the meat all together to keep it vegetarian. Make the dish your own with whatever hard cheese you have on hand, such as cheddar, tasty or Gruyere, and add shredded carrot, minced ginger or choose any type of cabbage you prefer. 

Serve it warm or at room temperature, brushed with savoury, salty tonkatsu sauce, a drizzle of creamy Kewpie mayonnaise and a sprinkling of furikake, a Japanese rice seasoning, for texture and a boost of umami goodness. 

What is okonomiyaki batter made of?

In this recipe, the okonomiyaki batter is made from plain flour, potato flour, garlic powder, water and an egg. Fresh ingredients like cabbage, red onion and cheese are then added to the batter, ready to be cooked. 

Why does my okonomiyaki fall apart?

If your okonomiyaki is falling apart, it can be a sign that your batter is too thin and loose. On the other end of the scale, if the batter is too thick, it may not cook evenly. To resolve a thin batter, add more plain and potato flour until it resembles a thick but pourable consistency. 

What ingredients you’ll need

Plain flour: Plain flour provides the base for the batter, giving structure and a soft texture to the okonomiyaki when cooked.

Potato flour: Working alongside the plain flour, potato flour helps to create a crisp, slightly chewy texture.

Garlic powder: This imparts a savoury umami depth to the batter. 

Egg: Egg is used to help bind the ingredients of the batter together. 

Leftover sliced ham: Ham adds a savoury saltiness to the dish. Use up leftovers from your Christmas day feast or Sunday night roast dinner. 

Shredded wombok: Cabbage adds a mild flavour and crunchy texture to form the body of the savoury pancake. We use wombok, but feel free to use whichever cabbage you prefer. 

Red onion: Onion adds a mild sharpness, contrasting the rich flavours of the ham. 

White pepper: Pepper adds a subtle heat without overpowering the other ingredients. 

Vegetable oil: The okonomiyaki is fried in vegetable oil to form a slightly crisp golden-brown exterior. 

Hard cheese: Cheese adds a creamy richness to the dish. Opt for any kind of grated hard cheese.

Tonkatsu sauce: Sweet, tangy and umami-packed tonkatsu sauce is brushed over the finished okonomiyaki. 

Mayonnaise: Kewpie mayo adds a rich creaminess to complement the sweetness from the tonkatsu sauce and the freshness of the cabbage. 

Furikake: This Japanese seasoning mix of dried seaweed and sesame seeds adds crunch and a boost of flavour. If you can’t get your hands on furikake, you can toast a sheet of nori, crumble it into small pieces and mix through some toasted sesame seeds. 

Green shallot: Green shallots are thinly sliced and sprinkled over the finished dish to add a mild onion-like flavour and burst of greenery. 

How to flip an okonomiyaki

Flipping an okonomiyaki is a simple technique anyone can master. There are two methods we suggest, depending on your type of frypan.

If you’re using a flat frypan like something you would use to make a crepe, you can slide the okonomiyaki onto a plate or board. Place the pan on top and flip the board so the uncooked side is now in direct contact with the pan. If you’re using a frypan with an edge, use two large spatulas on either side of the okonomiyaki to flip quickly and smoothly. 

How to store leftover okonomiyaki

Cooked okonomiyaki stores well. Wrap undressed okonomiyaki in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring it to room temperature when serving, or reheat in the microwave before brushing with tonkatsu sauce and finishing with any toppings you’re using. 

What to serve with leftover ham and vegie okonomiyaki 

Serve your ham and vegie okonomiyaki with tonkatsu sauce, a drizzle of mayonnaise, a sprinkle of furikake and green shallots. For an added indulgence, you can even add a crispy fried egg on top. Enjoy it as is or pair it with other Japanese dishes like curry ramen, green tea beef yakitori or salmon sashimi salad.   

Drink pairings with leftover ham and vegie okonomiyaki 

In keeping with the Japanese theme, choose Japanese drinks that complement the savoury richness of the dish, such as an Asahi, Sapporo or Kirin beer, a bright and citrussy yuzu soda or a refreshing green tea. 

If you love our leftover ham and vegie okonomiyaki recipe, try this 

Looking for more easy weeknight dinners to add to your mealtime rotation? Try these simple mains the whole family will love:

• Easy pasta primavera 
• Yotam Ottolenghi’s puttanesca-style salmon traybake 
• One-pot Moroccan chicken and rice with silverbeet