Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce

A delicious homemade bulldog sauce for your okonomiyaki

Crazy about Okonomiyaki? Then you must be familiar with the delectable thick brown sauce that accompanies it and makes it irresistible.

With its sweet and savory flavors, Okonomiyaki sauce is the ideal condiment for a dish like cabbage pancakes that can sometimes lack punch. And what if I told you that this famous sauce only has 4 ingredients?

What is Okonomiyaki Sauce?

Worcestershire, ketchup, honey, oyster sauce… Nothing could be simpler. It’s almost too good to be true. Yes, you can make a delicious homemade Okonomiyaki sauce in no time using 4 simple ingredients that can easily be found in our pantries.

And what’s the strength of this sauce? Its umami-rich taste, its sweet and savory blend that brings back all the charm to Okonomiyaki, this essential dish of Japanese cuisine, without overpowering the flavors that characterize the dish.

Mixed with Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, Okonomiyaki sauce even gives it that creamy texture we love so much.

Okonomiyaki Sauce vs. Bulldog Sauce: What’s the Difference?

What we might criticize about Okonomiyaki sauce is its direct resemblance to Tonkatsu sauce, or “Bulldog sauce” for those in the know. Both are rich in umami.

We could even say that there are similarities with Yakisoba sauce or Takoyaki sauce, simply because they are sauces that use the same ingredients (or almost). They all have this sweet and savory taste, more or less enhanced by a hint of acidity, sometimes slightly spicy due to the Worcestershire sauce.

But to be honest, even if we find this famous Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sugar or a derivative every time, these are sauces that should be distinguished, on one hand by their use, on the other by their taste which remains subtly different from the others. We tend to say that Okonomiyaki sauce is lighter and a tiny bit sweeter than Tonkatsu.

It should also be noted that the quantities are not the same.

The sugar content, consistency (we even talk about viscosity) and balance of flavors will not be the same from one sauce to another. And inevitably, it won’t have the same result. Okonomiyaki sauce doesn’t have the same effect as Tonkatsu sauce on fried pork.

Just as Tonkatsu sauce will be less suitable for drizzling over Okonomiyaki. So, the real difference between these sauces is mainly a matter of proportions, circumstances, usage, and tastes, that’s for sure.

The Main Ingredients of Okonomiyaki Sauce

Worcestershire sauce: a vinegar-based condiment that gives depth to the sauce. Worcestershire sauce is slightly spicy. It’s a significant element, especially with ingredients as mild as ketchup or honey that absolutely need to be enhanced.

Ketchup: it’s the sweet base of Okonomiyaki sauce. It brings a certain balance to the spicy and tangy side of Worcestershire sauce, with smoothness and creaminess.

Honey: here’s a sugar derivative that has the potential to bring a different texture to the final sauce. Honey further reinforces the sweet side of ketchup and can contrast with the Worcestershire sauce and oyster sauce.

Oyster sauce: no oyster taste, promise. Just a source of salt that balances the flavors of this recipe. Be careful not to overuse it, oyster sauce can quickly overpower the rest.