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Japanese

Takoyaki

Crispy-outside, creamy-inside Japanese octopus balls topped with savory sauce, mayo, and dancing bonito flakes.

hot_biteHardJapanese
Prep30 minCook20 minTotal50 minServes24Temphot
⚠ Contains: 🦐 Shellfish, 🥚 Egg, 🌾 Gluten, 🫘 Soy
Recipe
Ingredients
  • 1 cupall-purpose flour
  • 1 tspdashi powder
  • 2 largeeggs
  • 1.5 cupswater
  • 6 ozcooked octopus(diced small)
  • 3 tbsppickled ginger(minced)
  • 4 wholescallions(thinly sliced)
  • 1/4 cuptenkasu
  • 1/4 cuptakoyaki sauce(for topping)
  • 3 tbspKewpie mayonnaise(for topping)
  • 1/2 cupbonito flakes(for topping)
  • 1 sheetnori seaweed(shredded, for topping)
Make Ahead

Must be served immediately - takoyaki do not hold well. Batter can be made 1 hour ahead.

Instructions
  1. 1Whisk flour, dashi powder, eggs, and water until smooth, let rest 15 minutes
  2. 2Heat takoyaki pan and brush wells generously with oil
  3. 3Fill each well nearly full with batter
  4. 4Add a piece of octopus, some ginger, scallions, and tenkasu to each
  5. 5Cook until bottom sets, about 2 minutes
  6. 6Use picks to rotate balls 90 degrees, let cook another minute
  7. 7Continue rotating to form spheres, cooking until golden all over, about 5 minutes total
  8. 8Transfer to serving boat, drizzle with takoyaki sauce and mayo in zigzag pattern
  9. 9Top with bonito flakes and nori, serve immediately while bonito is still dancing
Notes
Pro Tips

A takoyaki pan is essential. Keep turning the balls continuously for even cooking and a perfect round shape.

History & Origin

Takoyaki originated in Osaka in 1935. They became a defining street food of the city and are now beloved throughout Japan and beyond.

Pairs Well With
sakejapanese-whiskybeer
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