A large Japanese omelette, known as tonpeiyaki (pork and cabbage roll), is topped with zigzag lines of Japanese mayonnaise, okonomi sauce, and dried seaweed flakes, and served on an oval plate on a wooden table.

Tonpeiyaki at a Glance

Tonpeiyaki is a soft, foldable omelette wrapped around pork belly and cabbage, finished with a drizzle of okonomi sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, and a sprinkle of aonori (green seaweed).

Why You’ll Love It

  • All the okonomiyaki flavor without the batter. The same pork, cabbage, and savory toppings go into a soft omelette instead of a dense pancake, and it’s ready in 20 minutes.
  • A potato starch slurry stirred into the eggs is what makes this foldable. It’s the difference between an omelette that wraps cleanly and one that tears.
  • Okonomi sauce, Kewpie mayo, and aonori finish it the way an Osaka okonomiyaki restaurant does. That topping trio is what separates tonpeiyaki from a plain omelette.
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My Recipe Story

On the nights when dinner has to happen fast, this is what I reach for. I almost always have eggs and cabbage in the fridge and thin-sliced pork belly in the freezer, and tonpeiyaki turns those three into something that feels like a real meal. My family gets the okonomiyaki flavors they love without me standing over a griddle all evening. Honestly, I make this more often than I make okonomiyaki.

If you love Osaka classics, try my Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba, and Takoyaki recipes next!

A Japanese tonpeiyaki omelette topped with savory sauces and creamy mayonnaise, garnished with green seaweed flakes, served on a decorative oval plate on a wooden table with chopsticks and side dishes nearby.

Key Ingredients

Tonpeiyaki consists of an omelette, a filling of sautéed pork and cabbage, and savory toppings.

  • Eggs – I find quality eggs from your local farmers’ market or look for pasture-raised eggs at the grocery store.
  • Potato starch – Potato starch is my secret to a soft-smooth omelette that folds without tearing. Called katakuriko in Japanese, potato starch is gluten-free with a neutral taste. You can substitute cornstarch if you don’t have it.
  • Pork belly – I use thin-sliced pork belly; the rendered fat is what makes this rich, and thin slices cook fast enough for a weeknight. Buy it pre-sliced at Japanese and Asian grocery stores, or see How to Slice Meat Thinly. Substitutes are in Variations below.
  • Okonomi sauce – It’s the signature flavor of Osaka’s okonomiyaki counters. The sauce is glossy and sweet-savory, similar to tonkatsu sauce but slightly sweeter. You can buy it bottled, but I make Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce with four pantry staples in 5 minutes.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

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How to Make Tonpeiyaki

  1. Prepare the ingredients. Shred the cabbage and slice the pork belly into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces. Cut through the eggs with chopsticks. Mix a potato starch slurry into the eggs.
  2. Cook the filling. Heat a frying pan over medium. Add oil and the pork belly, sautéing until the pork is no longer pink. Add the cabbage and cook until tender. Season with soy sauce and mirin. Transfer the filling to a tray and clean the pan.
  3. Make the omelette. Heat the oil in the same pan over medium until it shimmers. Pour in the egg mixture. Big bubbles will form as the egg hits the hot pan. Poke them with a chopstick and let the runny egg fill the holes. Cook until the bottom is just set.
  4. Fill and fold the omelette. Add the filling to the omelette’s center and fold in the sides. Slide the omelette to the pan’s edge, angle a plate underneath, and flip the omelette onto the plate. Fix the shape.
  5. Add toppings and serve. Drizzle the omelette with okonomi sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. Sprinkle with aonori seaweed and serve.
Hands slicing a head of cabbage with a knife on a wooden cutting board, preparing fresh ingredients for tonpeiyaki. Thin cabbage strips are visible beside the hands.
A hand stirs sliced cabbage and pieces of meat in a skillet with a wooden spatula on a stovetop, preparing a savory tonpeiyaki.
Beaten eggs are being poured from a metal bowl into a stainless steel frying pan on a stovetop, ready to be cooked into tonpeiyaki.
A stainless steel pan on a stove with a tonpeiyaki omelette being folded over stir-fried pork and cabbage using a slotted spatula.
A large Japanese omelette, known as tonpeiyaki (pork and cabbage roll), is topped with zigzag lines of Japanese mayonnaise, okonomi sauce, and dried seaweed flakes, and served on an oval plate on a wooden table.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Nami’s Recipe Tips

Keep these tips in mind for the best results every time.

  • Slice the cabbage about ¼ inch (6 mm) wide – I love the fluffy shreds my cabbage slicer makes, but if I slice it that thin, the filling loses its texture and turns soggy. I use a knife here instead.
  • Don’t overcook the pork – I sauté the pork belly only until it’s no longer pink. It finishes cooking with the cabbage and stays tender.
Hands slicing a head of cabbage with a knife on a wooden cutting board, preparing fresh ingredients for tonpeiyaki. Thin cabbage strips are visible beside the hands.
A frying pan with cooked pork slices on a stove, a wooden spatula resting on the side, and sliced cabbage being added from a bowl above the pan—just like preparing classic tonpeiyaki.
  • Mix in a starch slurry but don’t whip the eggs – I add a potato starch slurry so the egg stays soft and foldable. The starch coats the proteins so they don’t bind too tightly. Then I cut through the eggs with chopsticks rather than stirring in circles, stopping while the egg still falls in a thick ribbon. Whipped-in air becomes bubbles that expand and tear the omelette.
  • Use a 10-inch pan, no bigger – Mine is a 10-inch (25 cm) stainless steel pan. It has to run hotter than nonstick to keep the egg from sticking, so the egg should sizzle the moment it hits. A smaller pan folds more easily and leaves extra filling. Add 2 more eggs and make a second tonpeiyaki.
  • Pop the bubbles in the omelette – That hot pan puffs up big bubbles as soon as the egg goes in. I puncture them to release the trapped steam, then swirl the runny egg over the holes to even out the thickness.
A hand pours a small bowl of white liquid into a bowl of beaten eggs on a wooden surface, using a wooden chopstick to stir—perfectly preparing the egg mixture for making tonpeiyaki.
A pair of chopsticks stirs beaten eggs cooking in a large stainless steel pan on a stovetop, preparing the perfect base for a savory tonpeiyaki.
  • Fill the omelette when the bottom is just set – I add the filling when the egg is still runny on top, and it keeps cooking while I finish the rest. Don’t wait until the egg is cooked through, or you’ll end up with a dry, tough omelette. I learned this the hard way in my early cooking days!
  • Shape the omelette on the plate – Fix the tonpeiyaki shape after flipping it out of the pan, not before. I use a paper towel and my hands to make it a neat rectangle.
A pan with beaten eggs cooking, reminiscent of making tonpeiyaki, while stir-fried pork and cabbage are added from a bowl using a wooden spatula. The dish is being prepared on a stovetop.
Two hands wrap a food item—likely a tonpeiyaki—in a white paper towel on a decorative oval plate placed on a wooden surface. The person is wearing gold bracelets.

Make Ahead Tips

  • Cook the filling ahead – I sauté the pork and cabbage a day in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
  • Warm the filling first – Microwave it until warm before you pour in the eggs. The omelette comes off the heat moments after folding, so a cold filling means a cold center.

Storage and Reheating Tips

To store: Let the tonpeiyaki cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This dish does not freeze well.

To reheat: Warm it in a covered frying pan over low heat, or microwave in short intervals, until heated through.

Variations

My Tonpeiyaki recipe is flexible—here are some ideas to get you started.

  • Change the protein. Swap in bacon, small shrimp, calamari pieces, canned tuna, or diced Spam for the filling.
  • Add vegetables. Mix bean sprouts into the cabbage filling for crunch and lightness. Fold in kimchi or pickled red ginger for tang, or tenkasu for texture.
  • Switch out the cabbage. Use heaping handfuls of chopped green onions/scallions instead of cabbage for a Negiyaki flavor profile.
  • Switch the sauce. Try ponzu sauce instead for a bright, refreshing alternative to okonomi sauce.
  • Drizzle Spicy Mayo. It takes 1 minute to add heat and tang to Kewpie mayo with sriracha and lime juice.
  • Make it vegetarian. Switch out the pork for mushrooms, tofu crumbles, tofu puffs, or cheese.
A Japanese tonpeiyaki (pork and cabbage omelette), topped with mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, and green seaweed, served on a white and blue platter with drinks and side dishes on a wooden table.
A plate with sliced Japanese tonpeiyaki (pork and cabbage omelette), topped with mayonnaise, okonomi sauce, and green seaweed, revealing a savory filling of cabbage and meat inside with chopsticks and a sauce dispenser nearby on a wooden table.

What to Serve with Tonpeiyaki

Tonpeiyaki is a versatile dish to serve any time of year. Pair your side dishes based on the season. Here are a few of my suggestions.

  • Hiyayakko – Japanese cold tofu is a simple, no-cook appetizer to refresh the palate before the main course.
  • Miso Yaki Onigiri – Grilled rice balls brushed with a sweet-savory miso sauce bring umami and comfort to the table.
  • Japanese Glass Noodle Soup – This clear soup with cellophane noodles (harusame) adds protein and warmth to your meal.
  • Cold Brew Green Tea – Sip this aromatic and smooth iced beverage with your meal to cool down and stay energized.
A block of chilled Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu) topped with green onions, grated ginger, bonito flakes, and soy sauce sits on a shiso leaf in a blue glass dish, with chopsticks and sauce nearby.
Miso Yaki Onigiri placed on a bizenware ceramic plate garnished with shiso leaf.

FAQ

What does tonpeiyaki mean?

Tonpeiyaki is derived from the Japanese terms for pork (とん, ton), flat (平, pei), and grilled (焼き, yaki)—the pork is grilled flat. It originated in postwar Osaka at an okonomiyaki restaurant called Hontonpei, where the husband drew on food he’d encountered as a prisoner of war in Siberia, and his wife brought her skill with eggs and mayonnaise.

What is the difference between tonpeiyaki and okonomiyaki?

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake built on a thick flour batter. Tonpeiyaki skips the batter and wraps the same cabbage and pork belly filling in a soft omelette, so it’s lower in carbs and faster to cook. Both get the same finish: okonomi sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, and aonori.

How do I flip tonpeiyaki without breaking it?

The key to not breaking your tonpeiyaki is to push the folded omelette to the pan’s edge. Angle a plate underneath and quickly flip the omelette on top, seam-side down. The potato starch in the egg mixture also helps it hold together.

Can I substitute tonpeiyaki sauce?

Tonpeiyaki uses okonomi sauce. If you don’t have a bottle, make your own by mixing Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, oyster sauce, and sugar. See my Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce for the recipe.

I’d love to hear how yours turned out! 💛 Please leave a star rating and comment below to share your experience. Your feedback not only supports Just One Cookbook but also helps other home cooks discover recipes they can trust.

Tonpeiyaki (Pork and Cabbage Omelette)

5 from 1 vote
by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
A Japanese tonpeiyaki omelette topped with savory sauces and creamy mayonnaise, garnished with green seaweed flakes, served on a decorative oval plate on a wooden table with chopsticks and side dishes nearby.
An Osaka-style favorite in 20 minutes. Stir-fry shredded cabbage with pork belly, soy sauce, and mirin. Whisk potato starch into the eggs and fold the soft omelette over the filling. Top with okonomi sauce, mayo, and aonori.
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Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Servings: 2

For the Filling

For the Omelette

For the Toppings

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Top-down view of ingredients for Japanese tonpeiyaki, including eggs, pork belly slices, cabbage, sauces, seasonings, oil, and flour, all arranged neatly on a wooden surface.

To Prepare the Ingredients

  • Cabbage and pork: Remove the core from ¼ head green cabbage and slice into ¼-inch (6 mm) shreds with a sharp knife. Cut ¼ lb sliced pork belly into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces.
    Nami's Tip: A cabbage slicer cuts too fine here, so the filling loses its texture.
    Three panels show hands using a knife to slice cabbage and then raw pork on a wooden cutting board, preparing fresh ingredients for cooking tonpeiyaki.
  • Egg mixture: Combine 1 tsp potato starch or cornstarch and 1 tsp water in a small bowl. Crack 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) into a separate bowl and cut through them with chopsticks instead of stirring in circles. Stop while the egg still falls in a thick ribbon. Add the starch mixture and mix to combine.
    Nami's Tip: Whipped-in air makes bubbles that tear the omelette.
    Three steps of making custard: mixing powder and liquid, pouring mixture into beaten eggs, and stirring a thick yellow custard in a saucepan with a wooden spoon—similar to the careful preparation seen in dishes like tonpeiyaki.

To Cook the Filling

  • Heat a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and the pork belly. Cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink.
    Nami's Tip: Don't overcook the pork. It keeps cooking once the cabbage goes in.
    A hand pours oil into a pan, raw sliced meat is added and stirred with a wooden spatula, then the meat is cooked and browned in the pan—preparing the savory base for classic tonpeiyaki.
  • Add the cabbage and season with ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until it wilts and turns tender.
    Two images show cabbage and meat cooking in a stainless steel skillet as part of preparing tonpeiyaki. On the left, a spatula stirs cabbage; on the right, a hand sprinkles seasoning onto cabbage and meat. Both scenes are on a stovetop.
  • Add 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp mirin, stirring to combine. Transfer the filling to a tray or plate. Wash the frying pan.
    Nami's Tip: Wash the pan rather than wiping it. Browned bits left behind make the egg stick.
    Three images show cabbage and pork being stir-fried in a pan for tonpeiyaki: adding sauces, stirring with a spatula, then transferring the cooked dish to a plate.

To Cook the Omelette

  • Preheat the frying pan. Return the pan to medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and heat until it shimmers. The egg should sizzle when it hits.
    Pour in the egg mixture and tilt the pan to spread it evenly. Poke the bubbles with a cooking chopstick to release trapped steam. Swirl the pan to fill the holes with runny egg. Cook until the egg is just set on the bottom but still runny on top.
    Nami's Tip: Releasing the steam lets the egg cook evenly. Add the filling while the top is still runny. A fully cooked egg cracks when you fold it, and the omelette turns dry and rubbery.
    Three-step process for making tonpeiyaki: Oil is poured into a pan, beaten eggs are added, and the eggs are stirred with chopsticks while cooking.

To Fill and Shape the Omelette

  • Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the filling to the center of the omelette in a rectangular log shape, as long as the pan and 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) wide.
    Fold both sides of the omelette over the filling with a spatula.
    A sequence showing a classic tonpeiyaki—a savory omelette with meat and cabbage—cooking in a pan, being folded with a spatula in three steps.
  • Slide the omelette to one edge of the pan. Angle a serving plate underneath and flip the omelette onto the plate.
    Place a paper towel on top and shape the omelette into a rectangle with your hands.
    Three-step process: a tonpeiyaki omelette with filling is placed on a plate, then rolled tightly, and finally wrapped in parchment paper on a wooden table. Hands are shown guiding the process.

To Serve

  • Drizzle the omelette with okonomiyaki sauce (okonomi sauce) and Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle with aonori seaweed. Serve immediately.
    Nami's Tip: I use this mayo dispenser bottle for a thin, even drizzle.
    Three-step collage of a large rolled omelette on a plate, inspired by classic tonpeiyaki: ketchup is drizzled in the first, mayonnaise is added in the second, and green herbs are sprinkled over both sauces in the third.

To Store

  • Let the tonpeiyaki cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This dish does not freeze well.
    To reheat, warm it in a covered frying pan over low heat, or microwave in short intervals, until heated through.

Notes

Variations
I share more detail on each of these in the post.
  • Protein – bacon, small shrimp, calamari, canned tuna, or diced Spam in place of the pork.
  • Vegetables – bean sprouts for crunch, kimchi or pickled red ginger for tang, tenkasu for texture.
  • Cabbage – chopped green onions instead of cabbage for a negiyaki-style version.
  • Sauce – ponzu in place of okonomi sauce for something brighter.
  • Heat – spicy mayo, Kewpie with sriracha and lime.
  • Vegetarian – mushrooms, tofu crumbles, tofu puffs, or cheese in place of the pork.

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on September 1, 2026.