How to Make Takoyaki + 10 Delicious Filling Alternatives
Takoyaki is a popular and delicious Japanese street-food that originated in the Osaka region. It’s essentially a ball-shaped dumpling filled with small pieces of tender octopus, topped with a Worcestershire-style sauce, Japanese mayo, and dried bonito flakes. These days, takoyaki can be found almost anywhere in Japan, but of course the most comforting and customizable takoyaki is prepared at home. When you make takoyaki at home, you can control what fillings you are using, so that everyone can enjoy their favorite version of this classic Japanese street-food. We have another post all about takoyaki’s history, where you can eat it in Japan, and other details, so please check that out here.
Traditional takoyaki contains octopus, and while there are many different types of octopus sold in Japanese supermarkets, the octopus best suited for takoyaki is the "madako (真だこ)," which has a tighter body and a firmer texture. A good octopus is pink in color and has suckers of uniform size.
If you don’t want to use octopus in your takoyaki, here are some alternative filling ideas you could try:
- Cheese
- Konjac
- Sausage
- Ham
- Cabbage
- Kimchi
- Chikuwa (Fish cake)
- Shrimp
- Tofu
- Mushrooms
In this blog post, we’ll provide you with a simple takoyaki recipe that can easily be enjoyed at home. Feel free to use the fillings we’ve suggested, or use your own preferred ingredients. Stay tuned to learn how to make this delicious treat and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home!
*Note: You will need special tools to make Takoyaki. We explain more about the tools and ingredients used for Takoyaki in our blog post here.
Overview
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Total servings: 30
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 125 g Takoyaki Flour
- 1 Egg
- 450cc of Water
- Cooking oil (an appropriate amount)
- ~50g of octopus or your desired filling
- Green onions
- Benishoga (Red Pickled Ginger)
- Tenkasu (Japanese Tempura Flakes)
- Takoyaki Sauce
- Japanese Mayonnaise
- Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito Shavings)
- Aonori (Dried Green Seaweed)
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