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Japanese

Takoyaki (octopus balls)

Non-vegetarian

たこ焼き · takoyaki

Molten-centred balls of dashi batter with a piece of octopus inside, turned in a special dimpled pan until crisp, then drizzled with sweet-savoury sauce and mayonnaise and topped with bonito flakes.

Takoyaki (octopus balls) is a Japanese street food, ready in about 35 minutes and made with all-purpose flour and octopus. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Close-up of Japanese takoyaki balls cooking on a grill, crispy and golden.
Photo: Th2city Santana / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
322

Ingredients

4 servings (about 32 balls)

Batter

Quick takoyaki sauce

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Whisk (opens in a new tab) the flour, eggs (opens in a new tab), dashi (opens in a new tab), soy sauce (opens in a new tab) and salt into a thin, smooth batter. Stir the sauce ingredients together.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Heat a takoyaki pan over medium-high heat and oil each hollow and the flat surface generously.

    • 3 min
    • medium-high heat

    A takoyaki pan (cast-iron or electric) is needed for the round shape.

  3. Step 3

    Pour the batter in to fill the hollows and overflow the surface. Drop a piece of octopus (opens in a new tab) into each and scatter with spring onion (opens in a new tab).

    • 2 min
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    When the bottoms set, use a skewer to cut along the grid and turn each ball 90°, tucking in the overflowed batter. Keep turning until round, golden and crisp.

    • 8 min
    • medium heat

    Food safety: The centres stay molten and very hot.

  5. Step 5

    Pile onto plates, brush with the sauce, zigzag with mayonnaise (opens in a new tab) and finish with bonito flakes (opens in a new tab) and nori (opens in a new tab).

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Osaka, Japan · Well documentedMore food from Japan
Dish
Snack · Dinner · Street food · Finger food
Cooking method
Pan-fried
Taste
umami, sweet & savoury, savoury
Diet
Pescatarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Street food · Child-friendly
Cook more with
All-purpose flour · Octopus · Egg · Dashi · Soy sauce · Spring onion
Techniques
Pan-frying

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg, mayonnaise
  • Contains: Fishfrom dashi, worcestershire sauce, katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
  • May contain: Crustaceansfrom oyster sauce
  • Contains: Molluscsfrom octopus, oyster sauce
  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour, soy sauce, oyster sauce
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce
  • Contains: Soyfrom soy sauce, oyster sauce
  • May contain: Mustardfrom tomato ketchup, mayonnaise
  • May contain: Celeryfrom worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup
  • May contain: Sulphitesfrom worcestershire sauce

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

322 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 254 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 19%
  • Carbohydrate 36%
  • Fat 45%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy322 kcal127 kcal
Protein15 g5.9 g
Carbohydrate28.8 g11.3 g
Net carbohydrate27.6 g10.9 g
Sugars3.2 g1.3 g
Added sugars——
Fibre1.1 g0.4 g
Fat16 g6.3 g
Saturated fat2.5 g1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol115 mg45 mg
Sodium763 mg300 mg
Salt equivalent1.9 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
487 mg
Calcium
61 mg
Iron
4.5 mg
Magnesium
34 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
68 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
0.5 µg
Vitamin B12
8.6 µg
Folate (DFE)
116 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: katsuobushi (bonito flakes), nori.
  • Dashi: Home-prepared fish stock (FDC 172885) used as a stand-in for katsuobushi-kombu dashi; both are very low in energy.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • A cast-iron takoyaki pan is ideal; a Danish aebleskiver pan has similar hollows and works well.
  • The batter should be much thinner than pancake batter — that's what makes the centre creamy.

Common mistakes

  • Turning the balls too early — wait until the bottoms are set or they tear.
  • Skimping on oil; every hollow needs a generous coating or the balls stick.

Storage

  • Best eaten hot. Leftovers keep 1 day in the fridge (the octopus is cooked seafood); reheat in a hot oven or air fryer until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 3, 5

Reviews & corrections

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