Takoyaki-Style Octopus Pizza

Name: Takoyaki-Style Octopus Pizza
Prep time: 36 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 52 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature for 30 minutes; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided: 1 tbsp for the pan, 1 tbsp for brushing the crust; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting your hands; 4 tbsp (60 ml) takoyaki sauce (or okonomiyaki or tonkatsu sauce), divided: 2 tbsp under the cheese, 2 tbsp for drizzling; 1½ cups (170 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded; 8 oz (225 g) cooked octopus tentacles, sliced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) rounds or bite-size pieces, patted very dry; 3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts; 2 tbsp (25 g) red pickled ginger (beni shoga), drained and roughly chopped; 1 cup (60 g) green cabbage, very finely shredded; 3 tbsp (45 g) Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie), loosened with 1 tsp water if very thick; ½ cup (5 g) bonito flakes (katsuobushi), loosely packed; 1 tsp (1 g) aonori (dried green seaweed flakes) (optional); 3 tbsp (12 g) tenkasu (tempura scraps), for crunch (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A crisp, chewy sheet-pan pizza inspired by Osaka street food: takoyaki sauce and mozzarella under tender octopus, then finished with Japanese mayo, pickled ginger, crunchy cabbage and fluttering bonito flakes.

Prep: 36 min
Cook: 16 min
Wait: 38 min
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: 1 rectangular pizza (8 squares)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pizza
1 lb (450 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided: 1 tbsp for the pan, 1 tbsp for brushing the crust
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting your hands
4 tbsp (60 ml) takoyaki sauce (or okonomiyaki or tonkatsu sauce), divided: 2 tbsp under the cheese, 2 tbsp for drizzling
1½ cups (170 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded
8 oz (225 g) cooked octopus tentacles, sliced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) rounds or bite-size pieces, patted very dry
3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
2 tbsp (25 g) red pickled ginger (beni shoga), drained and roughly chopped
To finish
1 cup (60 g) green cabbage, very finely shredded
3 tbsp (45 g) Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie), loosened with 1 tsp water if very thick
½ cup (5 g) bonito flakes (katsuobushi), loosely packed
1 tsp (1 g) aonori (dried green seaweed flakes) (optional)
3 tbsp (12 g) tenkasu (tempura scraps), for crunch (optional)

Equipment (6)

13×18-inch (33×46 cm) rimmed half-sheet pan
Sharp knife and cutting board
Paper towels
Pastry brush or spoon for spreading oil and sauce
Pizza cutter
Squeeze bottle or zip-top bag with a corner snipped (for mayo)

Steps

Before you start

Take the pizza dough out of the fridge 30 minutes before shaping so it relaxes and stretches without tearing.
Use already-cooked octopus (vacuum-packed or from a Japanese/Mediterranean market). Raw octopus needs 1 to 2 hours of simmering and is not used here.
Takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, pickled ginger, bonito flakes and aonori are sold at Asian grocers and many supermarkets. Check the substitutions if you can't find one.
Pat the octopus very dry. Excess moisture makes the pizza soggy.

1
Preheat and rest doughOven 475°F / 245°C
- Position an oven rack in the lower third and heat the oven to 475°F (245°C).
- Leave the dough in its bag or covered with a towel at room temperature while the oven heats.
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Ready when: Dough feels soft and slack, not cold and stiff
Tip: Cold dough springs back when stretched. Don't skip this rest.
2
Prep the toppings
- Slice the octopus into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces, then blot thoroughly with paper towels until no wet sheen remains.
- Shred the cabbage as finely as you can, slice the scallions, chop the pickled ginger and shred the mozzarella.
- Keep the cabbage, mayo, bonito, aonori and tenkasu aside for finishing.
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Ready when: Octopus pieces feel dry to the touch
Tip: Wet octopus releases liquid in the oven and makes the pizza soggy.
3
Shape the crust
- Pour 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil onto the 13×18-inch (33×46 cm) sheet pan and spread it to the edges.
- Place the dough in the center, dust your hands with flour and press it outward to about 9×13 inches (23×33 cm).
- Rest it 5 minutes, then press again to fill the pan to within ½ inch (1.25 cm) of the edges, with a slightly thicker rim.
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Ready when: Dough stays stretched to the corners without springing back
Tip: If it shrinks, rest it another 3 minutes. Don't force it.
4
Par-bake the crustOven 475°F / 245°C
- Brush the dough surface with the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and prick it all over with a fork.
- Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Crust is set, pale gold at the edges and slightly puffed
Tip: If large bubbles form, press them flat with a spatula.
5
Sauce and cheese
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- Spread 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the takoyaki sauce over the crust, leaving a ½-inch (1.25 cm) border.
- Scatter the mozzarella evenly, then sprinkle with half the scallions.
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Ready when: Sauce is thinly and evenly spread, cheese covers it fully
Tip: Takoyaki sauce is sweet and salty, so go light and save the rest for the finish.
6
Bake the cheeseOven 475°F / 245°C
- Return the pan to the lower rack and bake at 475°F (245°C) for 7 minutes.
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Ready when: Cheese is melted and bubbling with a few light golden spots
7
Add octopus and finish bakingOven 475°F / 245°C
- Quickly scatter the dried octopus and chopped pickled ginger over the melted cheese, pressing the octopus in lightly.
- Bake 3 to 4 more minutes at 475°F (245°C) just to heat the octopus through.
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Ready when: Octopus is hot and slightly glossy; crust underside is deep golden when lifted with a spatula
Tip: Octopus is already cooked. Extra time in the oven makes it rubbery.
8
Rest briefly
- Move the pan to a rack and let it rest 3 minutes so the cheese sets and the bonito doesn't wilt instantly.
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Ready when: Cheese stops bubbling
9
Dress and garnish
- Scatter the cabbage over the pizza, then the remaining scallions and tenkasu if using.
- Zigzag the remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) takoyaki sauce and the Japanese mayo across the top.
- Finish with the bonito flakes and aonori.
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Ready when: Bonito flakes gently sway from the pizza's residual heat
Tip: Garnish just before serving so the cabbage and tenkasu stay crisp.
10
Slice and serve
- Cut into 8 squares with a pizza cutter, using a firm rocking motion through the crust.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Squares release cleanly with a crisp bottom

Good to know

Tips

Dry the octopus thoroughly and add it only after the cheese has melted to keep it tender.
Par-baking the crust is the key to a crisp base under wet, saucy toppings.
Add the garnishes after the pizza leaves the oven so the bonito flakes dance and the cabbage stays crunchy.
Use a squeeze bottle for the mayo to get the classic thin zigzag pattern.

Make ahead

Slice, blot and refrigerate the octopus, shred the cabbage and chop the ginger and scallions up to 1 day ahead in separate covered containers. The crust can be par-baked up to 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature; add toppings and bake just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten right away. Remove any bonito, cabbage and mayo and refrigerate leftover squares in an airtight container up to 2 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 6 to 8 minutes, then re-garnish. Not recommended to freeze because of the octopus and mayo.

Substitutions

takoyaki sauce (or okonomiyaki or tonkatsu sauce) → 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce + 2 tbsp ketchup + 1 tsp soy sauce + 1 tsp sugar per 4 tbsp. Whisk until smooth; a close homemade stand-in.
Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie) → regular mayonnaise with a pinch of sugar and ½ tsp rice vinegar. Less rich and tangy than Kewpie but similar.
cooked octopus tentacles → cooked shrimp or squid, chopped. Use the same weight and add in the final 3 minutes.
red pickled ginger (beni shoga) → sushi (pink or white) gari ginger, chopped. Milder and sweeter; use the same amount.