What is a taiyaki fish shaped pancake?

Taiyaki is a classic Japanese street food made from a pancake-style batter cooked in a fish-shaped mould and filled with sweet fillings, most traditionally red bean paste. The name comes from 'tai', a type of sea bream fish considered lucky in Japanese culture.

Can I make this taiyaki recipe gluten-free?

Yes. Simply replace the spelt flour with an equal amount of certified gluten-free oat flour. The texture will be very slightly denser but still delicious. Make sure your oat milk and baking powder are also certified gluten-free.

What can I use instead of red bean filling?

Sweet potato puree lightly spiced with cinnamon, thick Greek yoghurt mixed with a little honey, or dark chocolate with a square of banana all work wonderfully. The key is using a filling that is thick and not too wet.

Do I need a special pan to make taiyaki?

Yes, you do need a taiyaki fish-shaped mould pan for the distinctive shape. These are available from most Asian supermarkets and online retailers. Both stovetop and electric versions work well for this recipe.

How do I stop the taiyaki sticking to the mould?

Generous and thorough oiling before every batch is the most important step. Use a pastry brush to reach into all the detailed parts of the fish mould. Re-oil between each batch even if the pan looks fine.

Can I use tinned adzuki beans to save time?

Absolutely. One 400g tin of adzuki beans, drained and rinsed, gives roughly the right amount of filling for this recipe. The texture of homemade paste is slightly better, but tinned beans make this very achievable on a busy day.

Healthy Taiyaki Fish Shaped Pancake Recipe with Red Bean and Oat Flour

Name: Healthy Taiyaki Fish Shaped Pancake Recipe with Red Bean and Oat Flour
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 120 g oat flour (certified gluten-free if needed); 40 g wholegrain spelt flour (or use extra oat flour for fully gluten-free version); 1.5 tsp baking powder; 0.25 tsp fine sea salt; 2 tbsp coconut sugar; 1 large egg (at room temperature); 180 ml unsweetened oat milk (or any plant milk); 1 tbsp light coconut oil (melted and slightly cooled, plus extra for brushing the mould); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 200 g dried adzuki beans (soaked overnight and cooked until very soft, or use tinned for speed); 2 tbsp maple syrup (adjust to taste); 0.25 tsp vanilla extract (for the filling)

Dairy-FreeRefined Sugar-FreeNut-Free

Prep Time20 min

Servings6

Calories145 kcal

Health Score7/10

Healthy Taiyaki Fish Shaped Pancake Recipe with Red Bean and Oat Flour

If you have ever wandered past a Japanese street food stall and watched those adorable golden fish-shaped cakes emerge from their cast iron moulds, you will know the magic of taiyaki. This healthy taiyaki fish shaped pancake recipe brings that same joy into your kitchen, but with a smarter ingredient lineup that keeps calories lower, fibre higher, and refined sugar to a minimum. It is a recipe that suits anyone who loves Japanese-inspired baking, wants to impress their kids with a fun weekend project, or simply craves a genuinely nourishing sweet treat without the post-snack guilt.

The batter here swaps out plain white flour for a blend of oat flour and a small amount of wholegrain spelt flour. Oat flour brings a gentle nuttiness and a soft, tender crumb, and it contributes a meaningful dose of soluble fibre, which helps support steady blood sugar levels rather than causing spikes. A small amount of spelt flour adds structure without making the pancakes dense or chewy. For sweetness, coconut sugar steps in instead of white granulated sugar. It has a lower glycaemic index than refined sugar and carries a light caramel warmth that complements the earthy red bean filling beautifully. The batter also uses a single egg for binding, a splash of unsweetened oat milk to keep things dairy-free, and a tiny drizzle of light coconut oil for that satisfying golden exterior. Baking powder gives the batter just enough lift to create a fluffy interior that holds the filling without bursting at the seams during cooking.

The filling is a lightly sweetened homemade red bean paste using dried adzuki beans cooked until soft and mashed with a small amount of maple syrup. Adzuki beans are genuinely impressive from a nutritional standpoint. They are rich in plant-based protein, high in dietary fibre, and packed with folate and potassium. The filling is thick enough to scoop cleanly into each mould half and stays put during cooking. Once the taiyaki come out of the pan, the outside is crisp and golden, the inside is soft and fluffy, and each bite delivers that sweet, slightly earthy bean filling that makes traditional taiyaki so comforting. These are wonderful served warm as they are, dusted with a little matcha powder for a visual flourish, or alongside a small bowl of plain Greek yoghurt for extra protein.

From a dietary angle, this recipe is dairy-free, naturally lower in refined sugar, and much higher in fibre than any version you would find at a street stall or made from a box mix. Each taiyaki comes in at around 145 calories, which makes them a reasonable treat even on a calorie-conscious day. The combination of complex carbohydrates from oat flour and fibre-rich adzuki beans means they keep you feeling fuller for longer than a traditional white flour version would. You do not need any fancy equipment beyond a taiyaki mould pan, which is widely available online and in Asian kitchen shops. This is the kind of recipe that feels like an indulgence but genuinely works in your favour nutritionally.

Ingredients

Serves:6

120 g oat flour (certified gluten-free if needed)
40 g wholegrain spelt flour (or use extra oat flour for fully gluten-free version)
1.5 tsp baking powder
0.3 tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp coconut sugar
1 large egg (at room temperature)
180 ml unsweetened oat milk (or any plant milk)
1 tbsp light coconut oil (melted and slightly cooled, plus extra for brushing the mould)
1 tsp vanilla extract
200 g dried adzuki beans (soaked overnight and cooked until very soft, or use tinned for speed)
2 tbsp maple syrup (adjust to taste)
0.3 tsp vanilla extract (for the filling)

Instructions

1
If making the red bean filling from scratch, drain and rinse your soaked adzuki beans. Add them to a saucepan, cover with fresh water, and simmer over medium heat for 45 to 55 minutes until very soft. Drain well, reserving a splash of the cooking liquid.
Tinned adzuki beans work well here and cut the total time significantly. Just drain and rinse them thoroughly before using.
2
Transfer the cooked beans to a bowl and mash them thoroughly with a fork or potato masher. You are aiming for a thick, mostly smooth paste with just a little texture. Stir in the maple syrup and vanilla extract. If the paste feels too stiff, add a teaspoon of the reserved cooking water to loosen it slightly. Set aside to cool completely.
The filling needs to be thick enough to scoop cleanly. If it feels too wet, cook it in a small saucepan over low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until it firms up.
3
Make the batter by combining the oat flour, spelt flour, baking powder, salt, and coconut sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk everything together so the leavening is evenly distributed.
4
In a separate jug, whisk together the egg, oat milk, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until a smooth batter forms. Do not overmix. A few small lumps are absolutely fine. Let the batter rest for five minutes while you heat the mould.
Resting the batter allows the oat flour to hydrate fully, which gives a softer, more cohesive texture in the finished taiyaki.
5
Place your taiyaki mould pan over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Brush both sides of the mould generously with melted coconut oil using a pastry brush. Allow the pan to heat for about two minutes until a drop of batter sizzles immediately on contact.
Medium-low heat is key here. Too high and the outside browns before the batter inside is cooked through.
6
Pour batter into each fish mould cavity until it is about two thirds full. Add a heaped tablespoon of the red bean filling directly into the centre of the batter in each mould. Spoon a little more batter on top of the filling to cover it completely and seal it in.
Do not overfill the moulds or the taiyaki will not close cleanly and filling will leak out.
7
Close the mould firmly and cook over medium-low heat for three to four minutes on the first side. Carefully flip the mould and cook for a further two to three minutes on the second side, until both sides are a deep golden brown and the batter feels set when you gently press the outside of the mould.
Open the mould carefully to check colour before removing. The taiyaki should release cleanly from a well-oiled mould.
8
Remove the taiyaki from the mould and place them on a wire rack for a minute before serving. This stops the steam from making the outside soggy. Repeat the process with any remaining batter and filling, re-oiling the mould between each batch.

Nutrition per serving

145kcal

Calories

Protein

22g

Carbs

Fat

Fibre

Sugar

115mg

Sodium

Pro Tips

✓
Use a pastry brush to oil every corner of the fish mould, especially the fins and tail, to prevent sticking.
✓
Oat flour absorbs liquid more slowly than plain flour, so resting the batter is not optional here — it genuinely improves the result.
✓
Keep finished taiyaki warm in a low oven at 100 degrees Celsius while you cook subsequent batches.
✓
For cleaner portions of filling, chill the red bean paste in the fridge for 30 minutes before use so it scoops neatly.
✓
A stovetop taiyaki pan gives the most authentic result, but an electric taiyaki maker works well if you have one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Variations

•
Matcha Custard Taiyaki
Add one teaspoon of ceremonial grade matcha powder to the batter for a beautiful green colour and earthy flavour. Fill with a thick custard made from silken tofu, maple syrup and a pinch of vanilla blended until smooth.
•
Sweet Potato and Cinnamon Taiyaki
Replace the red bean filling with roasted and mashed sweet potato mixed with half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and a drizzle of maple syrup. This version is especially popular with younger children.
•
Dark Chocolate Banana Taiyaki
Use thin slices of ripe banana and a square of 85 percent dark chocolate as the filling. The banana softens and the chocolate melts during cooking, creating a rich, fudgy centre with considerably less sugar than a Nutella filling.
•
Vegan Taiyaki
Replace the egg with one tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with three tablespoons of water, left to gel for five minutes before adding to the batter. Use any plant milk. The result is slightly less fluffy but still holds together well.

Substitutions

•
Oat flour → Brown rice flour (Use the same quantity. The texture will be slightly chewier and the flavour more neutral.)
•
Wholegrain spelt flour → Whole wheat flour (A direct swap works well here. Use the same weight.)
•
Coconut sugar → Light brown sugar or date sugar (Use the same quantity. Date sugar adds a little extra fibre. Light brown sugar is more widely available.)
•
Oat milk → Unsweetened almond milk or soy milk (Any unsweetened plant milk works. Soy milk adds a small protein boost.)
•
Light coconut oil → Mild olive oil or melted butter (Mild olive oil keeps this dairy-free. Butter adds a richer flavour if dairy is not a concern.)
•
Maple syrup in filling → Brown rice syrup or honey (Brown rice syrup gives a milder sweetness. Honey works well but makes the recipe no longer vegan.)

🧊 Storage

Store cooled taiyaki in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day, or refrigerate for up to three days. To reheat, place in a dry frying pan over low heat for two minutes per side to restore the crispy exterior. They can also be frozen for up to one month. Reheat from frozen in an oven at 180 degrees Celsius for eight to ten minutes.

📅 Make Ahead

The red bean filling can be made up to four days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The batter is best made fresh just before cooking, as the leavening loses potency if left to sit for too long.