Tonkatsu Recipe Extra Crispy And Crunchy

Published Mar 25, 2021 Updated Aug 22, 2024 I love Japanese food especially bento boxes. One of my favorites is Tonkatsu which is crispy fried pork cutlet coated with Japanese panko breadcrumbs and a thick Tonkatsu sauce. Tonkatsu bento box usually comes with steamed rice, Japanese salad, miso soup and tastes absolutely delicious!

Difference Between Katsu And Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is part of the katsu family in Japanese cooking. Katsu means fried cutlet of meat or seafood made with panko breadcrumbs so Tonkatsu is a katsu of pork cutlet. Chicken katsu or torikatsu is fried chicken cutlet while Katsudon means katsu with rice as “don” means rice in Japanese.

Tonkatsu Sauce

You can buy Tonkatsu sauce in a bottle at Japanese or Asian restaurants but homemade sauce is very easy to make. It calls for the following ingredients:

Ketchup Worchestershire sauce Soy sauce Mirin Sugar

Tips On How To Cook Tonkatsu

My homemade Tonkatsu recipe is very simple. It calls for a few basic ingredients.

Use panko which is available at supermarkets in the International food aisle. Panko is lighter in texture and will be very crispy after deep frying. If you can’t find panko, you may use regular breadcrumbs. Deep-fry the pork cutlet at 350 degrees F for extra crispy, light and airy texture like Japanese restaurant. Don’t be afraid of deep-frying as panko breadcrumbs are dry, the oil won’t splatter. Drain the excess oil of the pork cutlets on paper towels.

What To Serve With Tonkatsu

This meal is best served with a bowl of steamed white rice. For a wholesome Japanese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.