Tonkatsu with panko crust, tonkatsu sauce, rice and finely sliced cabbage
Japanese Recipe

Tonkatsu

For tonkatsu, pork chops or loins are lightly tapped, seasoned, breaded in flour, egg and panko and fried in oil until crispy. Panko provides the typical airy crust.

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Total time 35 min
Calories 650 kcal
Servings 4 servings
Difficulty Medium
By the Published Updated Editorially approved

Why this recipe works

Tonkatsu with crispy panko breading

Tonkatsu is simple, but it depends on the details: the meat should be evenly thick, the breading should stick loosely and the oil should remain hot enough. After deep-frying, the katsu rests briefly so that the meat juice does not leak out immediately.

Lunch Dinner Meat Japanese Recipes

Recipe

Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is a Japanese pork cutlet with panko breading. It is fried until golden brown, left to rest for a short time and served with tonkatsu sauce and finely sliced cabbage.

Ingredients

4 servings

Method

  1. 1

    Preparing meat

    Lightly pat the pork, cut tendons at the edge and season with salt and pepper.

  2. 2

    Breading

    Turn the meat into flour, then egg and finally panko. Press panko loosely.

  3. 3

    Deep frying

    Heat oil to about 170 degrees and fry Tonkatsu in portions for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown.

  4. 4

    Rest assured

    Drain briefly on a wire rack and leave to rest for 3 minutes to ensure the meat juice remains stable.

  5. 5

    Cut and serve

    Cut into strips and serve with cabbage, rice and tonkatsu sauce.

Kitchen know-how

Tips for Tonkatsu

Panko

Panko is coarser and breadcrumbs lighter than regular breadcrumbs, making tonkatsu more typically crispy.

Keeping oil temperature

Too cold oil makes the breading greasy, too hot oil browns it too quickly.

Rest for a moment

After deep frying, let rest briefly, then the meat will remain juicier.

Variations

How to adapt this recipe

Replace pork with chicken breast or chicken leg and breadcrumbs.

Serve tonkatsu with Japanese curry sauce and rice.

Nutrition per serving

650kcal
42.0 gCarbohydrates
36.0 gProtein
36.0 gFat

Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ about Tonkatsu

Panko is coarser and breadcrumbs lighter than regular breadcrumbs. This makes Tonkatsu particularly crispy.

Yes, it works with enough oil. The meat should be about half in the oil.

Tonkatsu sauce is classic, fruity and spicy, and goes well with cabbage and rice.

Short rest distributes the meat juice and prevents too much leaking out when cutting.

Keep cooking

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