Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (2024)

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by Mike Hultquist · · 14 Comments · Jump to Recipe

This tonkatsu sauce recipe is a classic sweet and tangy Japanese sauce with western influences, perfect for fried pork cutlets and easy to make.

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (1)

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe

We're cooking up a batch of Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce today in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen. Would you care for some?

Tonkatsu sauce is a sweet and tangy sauce from Japan that is traditionally served with "tonkatsu", which are panko breaded and deep fried pork cutlets or other deep fried dishes. It was created over a century ago by a chef named Kida Motojiro and is a Japanese take on Worcestershire sauce.

It is a sort of a Japanese style barbecue sauce.

The sauce recipe has changed over the years, with chefs adding ingredients like tomatoes and fruit purees to make it more palatable to local consumers.

What follows here are two different ways to make it. The first is more of a restaurant style tonkatsu sauce with more ingredients, which will take a bit longer to make.

The second version is a homemade, easy tonkatsu sauce that you can whip together in 5 minutes from simple ingredients.

This version is more like popular Bulldog Sauce so loved by Japanese diners that you can find in grocery stores.

Let's talk about how to make tonkatsu sauce, shall we?

Tonkatsu Sauce Ingredients

  • FOR AUTHENTIC TONKATSU SAUCE - More Restaurant Style
  • Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
  • Fruit and Vegetables. Onion, apple, tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste.
  • Liquids. Water, sake, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce.
  • Seasonings. Salt, sugar, cayenne, white pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, bay leaf.
  • FOR EASY TONKATSU SAUCE (Homemade Bulldog Sauce)
  • Ketchup.
  • Worcestershire Sauce.
  • Sugar. Or use honey or brown sugar.
  • Soy Sauce.
Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (2)

How to Make Tonkatsu Sauce - the Recipe Method

FOR AUTHENTIC TONKATSU SAUCE - Restaurant Style

Cook the Onion. Heat the oil in a large saucepan to medium heat.Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften.

Simmer Most of the Ingredients. Add the apple, tomatoes, garlic, sake, water, salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste and bay leaf. Simmer about 30 minutes, then cool.

Process and Strain. Next you'll process then strain the ingredients.

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (3)

Seasonings and Second Simmer. Add the seasonings and Worcestershire sauce. Heat and simmer for 10 minutes.Cool and serve.

Your homemade katsu sauce is ready to enjoy.

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (4)

FOR EASY TONKATSU SAUCE (Homemade Bulldog Sauce)

Whisk the Ingredients. Whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

Serve it Up. Serve as desired with Japanese breaded tonkatsu like pork or chicken katsu or as a dipping sauce.

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (5)

Boom! Done! Your homemade tonkatsu sauce is ready to serve. Looks great, doesn't it? Which one did you make? The "restaurant style" version, or the "easy homemade" version? Got a preference?

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Amounts. The classic tonkatsu sauce recipe makes about 3.5 cups of sauce. The easy tonkatsu sauce recipe makes about 1/2 cup.
  • Additional Ingredients. Other popular ingredients to include in your recipe include celery, carrots or other vegetables, oyster sauce, mirin, sweet vinegar, mustard, and other seasonings like garlic, ginger, clove, and toasted sesame seeds.

Storage Information

Homemade tonkatsu sauce will last for 1 week or longer in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The easy version will last even longer, as it is really a mix of prepared condiments.

You can freeze tonkatsu sauce for up to 6 months.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your new tonkatsu sauce recipe. Let me know if you make it, and how you made it your own. Did you make it more like the Bulldog brand? I'd love to hear how it turned out for you.

Cookbook Recommendation

If you loveJapanese cuisine, check out the following cookbook. I'm learning a lot from it and used it to develop this recipe. Great book!

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

  • Tonkatsu (Japanese Fried Pork Cutlet)
  • Spicy Ramen Noodles
  • Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
  • Yakisoba Noodles
  • Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry
  • Pork Stir Fry
  • Spicy Stir Fry Sauce
  • Homemade Bulgogi Sauce
  • Homemade Szechuan Sauce
  • Homemade Hoisin Sauce
  • Homemade Ponzu Sauce
  • Togarashi - Japanese Spice Blend

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (7)

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Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe

This tonkatsu sauce recipe is a classic sweet and tangy Japanese sauce with western influences, perfect for fried pork cutlets and easy to make.

Save Recipe

Course: Main Course, sauce

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Keyword: ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

FOR THE EASY TONKATSU SAUCE: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Calories: 17kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: 56 tablespoons

Tap or hover to scale

4.86 from 7 votes

Leave a Review

Ingredients

FOR AUTHENTIC TONKATSU SAUCE

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 small apple 4 ounces, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 pound tomatoes chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup sake
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce or to taste
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

FOR EASY TONKATSU SAUCE (Homemade Bulldog Sauce)

  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or use honey or brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

FOR AUTHENTIC TONKATSU SAUCE

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan to medium heat.

  • Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften.

  • Add the apple, tomatoes, garlic, sake, water, salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

  • Discard the bay leaf, then allow the mixture to cool.

  • Transfer the ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Or, use a stick blender.

  • Strain the ingredients back into the saucepan and discard the solids.

  • Add the seasonings and Worcestershire sauce. Heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

  • Cool and serve.

FOR EASY TONKATSU SAUCE (Homemade Bulldog Sauce)

  • Whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

  • Serve as desired.

Notes

Nutritional information estimated for the authentic tonkatsu sauce version.

The classic tonkatsu sauce recipe makes about 3.5 cups of sauce. The easy tonkatsu sauce recipe makes about 1/2 cup.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 17kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 182mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 46IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (8)

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Linda O says

    Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (9)
    I had excellent Katsu sauce at a restaurant in Chicago.I went back a second time and they barely gave me enough for the order. Since, I've searched for a real recipe, or at least as good.
    This is it, maybe better! Glad I made all 56 Tbs.! There's so much more going on here! Thank you.

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Excellent! Glad you were able to find it and make it! So good! Thanks for sharing, Linda.

      Reply

  2. Meghan says

    Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (10)
    I made this last night to go with chicken katsu. I didn't have sake, so I subbed mirin. It was excellent and much ruddier than the katsu sauces I've had before.

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Meghan!

      Reply

  3. Valerie says

    Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (11)
    Delicious! I made the bulldog version to go with our hot pot, but intend to make the more authentic, too. Would canned diced tomatoes be an acceptable substitute out of season? If so, with juice or without for the 1/2 lb called out in the recipe?

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (12)
      Glad you enjoyed it, Valerie. Use the canned tomatoes with juices.

      Reply

  4. Shanin says

    Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (13)
    I use to work in a Japanese owned restaurant called Tatsu (Las Cruces, NM) and they made all their sauces. This sounds so similar to their Katsu sauce - I’m so excited to make it! How long would you say this keeps in the fridge after making?

    Reply

    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      Thanks, Shanin. The Bulldog Sauce version will last a long time in the fridge, many months. The more authentic style will last a few weeks, possibly longer, due to the fresher ingredients. Enjoy!!

      Reply

  5. Jérémie says

    Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (14)
    Oh Mike, this was sooo good! this tempura style recipe, tonkatsu, was excellent... and the tonkatsu sauce with it? pleasure married to fireworks!
    This sauce is really something, my friend! Thanks a lot!

    Reply

    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      Thanks, Jérémie! Yes, this is a new favorite here in the Madness house! So good! Definitely extra crispy for us.

      Reply

  6. Damien C. says

    Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (15)
    This is exciting. It's so much like the stuff you buy in the bottle, the Bulldog sauce, but now I think I'll have to make the restaurant version. Maybe mix them up! Another winner here.

    Reply

    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      Thanks, Damien! I think you'll like them both!

      Reply

  7. William Roberts says

    Can say already it's got promise. I usually add chopped carrot and celery into a this sauce for depth and colour but looks like you have it niled already. Trying this at the weekend. Thanks dude.

    Reply

    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      Thanks. Carrots and celery are listed in the additional optional ingredients. Enjoy!

      Reply

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is tonkatsu sauce made of? ›

Tonkatsu sauce mainly consists of vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, prunes, dates, apples, lemon juice, carrots, onions, and celery. It also includes more than 10 kinds of spices along with soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

What is a substitute for tonkatsu sauce? ›

Can you substitute tonkatsu sauce? Yes. If you don't have all the ingredients to make your own, you can substitute with tomato, Worcestershire or barbecue sauce. Otherwise, you could also shake things up by using other Japanese sauces such as takoyaki, okonomiyaki or yakisoba sauce instead.

What is the difference between katsu sauce and tonkatsu sauce? ›

Short for tonkatsu, katsu sauce is essentially the Japanese equivalent of Western barbecue sauce. It's sweet and tangy with an umami undertone that packs a flavorful punch. You'll usually find it served with pork tonkatsu, a popular dish of breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet with cabbage and rice.

Is tonkatsu sauce the same as Worcestershire sauce? ›

The major difference between tonkatsu sauce and Worcestershire sauce is tonkatsu sauce is usually thicker in texture while Worcestershire sauce is spicier in taste, but both can be a great accompaniment to tonkatsu and other deep-fried dishes.

Why is tonkatsu so expensive? ›

Tonkatsu Ingredients

Rosu-katsu tends to be the juicier of the two because it contains layers of marbled fat, while hire-katsu tends to be more expensive, as a higher quality meat of meat is necessary so that the meat does not become dry when deep-fried.

What are the two types of tonkatsu? ›

It involves coating slices of pork with panko (bread crumbs), and then frying them in oil. The two main types are fillet and loin. Tonkatsu is also the basis of other dishes such as katsukarē and katsudon.

What is the difference between tonkatsu and tonkotsu? ›

In truth, tonkatsu and tonkotsu are very different. The main similarity is that they both feature pork: Ton translates to pig or pork. But the dishes differ: Tonkatsu refers to crispy fried pork cutlets, while tonkotsu is a type of ramen made from bone broth.

Is there another name for tonkatsu sauce? ›

Tonkatsu sauce or katsu sauce is a Japanese sauce served with tonkatsu (pork cutlet). It is a thick (viscosity over 2.0 pascal-second, per JAS Standard) Japanese Worcestershire-type sauce.

Does tonkatsu sauce need to be cooked? ›

Tonkatsu sauce is super easy to make at home, especially if you can't find the popular Bull-Dog brand at your local supermarket. All you need are four basic pantry ingredients—ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard. Another bonus: no cooking is required to make this recipe.

Why is my katsu not crispy? ›

The only thing to be concerned about is temperature management. Too cold, and your bread crumbs will take too long to crisp, allowing the meat to overcook. Way too cold, and they'll slough off before they can even set. Too hot, and they'll burn before the meat is done.

Why is tonkatsu served with cabbage? ›

Shredded cabbage is almost always served with tonkatsu and it goes together nicely. Cabbage also protects your stomach from oily food and you can avoid heartburn. Some people eat the cabbage with dressing but some people put tonkatsu sauce on the cabbage.

Is tonkatsu sauce like HP sauce? ›

They both often contain anchovies or an anchovy-derived flavoring (like worcestershire sauce). They are similar enough that one would not be completely out of place in the context of the other, though. Something like Bulldog sauce for tonkatsu would probably be a more direct replacement for a brown sauce like HP.

Do you refrigerate tonkatsu sauce? ›

This tonkatsu sauce is delicious. My husband loves using this sauce on more than just tonkatsu. It's great with coconut shrimp and for dipping umeboshi pork rolls. Keep leftover sauce refrigerated — if there is any.

Is tonkatsu healthy? ›

Tonkatsu could be a dangerous food if you eat batter-fat one with lots of rice and dipping sauce. It's a carb and fat bomb. Curry contains flour and lots of sodium, so the combo of katsu and curry is even more dangerous even though it's really addictive.

Why is it called bull dog sauce? ›

Also, at around the same time as the sauce became familiar in Japanese homes in the late 1920's, Bull-dogs started to become popular pets. Therefore, so as to be loved by many people in the same way the sauce and the pet dogs are, the name "Bull-dog" was adopted, and became the new mark of the brand.

What does tonkatsu taste like? ›

What Does Tonkatsu Sauce Taste Like? Often referred to as Japanese-style barbecue sauce or katsu sauce. tonkatsu sauce is savory and sweet, with a slight tang. In this recipe, ketchup adds the sugary tartness, while soy sauce and Worcestershire lend some umami power.

Does tonkatsu sauce have fish? ›

It is a thick (viscosity over 2.0 pascal-second, per JAS Standard) Japanese Worcestershire-type sauce. It is similar to a brown sauce (British Isles), and can include a fish sauce, tomatoes, prunes, dates, apples, lemon juice, carrots, onions, and celery among its ingredients.

Is tonkatsu sauce healthy? ›

A very healthy, nutrient-dense sauce! Our sauce contains an abundance of vegetables and fruits like tomatoes, onions, carrots, apples, lemon, and prunes. The natural sweetness and sourness come primarily from the flavor of these vegetables and fruits. This sauce is made up of about 30% vinegar.

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