Tonkatsu
Non-vegetarian
とんかつ · tonkatsu
Thick pork loin cutlets coated in flour, egg and panko, deep-fried until shatteringly crisp and served with shredded cabbage and a fruity-tangy katsu sauce.
Tonkatsu is a Japanese main course, ready in about 35 minutes and made with pork loin and panko. It serves 2 and is rated intermediate to cook.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Rest
- 3 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 2
- Level
- Intermediate
- Calories
- 712
Ingredients
For the katsu sauce
Method
Step 1
Make a few shallow cuts through the fat and connective tissue along the edge of each cutlet so it doesn't curl, then season both sides with the salt and pepper (opens in a new tab).
- 3 min
Step 2
Set out three plates: flour, beaten egg (opens in a new tab) and panko (opens in a new tab). Dust each cutlet with flour, dip in egg, then press firmly into the panko to coat completely.
- 5 min
Food safety: Wash hands and boards after handling raw pork.
Step 3
Stir the Worcestershire, ketchup (opens in a new tab), soy sauce (opens in a new tab) and sugar (opens in a new tab) together for the sauce. Drain the shredded cabbage (opens in a new tab) well.
- 3 min
Step 4
Heat the oil in a deep saucepan (opens in a new tab) to 170 °C. Fry the cutlets one or two at a time, turning once, until deep golden and cooked through.
Food safety: Pork should reach 63 °C in the centre. Never leave hot oil unattended, keep the pan no more than a third full and lower food in away from you. Keep a lid nearby to smother any flare-up — never use water.
Step 5
Drain on a rack for 3 minutes — the carry-over heat finishes the centre, which should read at least 63 °C — then slice into strips. Serve with the cabbage (opens in a new tab), sauce, lemon (opens in a new tab) and mustard.
- 3 min
How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels
About this dish
- Origin
- Japan · Well documentedA yōshoku (Western-influenced) dish developed in Japan from European breaded cutlets.More food from Japan
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Main courses
- Cooking method
- Deep-fried
- Taste
- savoury, tangy, rich, mild
- Diet
- Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-proteinWith the listed swaps: Pork-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · High-protein - Good for
- Child-friendly
- Cook more with
- Pork loin · Panko · All-purpose flour · Egg · Cabbage · Worcestershire sauce
- Techniques
- Deep-frying
Allergens
- May contain: Milkfrom panko
- Contains: Eggsfrom egg, panko
- Contains: Fishfrom worcestershire sauce
- Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour, panko, soy sauce
- Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour, panko, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce
- Contains: Soyfrom panko, soy sauce
- Contains, can be adapted: Mustardfrom tomato ketchup, prepared mustard
- May contain: Celeryfrom worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup
- May contain: Sulphitesfrom worcestershire sauce, prepared mustard
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
712 kcal per serving
Estimated1 serving ≈ 349 g · recipe makes 2
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 23%
- Carbohydrate 25%
- Fat 52%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 712 kcal | 204 kcal |
| Protein | 41.5 g | 11.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 45.3 g | 13 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 41.6 g | 11.9 g |
| Sugars | 11.7 g | 3.4 g |
| Added sugars | — | — |
| Fibre | 3.7 g | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 41.1 g | 11.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 9.1 g | 2.6 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 182 mg | 52 mg |
| Sodium | 1496 mg | 428 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 3.7 g | 1.1 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 945 mg
- Calcium
- 137 mg
- Iron
- 4.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 69 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 57 µg
- Vitamin C
- 30 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 1 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 131 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: lemon, prepared mustard.
- Panko: Plain dry breadcrumbs (FDC 174928) used as a stand-in for Japanese panko.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Resting on a wire rack rather than paper keeps the underside crisp.
- Press the panko on firmly; loose crumbs fall off in the oil.
Common mistakes
- Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes the crust greasy.
Serve with
- Serve with rice, miso soup and plenty of shredded cabbage.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover cutlets for up to 2 days.
Reheating
- Reheat on a rack in a 200 °C oven for about 10 minutes to re-crisp; avoid the microwave.
Variations
- Chicken katsu: Use butterflied chicken breast or thigh and fry until the chicken reaches 74 °C.
- Hire-katsu: Lean pork tenderloin medallions instead of loin.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
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