My Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce recipe uses only four simple ingredients and is so quick to make! With savory, sweet, and tangy notes, it tastes just as amazing as Japan’s famous Bull-Dog Tonkatsu sauce. Serve it with tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets), chicken katsu, or my favorite korokke (potato and beef croquettes).
Open my refrigerator, and you’ll find a stash of Japanese condiments and sauces—a mix of store-bought and homemade goodies. Among them is Tonkatsu Sauce (Tonkatsu sauce). This condiment is mandatory when it comes to serving Tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet), Chicken Katsuand more.
In today’s recipe, I’m sharing a simplified version of Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce using only four ingredients. You most likely already have them in the pantry, so you can whip up tonkatsu sauce anytime you need it. The great thing about making your own is that you can also adjust the sweetness to your liking.
What is Tonkatsu Sauce?
Tonkatsu sauce (Tonkatsu sauce) is served with Tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet) and is often used for other deep-fried dishes like Korokke or to make Bite sauce.
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. It’s a lot of work to make it from scratch, so most Japanese people would use the store-bought versions.
However, if you don’t live near the Japanese/Asian grocery stores or prefer to make your own, you can always count on my easy homemade recipe.
The Most Popular Tonkatsu Sauce Brand
The most popular tonkatsu sauce is the Bull-Dog Vegetable & Fruit Sauce (Tonkatsu Sauce). It’s easy to recognize the signature bulldog logo on the bottle. You can purchase it on Amazon and Japanese or Asian grocery stores.
Ingredients for Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
- Worcestershire sauce – I use Lea & Perrins brand. If you’re vegan, use vegan Worcestershire sauce.
- Sugar
- Ketchup – The sweetness of the ketchup varies, so adjust the amount of sugar based on the ketchup taste.
- Oyster sauce – Use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce if you’re vegetarian or allergic to shellfish.
How to Make the Best Tonkatsu Sauce
- Mix all the condiments together. I usually start by combining the Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved before adding the rest of the condiments.
- Yes, that’s it! The main flavor of tonkatsu sauce comes from Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Since every brand of ketchup has a different level of sweetness, you may need to adjust the flavor with sugar.
Okonomi Sauce and Yakisoba Sauce
We have different sauces for okonomiyaki and yakisoba although these three sauces are quite similar.
Recipes Using Tonkatsu Sauce
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Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
My Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce recipe uses only four simple ingredients and is so quick to make! With savory, sweet, and tangy notes, it tastes just as amazing as Japan‘s famous Bull-Dog Tonkatsu sauce. Serve it with tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets), chicken katsu, or my favorite korokke (potato and beef croquettes).
Servings: 1 (1 serving yields ¾ cup or 180 ml)
Ingredients
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Instructions
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Gather all the ingredients. I included a bottle of Bull-Dog Tonkatsu Sauce in the image, but it‘s not needed for this recipe.
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In a jar or small bowl, combine 4½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 Tbsp sugar. Whisk well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
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Then, add 5 Tbsp ketchup and 2 Tbsp oyster sauce and whisk until combined. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Some ketchup is sweeter than others, so please adjust the amount of sugar to taste. Your Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce is ready to use.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on January 27, 2014, and was updated with more helpful content and new images in February 2023. It was republished with a new video on February 16, 2024.
