Katsu sauce, also known as tonkatsu sauce, is the perfect blend of sweet and savory with a slight garlic kick. Traditionally served with a wide variety of fried Japanese dishes, I think it makes for a great steak sauce as well. Best of all, it’s very easy to make. In this article and video we will walk you through how to make this versatile condiment step-by-step.
Table of Contents
What is Katsu Sauce?
Katsu sauce is a sweet and savory dipping sauce with a base of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and seasoned with brown sugar and minced garlic. While it is not as widely used, or even known, in Western countries, it’s one of the more popular condiments in Japan served with a wide variety of dishes.
However, I would say katsu sauce is most commonly associated with tonkatsu (Japanese fried pork cutlets) and chicken katsu (Japanese fried chicken cutlets). That being said, I also its tangy flavor goes well with gyukatsu, or fried Japanese steak.
How to Make Katsu Sauce?
Making katsu sauce is very simple and most of the time is spent letting the sauce rest giving all the flavors a chance to meld together.
1. Assemble the ingredients. Katsu sauce is made with 1/2 cup of ketchup, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and two cloves of minced garlic. When cooking more complex dishes I usually pre-measure all ingredients so I can add quickly. However, with this sauce you can probably just measure directly into a mixing bowl as needed.
2. Mix soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and brown sugar into a mixing bowl until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Add ketchup and mix until the sauce is fully combined.
4. Cover and let sit for at least 20 minutes. The longer the better as the sauce will only taste better the longer it sits.
5. After the sauce has rested for at least 20 minutes it is ready to serve!
Katsu Sauce Recipe
Katsu Sauce (Tonkatsu Sauce) Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Ketchup
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
Instructions
- Assemble the ingredients.
- Mix soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and brown sugar into a mixing bowl until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add ketchup and mix until the sauce is fully combined.
- Cover and let sit for at least 20 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Is katsu sauce gluten-free?
Most often katsu sauce will not be gluten-free as it contains soy sauce. This is especially the case when eaten at a restaurant or purchased from the store. However, you can easily make katsu sauce gluten-free by using gluten free soy sauce and making sure your ketchup and Worcestershire sauce are gluten-free.
What is katsu sauce eaten with?
Katsu sauce is most commonly associated with tonkatsu (Japanese fried pork cutlets) and chicken katsu (Japanese fried chicken cutlets). However, katsu sauce is commonly used in a dipping sauce for a wide variety of fried Japanese dishes.
Final Thoughts About Katsu Sauce
In a cuisine known for it’s rich variety of sauces, katsu sauce is a Japanese staple that is definitely worth a try. We hope that you have found this article and video helpful and informative on your journey through Japanese cuisine. Happy cooking!
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