What is Katsu Sauce?
Katsu sauce is part of a family of Japanese condiments derived from Western Worcestershire sauce, including chunou sauce, okonomiyaki sauce, and yakisoba sauce that are collectively known as sōsu (ソース). While the flavor and ingredients of each one vary by region and brand, most are fruit-based, giving them a sweet and savory taste with an aromatic array of spices. The main difference between different kinds of sōsu is the viscosity. Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce sits on the thin end of the spectrum, while this sauce for deep-fried pork cutlets is on the thicker end of the scale.
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Why This Recipe Works?
- Authentic katsu sauce has a balance of sweet, savory, tangy, and spicy notes, and this easy tonkatsu sauce recipe achieves this balance using a combination of high-quality ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- A small amount of curry powder contributes kakushiaji (literally "hidden taste") to this delicious katsu sauce. It's not enough to make the sauce taste like curry, but it adds a wonderful savory aroma.
- Cooking the sauce mellows out the sharp vinegar notes of the Worcestershire sauce while allowing you to adjust the thickness depending on how you plan to use it.
Ingredients
- Apple juice - Apple juice adds a natural sweetness and a subtle fruity aroma that complement the bolder components of the sauce for katsu. It also helps to thin things out so the sauce doesn't end up too thick as you boil it. White grape juice would also work if you don't have apple juice.
- Worcestershire sauce - Western-style Worcestershire sauce introduces complex flavors, including molasses and warm spices like cloves, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and tamarind. It also adds a malt vinegar kick to the sauce. I use Lea & Perrins, which is the original Worcestershire sauce that came to Japan towards the end of the 19th century.
- Oyster sauce - Oyster sauce contributes a savory flavor and loads of umami to this homemade tonkatsu sauce. My favorite oyster sauce is made by a brand called MegaChef. If you can't find it, you can substitute 2 tablespoons of fish sauce with an extra tablespoon of sugar.
- Ketchup - I like adding ketchup to my katsu sauce to add body and sweetness as well as another fruity dimension. You don't need to go fancy with your ketchup choice, and any American ketchup will work fine.
- Date syrup - Date syrup is the secret ingredient Otafuku uses in their bottled Japanese sauces. It lends a rich caramel flavor that's the perfect sweet complement to the other flavors. If you can't find it, you can substitute an equal amount of brown sugar or three tablespoons of honey or maple syrup to compensate for the different levels of sweetness.
- Ginger juice - To add a bright, fresh kick to my sōsu, I like to add some ginger juice. Grating the ginger into a pulp and squeezing out the juice keeps this versatile sauce from getting chunky and cloudy.
- Curry powder—My personal secret ingredient is a small amount of Japanese curry powder. This enriches the sauce's aroma with a subtle blend of savory spices without overpowering the other flavors. If you want to add more heat, try adding some of your favorite hot sauce or chili paste.
How to Make Katsu Sauce
Begin by combining apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, and date syrup in a saucepan. These simple ingredients meld together, each contributing its unique flavor profile—sweet, savory, tangy, and umami—essential for achieving a harmonious balance in this flavorful sauce.
Next, prepare fresh ginger juice by grating a piece of ginger and then squeezing out the juice from the pulp. This extracts the potent, spicy essence of the ginger, adding a lively zing without clouding the sauce. Add this to the pot, along with the curry powder.
Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring continuously to keep it from burning. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency. Cooking down the sauce thickens it and mellows out the sharp vinegar notes from the Worcestershire sauce, resulting in a more rounded flavor that clings perfectly to breaded cutlets, whether they be chicken katsu or tonkatsu.
Adjust the cooking time to control the thickness of the sauce, depending on whether you prefer a drizzly consistency for dipping or a thicker glaze for coating.
How to Use Katsu Sauce
Sōsu is one of my favorite sauces, seamlessly enhancing a myriad of Japanese dishes with its rich balance of flavors. Slather it on takoyaki and okonomiyaki for a sweet and sour complement to the balls and pancakes of batter. It's a natural fit for chicken katsu (chicken cutlet), chicken tenders, panko shrimp, and korokke (Japanese potato croquettes), providing a robust condiment or dipping sauce for katsu or really any fried food.
Similarly, I use this katsu sauce to glaze some of my favorite dishes, like hamburg steak or Japanese pork chops, turning an everyday meal into something a little extra.
Finally, you can also use it as an ingredient to enhance Japanese food like yakisoba, sobameshi, Japanese curry, or Hayahshi rice with its panoply of tastes.
Other Homemade Sauces
📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup apple juice
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup date syrup (or 3 tablespoons honey)
- 1 teaspoon ginger juice
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
Instructions
- Add ¼ cup apple juice, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup oyster sauce, ¼ cup ketchup, and ¼ cup date syrup to a pot.
- Grate a piece of ginger. Then squeeze the pulp to make 1 teaspoon ginger juice.
- Add the ginger juice to the pot along with ½ teaspoon curry powder.
- Bring the tonkatsu sauce to a boil while stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Reduce the sauce until it reaches your desired thickness (~3-4 minutes).
Paula says
How long can the sauce be stored
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Paula, I haven't tested the upwards limits, but as long as you keep it in a clean container in the fridge and don't double dip, it should keep for months.
Will Evensen says
Instead of the curry powder try a pinch of powdered clove. But just a pinch.
Apple sauce or asian pear can sub for the juice.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Will, thanks for the suggestions! Clove is definitely a part of the flavor profile of tonkatsu sauce, but both Worcestershire sauce and curry powder include it. As for using fruit pulp (like apples or asian pear) it won't work great because the sauce will be less pourable. Also, since this sauce gets cooked, the result will likely end up too thick.