This post may contain affiliate links. Say hello to your favorite Japanese condiment! quick apple sauce pantry ingredients and under 2 minutes from start to finish! Homemade Japanese Style Tonkatsu Sauce – Learn how to make tonkatsu sauce with just 4 ingredients!
I love tonkatsu sauce, even more than barbecue sauce because of its tangy and sweet flavors. It goes well with sandwiches, potato croquettes, chicken, pork and baked tofu. Japanese condiment used for dipping or as a sauce for sandwiches. It’s made using a mixture of fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, celery, carrots, apples, and prunes, a variety of spices, and condiments such as soy sauce and vinegar.
The word tonkatsu actually means pork cutlet so the literal translation for tonkatsu sauce is pork cutlet sauce. You might have seen it sold in Asian stores next to the ketchup or barbecue sauce. It’s been around since 1902, right around the time when western food was becoming popular in Japanese homes. The sauce was developed to accommodate the Japanese palate and was used on western dishes such as cutlets and other fried foods. Tonkatsu sauce can also be referred to as Japanese barbecue sauce. Parts of the flavor profile you might associate with a good Western style BBQ sauce are represented in this iconic Japanese sauce.
Ingredients for Tonkatsu Sauce Scroll all the way down for the full recipe. Ketchup: One of the two main ingredients for this sauce. Ketchup adds a tangy sweetness that can only be found in tomato based products. Worcestershire Sauce: Usually, Worcestershire is used sparingly because of its strong flavor. So you can expect plenty of smokiness! Sugar: Just a teaspoon to adjust the sweetness of the sauce.
Soy Sauce: A couple of teaspoons for saltiness. Adjusting the Flavors The recipe I create is to mimic the taste of Bulldog’s classic tonkatsu sauce as close as possible. If you prefer something spicier, adjust the sauce by adding a little more Worcestershire sauce. You could even mince a couple of Thai chilis and add them to the sauce.