Tonkatsu Sauce - How To Make It (2024)

Why I Love This

• Authentic taste. Easy to make. Real deal Japanese flavor. 5 minutes, 4 ingredients.
• Versatile condiment and kid friendly. Works with both Japanese and Western recipes. Kids love it on nuggets.
• Long shelf life. Since the base ingredients I’m using already have a long shelf life themselves, this tonkatsu sauce can be kept in the fridge for months. I can make a big bottle of it, refrigerate and never worry about it.

Adjusting the Taste

I created this recipe to mimic the taste of Bulldog’s classic tonkatsu sauce as closely as possible. Here are two easy options to adjust the flavor to your preference:

• If you prefer something bolder, add a little more Worcestershire sauce. It’s a complex blend of umami, tangy, sweet and peppery.
• If you prefer it sweeter, add more ketchup and a sprinkle of sugar. You could also substitute honey for sugar.

Vegan Option

Since traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, my tonkatsu sauce recipe isn’t vegan as written. However, you can use vegan Worcestershire instead. Or you can make your own vegan Worcestershire sauce by combining 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, 1/8 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger with a pinch of salt and a pinch of allspice.

Use instead of the traditional Worcestershire sauce when making vegan tonkatsu sauce.

Storage

Store homemade tonkatsu sauce in a jar and refrigerate for up to 3 months.

What is a good substitute for tonkatsu sauce?

Tonkatsu sauce is part of a triumvirate of Japanese style sauces, unsurprisingly called ‘sauce’ (ソース) – [pronounced so-su]. While the tastes of these sauces may be slightly different, many of the base ingredients are the same. You can use usuta sauce (ウスターソース), which is a thinner and more watery version, or chuno sauce (中濃ソース), which is more of a split-the-difference type of sauce in terms of viscosity.

What does tonkatsu sauce taste like?

Like a sweeter version of a classic barbecue sauce. It’s not as smoky and has a fruitier taste.

I don’t want to make tonkatsu sauce from scratch. Is there a brand you can recommend?

Of course! I recommend using Bulldog because it’s the most famous and loved brand in Japan (and all over the world). My whole family in Japan uses it, and we do as well!

Where can I buy tonkatsu sauce?

Tonkatsu sauce is fairly easy to find. In bigger cities like New York and Los Angeles, you might be able to find it at regular grocery stores. If not, Asian supermarkets and Japanese grocery stores will have it. Or, you can order tonkatsu sauce online.