Every time we go to the restaurant chain Wagamama, I cannot resist eating their katsu curry chicken. And for years, I have tried to recreate the exact taste. My husband loves katsu sauce, my kids love katsu sauce – and it always feels like a real treat when we have it at home.
There are many variations but I think this katsu sauce recipe is the most authentic to the one that Wagamama serves. In fact, my son has told me it’s even better. High praise indeed!
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
What is in this katsu sauce recipe?
The simplicity of the ingredients is what makes this katsu curry sauce so easy. And while some recipes add coconut milk, I don’t like a creamy taste in my katsu sauce. This one combines the sweet taste of onions and carrots, with lots of garlic and chicken stock. With a touch of honey and soy sauce.
That’s it – really! Sweet, tangy and delicious, you won’t ever look back once you’ve tried it at home. Just to recap, all you need is:
Carrots
Onion
Garlic
Chicken stock
Curry powder
Flour
Soy sauce
Honey
Is this katsu sauce vegan?
If you substitute chicken stock for vegetable stock, and use sugar or maple syrup instead of honey, then yes, this katsu sauce will be suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Serve it with breaded tofu, sweet potato or aubergine as some recipe idea suggestions.
How to make chicken katsu curry
My favourite combination with katsu curry sauce is chicken katsu curry. Get some chicken breasts in between two pieces of clingfilm, and bash the meat until it’s thin. Coat in seasoned flour, then beaten egg and finally, panko breadcrumbs.
Shallow fry in vegetable oil until crispy on both sides and then bake in the oven for 15-20 mins until the chicken is cooked.
We also love to breadcrumb salmon in the same way as above. My kids really love katsu salmon and it’s a great way to get children to up their fish intake and Omega 3. However you choose to serve this katsu curry sauce, the whole family will enjoy it.
Can you keep leftover katsu curry sauce?
Absolutely. I like to make a double batch of katsu curry sauce, as it’s great to freeze and then use for another meal. Pour the sauce into a suitable container and you can freeze it for up to three months. Make sure you defrost the sauce thoroughly before reheating it in a pan over a medium heat or in the microwave.
What to serve with this easy katsu curry sauce
Pour over your chosen protein, then add lashings of rice or noodles and green vegetables including pak choi or a side salad. One of my friends even loves pouring this sauce over lots of chips! You decide, but it’s versatile enough to be enjoyed in whichever way you like.
Katsu sauce recipe just like Wagamama’s
This katsu curry is so full of flavour and just like the real deal – except I think, better. Once you make it at home, it will become a family favourite
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 6 cloves of garlic – chopped
- 1 large onion – chopped
- 1 large carrot – chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 600-800 ml chicken stock or vegetable stock for vegan variation
- 1 tbsp curry powder your choice of strength. I use medium
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce or more if needed
- 1-2 tsps of honey or sugar/maple syrup for vegans. Add more if needed
- 3 tbsp of flour
Instructions
Fry the onions in the vegetable oil until soft – around eight minutes, then add the garlic. Stir for a minute or two. Then add the carrots and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the curry powder and stir well. After cooking through for a few minutes, add the flour a little at a time and continue to combine.
Add the chicken stock a little at a time, whisking well and making sure all the flour is combined and there are no lumps.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally and let the sauce thicken.
Using a stick blender, blitz the ingredients into a smooth sauce. If you don't have a stick blender, you can use a food processor or blender.
Keep stirring the sauce on a low heat and continue to simmer.
Add the soy sauce to season as well as the honey or sugar. You could add salt, but I personally don’t think it needs it as the soy is already salty.
You can add more water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Serve with panko breaded chicken, salmon or pork – or aubergine, tofu and sweet potatoes over rice or noodles. Enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 128kcalFat: 7.6g
Calories: 128kcal
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Please let me know how this katsu curry sauce recipe turned out for you. Leave a comment below and tag @cooksimplyathome on Instagram. For more recipes do check out my index.
FAQs
This sauce is the traditional Japanese accompaniment for tonkatsu — Japanese-style breaded pork cutlets. It's made from a specially balanced blend of applesauce, onion, tomato paste, carrots and traditionally brewed Kikkoman® Soy Sauce that adds flavor to meat and poultry.
What is the difference between katsu sauce and tonkatsu sauce? ›
Short for tonkatsu, katsu sauce is essentially the Japanese equivalent of Western barbecue sauce. It's sweet and tangy with an umami undertone that packs a flavorful punch. You'll usually find it served with pork tonkatsu, a popular dish of breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet with cabbage and rice.
What is the most popular tonkatsu sauce in Japan? ›
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.
What oil is best for frying katsu? ›
Panko: Panko bread crumbs are responsible for katsu's signature crunch. Oil: Opt for a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola or vegetable oil.
Is katsu actually Japanese? ›
Katsu curry (Japanese: カツカレー, romanized: katsukarē) is a Japanese dish consisting of a pork cutlet (tonkatsu) served with a portion of Japanese rice and curry. It is served on a large plate and is typically eaten using a spoon or fork.
What is the red stuff on katsu? ›
f*ckujinzuke is a mixture of Japanese radish (daikon), lotus root, cucumber and eggplant which are preserved in a soya sauce and sweet cooking wine (mirin) base. The sweet brown or red relish is served as a garnish to Japanese curry (kare raisu).
Why is my katsu not crispy? ›
The only thing to be concerned about is temperature management. Too cold, and your bread crumbs will take too long to crisp, allowing the meat to overcook. Way too cold, and they'll slough off before they can even set. Too hot, and they'll burn before the meat is done.
What cut of pork is best for katsu? ›
Pork – There are two cuts of meat we typically use for this dish: pork loin (ロース rōsu) or tenderloin/fillet (ヒレ hire). Both cuts are fairly lean, but pork loin has a layer of fat that gives the Tonkatsu an extra tender bite when cooked properly.
Is katsu Japanese or Korean? ›
Meaning of katsu in English
a Japanese dish consisting of a piece of meat, usually chicken, or vegetable, covered in bread crumbs, fried, then usually cut into strips and eaten with a sauce: One of my favourite dishes growing up, chicken katsu is basically the Japanese version of fried chicken.
What is the famous sauce in Japan? ›
Shoyu is the most widely used condiment in Japanese cuisine and found in or added to a large number of dishes. The fermented soybean product adds depth to a dish when cooked together or when used as a dipping sauce like for sushi. There are different types of soy sauce, including light and dark ones.
What Does Tonkatsu Sauce Taste Like? Often referred to as Japanese-style barbecue sauce or katsu sauce. tonkatsu sauce is savory and sweet, with a slight tang. In this recipe, ketchup adds the sugary tartness, while soy sauce and Worcestershire lend some umami power.
What do you eat tonkatsu sauce with? ›
Tonkatsu sauce basically has aromatic and tangy flavor with a viscous texture that goes perfectly well with bread-coated pork as well as cabbage (a standard garnish used for tonkastu dish) and white rice. It's said that the tonkatsu sauce originates from Worcestershire sauce.
How do you keep katsu crispy? ›
Frying the Chicken Katsu at the right temperature ensures that it cooks quickly and evenly without becoming too oily. Once the Chicken Katsu is fried, place it on a wire rack to drain excess oil. This will help to keep the Chicken Katsu crispy.
How do you get katsu breading to stick? ›
Place the meat on a tray, cover, and put it in the refrigerator for one hour. This is extremely important as it allows the flour to become sticky and attach to the meat.
Why is my katsu soggy? ›
Oil that is too hot will burn the breadcrumbs and oil that is not hot enough will leave you with soggy, greasy katsu. At the start, and between every round of frying, check your oil by sprinkling a bit of water in the pan. If it sizzles, you are good to go, if it doesn't, you need to heat the oil for a bit longer.
Is Katsu sauce the same as Chinese curry sauce? ›
Sushi, often these restaurants serve Katsu curry, but despite the common misconception katsu refers to the crispy breaded meat or tofu, not necessarily the curry! Japanese curries range in many flavours, but they are not the same as Chinese or Indian curries and have quite a distinguishable taste.
What katsu contains? ›
Chicken katsu curry is a very popular curry dish – traditionally hailing from Japan, this dish comprises of panko breadcrumb coated chicken in a thick curry sauce and rice. Due to the ease of preparation and minimal ingredients list, it is a firm favourite with the British.
Does Katsu sauce contain fish? ›
It is a thick (viscosity over 2.0 pascal-second, per JAS Standard) Japanese Worcestershire-type sauce. It is similar to a brown sauce (British Isles), and can include a fish sauce, tomatoes, prunes, dates, apples, lemon juice, carrots, onions, and celery among its ingredients.
Why is it called katsu? ›
The word tonkatsu is a combination of the Sino-Japanese word ton (豚) meaning "pig", and katsu (カツ), which is a shortened form of katsuretsu (カツレツ), an old transliteration of the English word "cutlet", which was in turn adopted from the French word côtelette.
