Name: Katsu Sandwich
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 boneless pork loins or scotch fillets (approx 200-250g each); 60g Panko breadcrumbs (1 cup); 1/2 tsp Kosher salt; Ground black pepper; 30g All purpose flour (1/4 cup); 1 Large egg, beaten; Vegetable oil, for deep frying; 1 leaf Green cabbage; 4 slices of Shokupan aka Japanese milk bread; Dijon or whole grain mustard, to serve; Tonkatsu sauce, to serve

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Juicy breaded pork cutlet fried to golden brown perfection with sweet and tangy tonkatsu sauce and cabbage sandwiched between two slices of Japanese milk bread.

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What is a katsu sando?
What is the difference between a Western and a Japanese sandwich?
Ingredients
Frequently Asked Questions
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

What is a katsu sando?

Katsu sando (カツサンド) aka katsu sandwich is a Japanese sandwich made with Japanese milk bread and breaded, fried pork cutlet. Pretty much just the Japanese take on a pork cutlet sandwich.

Sandwiches are super popular in Japan, and this along with the popular tamago sando are some of the classics found no matter where you go.

What is the difference between a Western and a Japanese sandwich?

There are a couple of differences between a Japanese katsu sando and a western schnitzel sandwich.

Firstly, Japanese sandwiches always use shokupan aka milk bread. Milk bread is a soft, fluffy sandwich loaf with a milky and slightly sweet flavor.

Secondly, in Japan, they like to use panko breadcrumbs rather than regular ones for breading their pork cutlets. Panko is a lighter, airier bread crumb that doesn't absorb as much oil, allowing them to stay crispier for longer. This gives the pork cutlet a cleaner flavor and crunchier texture.

Ingredients

Pork Katsu

Boneless pork loins, or your choice of cut: Pork loins are the usual choice when making katsu as it is the perfect shape and size while still being tender when fried. You can also use a pork chop, just cut off the bone! Other cuts of meat are also fine, for example, a scotch fillet, which I used this time.
Panko breadcrumbs: Deep-fried panko breadcrumbs aka Japanese breadcrumbs have a lighter and airier texture which will result in a crispier katsu with less greasiness.
Salt: Seasoning is so important when making a katsu. Season the pork well to prevent it from being flavorless later.

Ground pepper: Pepper is just another layer to the seasoning step. Season with more or less according to your tastes.
All-purpose flour: Dusting your pork cutlets in flour will help the egg cling to the pork.
Egg: The egg clings to the flour so that the panko will stick to the pork!
Vegetable oil: Make sure you use a neutral flavored oil otherwise the pork will take on the flavor of the oil. Other oils that are great include canola or grapeseed oil.

Assembly

Green cabbage: We don't need a lot of cabbage but a little shredded cabbage adds freshness to the sandwich and takes away from the heavier and slightly greasy pork cutlet.
Shokupan: I love using shokupan aka Japanese milk bread for sando as the bread is softer, fluffier, and slightly sweeter. If you can't find any feel free to use any soft white bread you can find. Sandwich loaves usually work great.

Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard: This ties the whole sandwich together, the tanginess of the mustard works great to cut through the greasiness of the katsu.
Tonkatsu sauce: This Japanese sauce is slightly tangy with a sweet fruity touch. Without it, it's not quite a katsu sando. You can find this in Asian groceries, or in the international aisle of most supermarkets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my own tonkatsu sauce?

Yes, you can! Tonkatsu sauce can be easily found in Asian grocery stores but if you can't find any you can make it yourself too. All you need is ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Then mix it all together and you're good to go!

If you have okonomiyaki sauce, takoyaki sauce, or yakisoba sauce you can use those too. These Japanese condiments have a similar sweet and savory flavor that will work great as a substitute.

Ingredients

¼ cup Ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon Soy sauce
1 teaspoon Sugar

Where can I find shokupan?

Shokupan bread aka Japanese milk bread can be found at all Asian bakeries! Just look for the fluffy loaf of milk bread.

If you don't have access to an Asian grocer you can use regular white sandwich bread from your grocery store.

Can I make this with chicken?

Yes, you can! You can use whatever kind of protein you like. In Japan, steak and chicken katsu sandwiches are also popular.

If you are using chicken for the sandwich I recommend using chicken breast or chicken thighs. Make sure you use a meat mallet to pound it to an even thickness before breading and frying. This will ensure an evenly cooked chicken cutlet that's perfect for the sandwich.

Can I make the pork katsu in the air fryer or pan fry it?

If you don't like deep frying your proteins at home you can definitely use other methods to cook it.

To pan-fry your katsu heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a shallow frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the katsu for 3-4 minutes per side. Make sure you have enough oil to fry each side, you may need to top it up halfway through cooking. Then remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel or wire rack.

To air-fry give the breaded katsu a good spray of oil before putting it in the air fryer to cook for 10-13 minutes. Make sure you flip it halfway for an even cook.

Let's Get Cooking

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went. Also don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts so I can see and share your desserts.

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Katsu Sando

What is a katsu sando?

What is the difference between a Western and a Japanese sandwich?