Is this recipe vegan?

Not quite. But it can be! Since mayonnaise contains egg, vegans will want to use a plant based mayo instead. Also, if you're using panko breadcrumbs, be sure to read the label first. Some brands use dairy in their panko. Bull-Dog brand tonkatsu sauce is actually totally vegan. But you can also use vegan BBQ sauce if that's what you have handy.

Where can I buy the ingredients?

Tempeh is sold at most grocery stores these days. And, while shokupan (Japanese milk bread) is suggested, I love making this on basic sourdough sandwich bread from my local bakery. As for the Japanese specific ingredients, you'll probably track everything else down fairly easily at an Asian grocery store. If there's not a store in your area, here are a couple helpful links to buy on Amazon: tonkatsu sauce , Kewpie mayonnaise , panko breadcrumbs , sake and mirin .

Can I make this sandwich with meat instead?

You most certainly can. A Japanese katsu sando is usually made with a breaded pork or chicken cutlet. This baked chicken katsu recipe would work perfectly!

Tempeh Katsu Sandwich

Name: Tempeh Katsu Sandwich
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sake; 2 teaspoons mirin; 1 package tempeh (8 ounces); 3 tablespoons flour; ¼ cup water; ½ cup panko breadcrumbs; 3 tablespoons neutral oil like grapeseed oil or vegetable oil; ½ cup shredded cabbage; Sandwich bread, 4 slices; Kewpie mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise; Tonkatsu sauce or vegan barbecue sauce

Description

A vegetarian tempeh katsu sandwich with a mighty crunch. Load it up with tonkastu sauce and Kewpie mayo and you’ve got a legendary meal. Ready in 25 minutes!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
2 teaspoons mirin
1 package tempeh (8 ounces)
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons neutral oil like grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
Sandwich bread, 4 slices
Kewpie mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
Tonkatsu sauce or vegan barbecue sauce

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Instructions

Make the marinade. Mix the soy sauce, sake, and mirin in a bowl, and set aside.
Marinate the tempeh. Slice the tempeh into 6 sticks. Put the tempeh in a storage bag and add the sauce. Take some of the air out before sealing the bag and let the tempeh marinate for 10 minutes. Flip the bag over and marinate for an additional 10 minutes.
Make the batter. Mix the flour and water in a bowl wide enough to dip the tempeh. Place the panko breadcrumbs in another bowl of the same size, next to the flour mixture.
Batter the tempeh. One by one, dip each tempeh stick in the flour mixture and coat evenly on all sides. Then, dip them in the panko breadcrumbs to coat all sides.
Pan-fry the tempeh cutlets. Add the oil to a large skillet and turn the heat to medium high. When the oil is hot, add the tempeh and cook until the sticks are golden brown on all sides – about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the tempeh to a paper towel to remove excess oil.
Assemble the sandwiches. Toast the bread and top 2 slices with some shredded cabbage and two tempeh sticks per sandwich. Squirt plenty of tonkatsu sauce on the tempeh and top with the remaining bread. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 sandwich
Calories: 542
Sugar: 5.1g
Sodium: 465mg
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 3.6g
Unsaturated Fat: 17.6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 47.1g
Fiber: 11.4g
Protein: 27.1g
Cholesterol: 0mg