The BEST Japanese condiment! My 4-ingredient tonkatsu sauce recipe tastes just like the real thing and pairs beautifully with katsu cutlets, croquettes and okonomiyaki. I use so much of it at my place, we’re always running out. Lucky it only takes 5 minutes to make a new batch!
I was using so much tonkatsu sauce in my kitchen, it was becoming a problem. Almost every time I’d whip up a batch of crispy tofu or a crunchy katsu sandwich for lunch, I’d open the fridge to find an empty bottle of Bulldog tonkatsu staring back at me. After a few too many last minute trips to the Japanese grocery store to buy a new bottle, I set out to create a homemade version I could whip up with pantry ingredients.
And it works! My homemade tonkatsu sauce is sweet, tangy and savory – just like the Japanese original. Now I’m never more than a few minutes away from digging into okonomiyaki smothered in my favorite condiments: Japanese mayonnaise and, of course, tonkatsu sauce.
What is Tonkatsu Sauce? And What Does it Mean? Expand For More.
Tonkatsu sauce – とんかつソース – (sometimes also referred to as katsu sauce) is a sweet and tangy Japanese condiment used for dipping or as a sauce for sandwiches. It’s made using a mixture of fruits and vegetables like 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. It’s sold in Asian stores next to the ketchup and barbecue sauce. The Bulldog brand is by far the most popular tonkatsu sauce and is sold in three different flavors – Worcestershire (a spicier version), semi-sweet, and classic.
Table of Contents
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.
Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full recipe steps and measurements.
- Ketchup: Ketchup adds a tangy sweetness. Luckily, I always have a bottle in the fridge.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Expect plenty of smokiness, umami – and peppery tang from Worcestershire sauce. I use about 1/4 cup.
- Sugar: You’ll only need a teaspoon or so.
- Soy Sauce: I rely on a couple teaspoons of soy sauce for umami and saltiness.
How to Make Tonkatsu Sauce
- Whisk the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and soy sauce in a bowl and serve. It’s that simple!
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Like a sweeter version of a classic barbecue sauce. It’s not as smoky and has a fruitier taste.
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!
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.
What to Serve with Tonkatsu Sauce
Since this sauce was originally intended for breaded pork cutlets, it naturally goes well with fried foods. I find that tonkatsu sauce also makes a delicious dipping sauce or condiment for foods like French fries, burgers, and sandwiches. Basically, I use it like I would use barbecue sauce.
Some of my favorite dishes to pair with this sauce are:
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Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: About 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Mixing Bowl
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Meet Japan’s version of barbecue sauce! This is a deliciously sweet and smoky Japanese tonkatsu sauce made with just 4 ingredients, and ready in 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve.
Notes
Refrigerate in a jar or covered container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 40
- Sugar: 6.9g
- Sodium: 399.3mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9.7g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Questions and Reviews
Cajun Power Worcestershire Sauce (made here in Louisiana) is also a very thick vegan sauce, which even my non-vegan friends ask me to ship to them by the case as it’s only a couple dollars a bottle. Used it for this recipe and enjoyed it very much.
As a vegan sauces are essential to successful meals and this recipe does glorious things to roasted beets, asparagus, broccoli, even lame cauliflower. I used an organic, vegan, gluten free worcestershire sauce by “The Wizard’s” and sodium-reduced tamari, as well as liquid date syrup with only one item on the ingredient list: dates. My palate was salsa dancing all night long 🙂 Thank you, Caroline!
Thank you so much Martina! 🙂
i didn’t actually try this recipe myself… i made it for my mum and brother with pork tonkatsu. my brother hates pork as a rule, but was willing to give it a go. with the sauce, he actually ate the whole thing! and my mum was super complimentary too. the meat and the sauce went super well together – i really reccomend this recipe.
Hey Caroline, most of the bottled sauces have apple sauce as an ingredient and I’m curious as to why yours does not…
Hi Bill!
I didn’t feel like it needed it and was happy with the way it tasted 🙂
This is really good! But I was curious, if I wanted to try it with the applesauce, how much would I add?
This was a really simple recipe which was awesome because I know normally this sauce uses oyster sauce which I don’t always have. This still had a great taste and went perfect with my chicken katsu tonight! Definitely recommend!
I made the vegan Worcestershire accidentally thinking THAT was it, then noticed the rest of the instructions. Oops!
That said, this sauce was amazing with our extra crispy chicken cutlets. Definitely will make again!
I’ve been putting homemade tonkatsu sauce on my meatloaf for years and didn’t even know it.
Is the sauce what I need to makeTonkatsu soup?
I have been making a lot of ramen soup with chicken but my son had a spicy creamy soup what do I do make the pork boil for hours then add this ? He said it is spicy!
Hi Andie,
The ramen soup is actually called ‘tonkotsu’ and is made with pork bones. Tonkatsu sauce is more like a Japanese barbecue sauce used as a dipping sauce or to pair with fried foods 🙂
I haven’t made this sauce yet, but wanted to let you know there is a vegetarian Worcestershire sauce called Lord Sandys which is very good.
Thank you so much for this! Bulldog sauce has high fructose corn syrup so this is a great substitute.
You’re welcome Cindy! 🙂
Awesome! Quick to make and tastes just like store bought. I used gluten free Tamari instead of soy sauce and was perfect for a gluten free diet!
Thank you so much Spence!
Hi,
The ingredients listed below ‘Make it Vegan’ is that a substitute for the whole recipe or just a substitute for the Worcester sauce (i.e. you’d still need to add the other ingredients)
Just wondering as the ketchup is absent from that list.
Hi Callum! It’s just a substitute for the Worcestershire sauce 🙂
Made this sauce this evening and put it on homemade cheese burgers and it was simply fantastic. Had it with Japanese Kewpie mayo, lettuce and pineapple rings and have to say the combo of the tonkatsu sauce and the Japanese mayo was utterly delicious.
I also saw that you have a DIY Japanese mayo recipe too, so once my bottle of Kewpie is finished I’ll be having a go at that too.
Many thanks Caroline!
You burger sounds soooo good, I’m also a big fan of pineapple and tonkatsu sauce on a burger, except that mine is with salmon 🙂 Thank you so much Tim!
Tonight is the second time I’m making this sauce. I like the simplicity of it, not a lot of ingredients and all you need to do is to measure and stir. I like the taste of it. It doesn’t mask the taste of the food but it adds flavor to it.
My goodness – I am going to be very busy for a long. time. I have looked for a good Japanese site FOREVER. Thank you so much for sharing your talent.
I am very familiar with Japanese cuisine – – have read 4 or 5 recipes and can’t wait to put them together and simply pig out. Baked breaded Tofu Chicken will be my first with Tonkatsu sauce
Thank you so much Fonce!!
This is my favorite Tonkatsu sauce by far. It has the depth and complexity I love
2/3C soy sauce
1/2C Heinz 57
1 apple, or Asian pear chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 can of 8 oz canned crushed pineapple and their juice
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
6 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp corn syrup
* combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Boil and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes until it gets thickened and syrupy. Strain the sauce in the strainer pressing with spoon to get all the juice. Discard the filling and keep the sauce in the fridge until ready to use. Makes about 1/2C
Yes! I made this sauce in a New York minute, including stirring!
How long can you keep this in the fridge?
Hi Carol! This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a month 🙂
Thank you! Love how easy this was. I actually added a dash of sesame oil and it was super delish also! I also love that you added an explanation for Japanese sauces and the differences between them. I’m American with an Asian husband and trying to cook more Asian food for him and our kids. The background info really helps!
I am pinning this recipe and I just want to tell you how much I am enjoying perusing your blog! I also pinned the Pancit recipe and enjoyed the brief history lesson you provided with it. That will make an interesting story to share when eating that yummy looking dish!! I just wanted you to know I am enjoying your talent and the energy and care you obviously put into the site. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.
Thank you so much Lori, you just put a big smile on my face! 🙂