This Crispy Tofu Katsu will make everyone love tofu! With simple steps, you'll have the perfect katsu that's crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Pan fry, deep fry or even use your air fryer 😊
This is not your regular tofu recipe…whether you love or hate tofu, I guarantee you will love this recipe 😉. I used to love katsu chicken and it was always a regular order whenever I went to a Japanese restaurant, especially in a bentu box...yum! Since I don't eat meat anymore, I love remaking my favorite dishes using different ingredients instead. Here I've transformed plain tofu to make the perfect Japanese inspired Crispy Katsu Tofu!
Since tofu doesn't have much flavor itself, it's a great canvas for many recipes as you can add different sauces and marinades to it. Here I've coated the tofu in a 3 step crumbing station to get the perfect crisp exterior, however keeping it tender in the center. You can then enjoy the tofu katsu alongside many dishes such as rice and veggies, with a Japanese curry which is a personal favorite, add it to sushi rolls or summer rolls, or even just enjoy it on its own with a sauce on the side.
Traditionally katsu is always deep fried to get its signature golden texture, coating the meat, or in my case tofu. Here I've pan fried the tofu instead which uses less oil, but still able to achieve the golden color and crunch on all the edges. I've also tested the recipe using my air fryer which also works great. It’s not as golden, but its a great alternative if you want to use minimal oil. It's also a completely vegan recipe.
My katsu tofu is inspired by the popular Japanese dish 'tonkatsu'. This is a crumbed and deep fried pork cutlet (the word katsu translates to cutlet). It's usually then sliced and served on rice with a tonkatsu sauce or very popularly with a Japanese curry. Its also commonly made with chicken cutlets or other meats. Whilst I've never eaten the traditional pork version, I've had chicken katsu many many times and I think this tastes just as good 🙂
Some other Japanese inspired dishes to try are my kani salad, shrimp tempura and teriyaki tofu.
Table of Contents
What makes this recipe special
- Quick & Easy: With simple steps and ingredients, anyone can make it!
- Perfect Crunch: The perfect crispy texture on the outside and tender in the middle
- Versatile: Enjoy on its own, serve with rice and veggies, or as a tofu katsu curry
- Vegan Friendly: A completely vegan recipe, still being able to enjoy a popular Japanese staple dish
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Extra firm tofu is best for the right texture in this recipe. Silken tofu is unfortunately too soft and doesn't for this recipe but it goes well in soups such as a yummy miso soup
- All purpose flour is the first dipping bowl and will help it get extra crispy. You can also use gluten-free flour if needed
- Milk is for the second bowl to make the wet batter with a touch of flour. You can use any milk. I’ve used soy milk today. If you aren't vegan, feel free to beat an egg and use this instead
- Panko breadcrumbs are for the third bowl, and key when making traditional katsu. It's a Japanese style of bread crumbs that are light and crisp, essential for the perfect coating. If you can't get your hands on it, use a standard bread crumb instead, I would suggest a chunky texture and not too fine
- Garlic powder with salt and pepper season the flour
- Oil for frying needs to be a high smoke point oil - I've used sunflower oil but avocado, canola or vegetable oil are other substitutes
How to make Tofu Katsu
Make this Japanese staple with crispy tofu, the best part it takes little time to put together. Follow my simple steps below.
Press tofu for 15 minutes using a tofu press or in between paper towels with a heavy pot on top
Slice tofu blocks in half horizontally (~0.5 inch / 1.5cm in width). Season with salt and pepper
Prepare dipping station with 3 bowls. One with flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Second with milk plus 1 tablespoon of flour and third with panko breadcrumbs
Dip each piece into the flour, milk, then breadcrumbs. Coat all sides and edges well
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Pan fry tofu, ensuring they're not touching. If using the air fryer scroll down
Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Then flip the tofu on the side to fry the edges as well
Place tofu on a plate with paper towels to remove excess oil. Season with salt
Slice tofu diagonally and its ready to serve!
Cook Tofu Katsu in the Air Fryer
Preheat air fryer to 400°F / 200°C. Spray oil in the basket and add tofu, with space between each piece. Spray oil generously to the tops and cook for 10 minutes
Flip pieces around, spray with olive oil and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown
Tips and Tricks
- Always press tofu to remove the excess moisture. You can use a tofu press, or simply place the tofu in between a clean kitchen towel or paper towels with a heavy object on top
- You can freeze the tofu as an extra step for an even meatier texture. Simply freeze, then defrost and continue with the same recipe steps. Its not mandatory and I haven't tested it for this recipe
- When coating, ensure to press the panko breadcrumb mixture into the tofu on all sides to ensure they have stuck well as they can sometimes simply fall off
- Tofu doesn't have much flavor itself, so it requires seasoning along the way. I always suggest to sprinkle with salt as soon as its off the heat
- Pan fry, deep fry, or air fry your tofu katsu. To remove excess oil once cooked, place on paper towels or on a wire rack
Storage Instructions
- Tofu katsu is best fresh, however you may store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
- To reheat, either put in the oven, air fryer or pan fry with a little oil to regain the yummy crunch. The microwave won't make the katsu crispy
- I don't recommend freezing
What to serve with Tofu Katsu?
You can serve this tofu katsu in many ways, here are some favorites:
- Japansese katsu curry
- Alongside Japanese rice, or plain white rice
- With miso soup or udon noodle soup
- In a rice bowl such as this salmon bowl
- In sushi rolls, like this tempura roll
- Top of salads such as edamame salad or Asian chopped salad
- Summer rolls
- Katsu sando - Japanese sandwich
- Alongside miso glazed eggplant
- Simply enjoy plain with your favorite sauce such as tonkatsu sauce, ponzu sauce, gyoza dipping sauce, spicy sriracha aioli or peanut sauce
FAQs
Tofu doesn't have much taste itself, so it's great as a blank canvas. You can season with different marinades, spices and sauces as it absorbs the flavor
Vegan katsu can be made from different ingredients. Here I've made a vegan tofu katsu, however you can also make it with vegetables such as eggplant katsu or even sweet potatoes
Traditionally, katsu is made from pork cutlets. However it can also be made with chicken and other meats
Katsu sauce, known as tonkatsu sauce, is a Japanese sauce similar to a barbecue sauce that is thick, sweet and savory. It’s usually made from worcestershire sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and honey or maple syrup for sweetness
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Tofu Katsu:
More Japanese Inspired Recipes
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Recipe
Tofu Katsu (Crispy Perfection)
Ingredients
- 9oz / 250g extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup milk - I’ve used soy milk
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Oil for frying - I've used sunflower oil
Instructions
- Press the tofu blocks for 10-15 minutes using either a tofu press, or place the blocks between paper kitchen towels with a heavy object on top such as a pot
- Slice both blocks in half horizontally, so they are ~ 0.5 inch / 1.5cm in width. Season both sides with salt and pepper
- Using 3 bowls, create a dipping station:1. ¼ cup flour, good pinch of salt and pepper and garlic powder - mix 2. Milk plus 1 tablespoon flour - mix 3. Panko breadcrumbs
- One at a time, dip each tofu square into the flour, then the milk, then the panko breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat all sides and edges, using your fingers to press in the panko crumbs to coat well. Repeat for all piecesFor air fryer method, skip to bottom of the recipe
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. I prefer to pan fry, but you can also deep fry. Test the oil by adding a tiny pinch of flour to it, if it's bubbling it's readyCarefully place the tofu in the oil, ensuring they're not touching or overlapping
- Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Since I am pan frying the tofu, I like to also flip the tofu and fry the edges once both sides are golden
- Place cooked tofu on a plate with paper towels to remove the excess oil or you can also place them on a wire rack. Sprinkle the tops with salt as soon as it comes out of the pan
- Slice your Crispy Tofu Katsu diagonally and its ready to enjoy alongside rice and Japanese curry or with your favorite sauce such as tonkatsu sauce
Air Fryer Method
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F / 200°C. Spray oil to the air fryer base and add the tofu pieces in a single layer, ensuring space in between each piece. Spray oil generously to the tops of the tofu and cook for 10 minutes until tops are golden brownFlip pieces around and again spray the tops with olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes until the tops are golden brown
Notes
- Nutritional table does not account for oil used for frying the tofu katsu
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