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Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe
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4.86 from 7 votes

Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe

This tonkatsu sauce recipe is a classic sweet and tangy Japanese sauce with western influences, perfect for fried pork cutlets and easy to make.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
FOR THE EASY TONKATSU SAUCE5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course, sauce
Cuisine: American, Japanese
Keyword: ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce
Servings: 56 tablespoons
Calories: 17kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

FOR AUTHENTIC TONKATSU SAUCE

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 small apple 4 ounces, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 pound tomatoes chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup sake
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce or to taste
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

FOR EASY TONKATSU SAUCE (Homemade Bulldog Sauce)

  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or use honey or brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

FOR AUTHENTIC TONKATSU SAUCE

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan to medium heat.
  • Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
  • Add the apple, tomatoes, garlic, sake, water, salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Discard the bay leaf, then allow the mixture to cool.
  • Transfer the ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Or, use a stick blender.
  • Strain the ingredients back into the saucepan and discard the solids.
  • Add the seasonings and Worcestershire sauce. Heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Cool and serve.

FOR EASY TONKATSU SAUCE (Homemade Bulldog Sauce)

  • Whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl.
  • Serve as desired.

Notes

Nutritional information estimated for the authentic tonkatsu sauce version.
The classic tonkatsu sauce recipe makes about 3.5 cups of sauce. The easy tonkatsu sauce recipe makes about 1/2 cup.

Nutrition

Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 46IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg