Katsudon

Crispy fried pork cutlet simmered in a sweet dashi stock with tender onions and egg over a bed of rice. This quick and easy katsudon is ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. I share how to deep fry or air fry the katsu.

Katsudon is a popular Japanese pork cutlet and egg rice bowl. This main dish or meal is served at many Japanese restaurants and loved by locals for it's comforting taste!

It features crispy fried panko-breaded pork simmered in a sweet dashi stock with soft onions and a runny egg poured over top. Then served over steamed short-grain rice.

This Japanese dish encompasses savory and sweet flavors with contrasting textures. It's similar to oyakodon, which is a chicken and egg rice bowl but the chicken is not breaded and deep fried.

I share how to deep fry or air fry the pork cutlet below so you can pick your preferred cooking method.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements. 

• Cooked Short-Grain Rice (aka Calrose or Sushi Rice): this is traditionally made with this kind of rice. Or substitute with a white medium to long grain rice like jasmine rice.
• Large Eggs
• Onion
• Cold Water
• Bonito Flakes
• Kombu (aka dried kelp): a dried dark green sea kelp sold at many Asian grocery stores in the dried section.
• Mirin: a popular sweet rice cooking wine used in Japanese cuisine. You can find this at most Asian or Japanese grocers.
• Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
• White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with cane sugar.

For the Katsu

• Pork Loin: or substitute with boneless pork shoulder or pork chops with some fat along the edges.
• Large Egg
• Salt
• Panko Breadcrumbs: these are long and flakier breadcrumbs made of finely processed Japanese milk bread. I advise using any kind imported from Japan or Korea for best texture. Or substitute with regular breadcrumbs.
• Potato Starch: or substitute with cornstarch or tapioca starch.
• Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.

Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon. 

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make katsudon:

Prepare the Pork Katsu

1. First tenderize pork loin with the back of a knife or meat tenderizer on both sides until it's 1 cm thick. Season both sides with salt.
2. Place potato starch in a large shallow bowl. Then crack and beat 1 egg in a second large bowl. In the last bowl, spread out panko breadcrumbs. Then evenly dredge the slice of pork into potato starch, then into the beaten eggs and lastly, into the panko breadcrumbs. Make sure there are no bald spots.
3. Choose ONE cooking method below:
   • Deep Frying Method: Heat 1 cup or 250 ml of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat until 350 F with a digital instant read thermometer. Fry coated pork into the hot oil on both sides for 6-7 minutes in total, until golden crispy brown on each side and an internal temperature of 145 F. Remove fried pork and transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.
   • Air Frying Method: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with vegetable oil. Transfer the breaded pork to air fryer basket. Lightly spray vegetable oil over the pork. Air fry on one side for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then flip over and spray more oil over top and air fry for another 8-10 minutes until golden brown with an internal temperature of 145 F with a digital instant read thermometer.
4. Transfer fried pork to cutting board and slice into ¾-inch wide pieces. Set aside.

Prepare Katsudon

1. Place hot cooked rice in a large 6-8 inch serving bowl. Cover and set aside.
2. Then in a small saucepan (about 6-8 inches), add water and dried kelp. Bring to medium heat and allow the kelp to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the kelp and discard. Skim off the bubbles in the water.
3. Next add bonito flakes to the water. Simmer for 3 minutes over low heat.
4. Prepare a fine sieve lined with paper towel set over a large bowl and strain the hot broth to remove the bonito flakes. Discard the bonito flakes and pour the liquid back into a clean saucepan. This is your dashi broth.
5. To the dashi broth, add regular soy sauce, sugar, mirin and onions. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until onions are translucent and softened.
6. Add sliced pork katsu into the center of the pan laying flat over the onions.
7. Next pour two beaten eggs over the onions and pork in a circular motion. Cook the eggs your desired texture: for runny eggs, cook for 1-2 minutes and for fully cooked eggs, cover and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
8. Loosen the edges around the egg using a spatula before sliding everything in the pan on top of cooked rice. Enjoy hot!

Storage

• Katsudon is best enjoyed fresh to maintain the crispy texture of the pork cutlet.
• Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
• Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing katsudon or the pork cutlet will go soggy and the rice will turn hard.

📖 Recipe

Quick & Easy Katsudon (Air Frying/Deep Frying)

Christie Lai

Crispy fried pork cutlet simmered in a sweet dashi stock with tender onions and egg over a bed of rice. This quick and easy katsudon is ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. I share how to deep fry or air fry the katsu.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 1

Calories per serving 1684 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1.5 cups cooked short grain rice hot, or sub with cooked jasmine rice
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1 small onion sliced thinly
• 2 cup water cold
• 1 cup bonito flakes
• 4 pieces kombu (aka dried kelp)
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar

For the Pork Katsu

• 5.9 oz pork loin about 1-inch thick
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoon panko breadcrumbs or sub with regular breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch / tapioca starch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• vegetable oil for deep frying or air frying (or sub with any neutral tasting oil)

Instructions

 

• First tenderize pork loin with the back of a knife or meat tenderizer on both sides until it's 1 cm thick. Season both sides with salt.
• Place potato starch in a large shallow bowl. Then crack and beat 1 egg in a second large bowl. In the last bowl, spread out panko breadcrumbs. Then evenly dredge the slice of pork into potato starch, then into the beaten eggs and lastly, into the panko breadcrumbs. Make sure there are no bald spots.
• Choose ONE cooking method below:

  Deep Frying Method: Heat 1 cup or 250 ml of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat until 350 F with a digital instant read thermometer. Fry coated pork into the hot oil on both sides for 6-7 minutes in total, until golden crispy brown on each side and an internal temperature of 145 F. Remove fried pork and transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.

  Air Frying Method: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with vegetable oil. Transfer the breaded pork to air fryer basket. Lightly spray vegetable oil over the pork. Air fry on one side for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then flip over and spray more oil over top and air fry for another 8-10 minutes until golden brown with an internal temperature of 145 F with a digital instant read thermometer.
• Transfer fried pork to cutting board and slice into ¾-inch wide pieces. Set aside.
• Place hot cooked rice in a large 6-8 inch serving bowl. Cover and set aside.
• Then in a small saucepan (about 6-8 inches), add water and dried kelp. Bring to medium heat and allow the kelp to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the kelp and discard. Skim off the bubbles in the water.
• Next add bonito flakes to the water. Simmer for 3 minutes over low heat.
• Prepare a fine sieve lined with paper towel set over a large bowl and strain the hot broth to remove the bonito flakes. Discard the bonito flakes and pour the liquid back into a clean saucepan. This is your dashi broth.
• To the dashi broth, add regular soy sauce, sugar, mirin and onions. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until onions are translucent and softened.
• Add sliced pork katsu into the center of the pan laying flat over the onions.
• Next pour two beaten eggs over the onions and pork in a circular motion. Cook the eggs your desired texture: for runny eggs, cook for 1-2 minutes and for fully cooked eggs, cover and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
• Loosen the edges around the egg using a spatula before sliding everything in the pan on top of cooked rice. Enjoy hot!

Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!

Suggested Equipment & Products

• Rice Cooker
• Cutting Board
• Santoku Knife
• Non stick small pan 8 inch
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Scale

Nutrition

Calories: 1684kcal | Carbohydrates: 145g | Protein: 195g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 719mg | Sodium: 2919mg | Potassium: 2673mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 823IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 10mg