Tofu Katsu Sando. A delicious, crispy panko breaded fried tofu sandwiched between milk bread with a sweet tonkatsu sauce. Easy to make at home and ready in 30 minutes!
Jump to:
What is Tofu Katsu Sando?
Tofu katsu sando is a tasty sandwich from Japan featuring crispy tofu breaded with panko and deep fried between milk bread with tonkatsu sauce and creamy mayo. It's a great sandwich recipe for a meal or as a light snack. Katsu sando is a very popular sandwich in Japan known for it's crispy texture and fluffy bread creating a delicious combination of textures. You can often find the meat version of these Japanese sandwiches at Japanese convenience stores or at select Japanese restaurants. Often hungry commuters or students will pick these sandwiches up as they're the perfect on-the-go snack or meal.
I love making this vegetarian tofu katsu sando for my husband who doesn't consume a lot of meat. This Japanese sando so good if you're looking for something light but satisfying!
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients for my Japanese Tofu Katsu Sandwich:
- Extra firm tofu: avoid using soft tofu, medium tofu or even firm tofu. It'll easily break apart when you coat it.
- Japanese panko breadcrumbs
- Cornstarch: or potato starch or all purpose flour
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Egg
- Neutral oil: like vegetable oil, avocado oil or any scentless oil with a high smoke point.
- Tonkatsu sauce: store bought to make things easier
- Japanese mayo: or kewpie mayo
- Milk Bread: or sub with white bread or whole wheat bread
- Shredded Cabbage: optional
How to make a Tofu Katsu Sando
- Slice your tofu into 6 equal slices at about 0.5-inches thick. Pat each piece dry with a clean paper towel. Generously season with garlic powder and salt. Add more if needed.
- First coat your tofu in cornstarch, ensuring no bald spots. Then coat in the beaten egg and lastly in panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by checking for bubbles. Once it’s hot, carefully lower your coated tofu in.
- Fry on both sides until golden crispy brown. Transfer cooked pieces to a wire rack or a plate with paper towel to remove excess oil.
- Place 2 pieces of tofu onto a slice of bread.
- Drizzle a generous amount of tonkatsu sauce and Japanese mayo over tofu. Optional: add shredded cabbage on top of tofu.
- Place the other slice of bread on top. Place a weighted plate on top of them to flatten them. Cut off the crusts and slice sandos into thirds with a sharp knife. Repeat for other two remaining sandwiches. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Pat dry your tofu with a clean paper towel. The dried the better as it will retain the seasoning and coating will stick better.
- Coat tofu well ensuring no bald spots.
- Make sure oil is hot enough before frying the tofu.
- Allow the tofu to fry on all sides until golden crispy brown, but don’t worry too much about the ends of the tofu.
- Allow fried tofu to drip off excess oil on a wire rack or on a paper towel lined plate.
- After making your sandwich, place a weighted plate over it to squish the bread so it’s easier to slice and cut.
- Cut sandwich into thirds for an authentic look!
Other tofu recipes you may enjoy!
- Japanese Sticky Teriyaki Tofu
- Silken Tofu With Onion And Garlic
- Asian Breaded Tofu Nuggets
- Sweet And Sticky Tofu
- Tofu Katsu
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Tofu Katsu Sando
Tofu Katsu Sando. A delicious, crispy panko breaded fried tofu sandwiched between two pieces of milk bread with a sweet tonkatsu sauce. Easy to make at home and ready in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 6 slices milk bread or white bread
- 1 lb extra firm tofu sliced into 6 equal pieces about 0.5 inches thick
- 1 egg beaten
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs or as needed
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch or as needed
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder or as needed
- 1.5 teaspoon salt or as needed
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 6 tablespoon Tonkatsu Sauce
- 6 tablespoon Japanese mayo or regular mayonnaise
- cabbage shredded, optional
Instructions
- Slice your tofu into 6 equal slices at about 0.5-inches thick. Pat each piece dry with a clean paper towel. Generously season with garlic powder and salt. Add more if needed.
- First coat your tofu in cornstarch, ensuring no bald spots. Then coat in the beaten egg and lastly in panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by checking for bubbles. Once it’s hot, carefully lower your coated tofu in.
- Fry on both sides until golden crispy brown. Transfer cooked pieces to a wire rack or a plate with paper towel to remove excess oil.
- Place 2 pieces of tofu onto a slice of bread.
- Drizzle a generous amount of tonkatsu sauce and Japanese mayo over tofu. Optional: add shredded cabbage on top of tofu.
- Place the other slice of bread on top. Place a weighted plate on top of them to flatten them. Cut off the crusts and slice sandos into thirds with a sharp knife. Repeat for other two remaining sandwiches. Enjoy!
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
Nutrition
Calories: 945kcal | Carbohydrates: 147g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1586mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 385mg | Iron: 11mg
Comments
No Comments