Tofu Katsu Sando

Crispy tofu sandwiched between fluffy milk bread with sweet tonkatsu sauce and creamy mayonnaise. This quick and easy tofu katsu sando is ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. A great meal for the all the tofu-lovers!

This Japanese tofu katsu sando features panko breaded tofu fried in hot oil and stuffed between soft milk bread with tonkatsu sauce and mayonnaise.

Katsu sando is a very popular sandwich in Japan known for it's crispy texture and fluffy shokupan bread creating a tasty combination of textures.

The meat version of these sandwiches are sold at many Japanese convenience stores or at Japanese restaurants.

Hungry commuters or students will pick up this portable food as it's great for on-the-go and it's affordable! It's also a great lunchbox idea or picnic food.

I love making this meatless version for my husband as it's a scrumptious way to enjoy tofu! It's also very simple to make at home and the tofu is shallow fried, not deep fried, in less oil.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements. 

• Milk Bread: this is bread made with milk starter dough and it's very fluffy and soft sold at many Asian bakeries. Or substitute with regular white bread.
• Extra-firm Tofu Block: avoid using soft tofu or medium tofu or it will easily break apart when you fry it. As a last resort, you can substitute with firm tofu but be very gentle.
• Japanese 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 or milk bread pulsed in a food processor.
• Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch or all-purpose flour.
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Large Egg
• 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.
• Tonkatsu sauce: A popular Japanese sauce that is tangy, sweet, dark and thick and it's sold at many Asian grocery stores in the sauce aisle or online.
• Japanese mayo (aka Kewpie mayo): a creamy Japanese-style mayonnaise made of egg yolks instead of using whole eggs like in regular mayo. As a last resort, substitute with regular mayo.

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 tofu katsu sando:

1. Slice the block of tofu into 6 equal slices at about 0.5-inches thick. Pat each slice of tofu dry with a clean paper towel to remove as much excess moisture. Generously season both sides of the tofu with garlic powder and salt.
2. Prepare three shallow bowls: in the first add cornstarch, in the second beat the eggs, and in the last bowl spread out panko breadcrumbs.
3. Then evenly coat each slice of tofu in cornstarch, then in beaten eggs, and lastly in panko breadcrumbs. Make sure there are no bald spots.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat to 350 F with a digital instant read thermometer or insert a wooden utensil into the oil and look for rapid bubbles.
5. Fry coated tofu in small batches on both sides until golden crispy brown. Transfer fried tofu to a wire rack or a plate with paper towel to remove excess oil.
6. Place 2 pieces of fried tofu onto one slice of bread. Drizzle a generous amount of tonkatsu sauce and Japanese mayo over the tofu. Close the sandwich with the other slice of bread.
7. Place a weighted plate on top of the sandwich for 5 minutes to compress it. Then slice off the crusts with a serrated knife and slice the sandwiches into thirds. Repeat the above process for the remaining two sandwiches. Enjoy!

Storage

• Leftovers will last up to 2 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend wrapping each sandwich in plastic wrap. To reheat: microwave each sandwich for 60 seconds or until hot.
• Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing tofu katsu sando because the freezer will change the texture of the tofu.

Pairing Suggestions

Tofu katsu sando serves well with other Japanese dishes:

• starters like miso soup, Japanese crab corn salad or salad with Japanese ginger salad dressing or korokke.
• seafood dishes like shrimp tempura, panko shrimp or ebi mayo.
• protein dishes like ramen eggs, chicken katsu or tonkatsu, karaage, teriyaki tofu, teriyaki Chicken, or ginger miso salmon.
• rice dishes like oyakodon, omurice, or katsudon.
• other noodle dishes like yaki Udon, creamy mushroom udon, or udon carbonara.

Other recipes you may enjoy

• Teriyaki Tofu
• Chinese Silken Tofu
• Asian Breaded Tofu Nuggets
• Sweet and Sticky Tofu
• Tofu Katsu