My Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce recipe uses only four simple ingredients and is so quick to make! With savory, sweet, and tangy notes, it tastes just as amazing as Japan’s famous Bull-Dog Tonkatsu sauce. Serve it with tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets), chicken katsu, or my favorite korokke (potato and beef croquettes).
Open my refrigerator, and you’ll find a stash of Japanese condiments and sauces—a mix of store-bought and homemade goodies. Among them is Tonkatsu Sauce (とんかつソース). This condiment is mandatory when it comes to serving Tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet), Chicken Katsu, and more.
In today’s recipe, I’m sharing a simplified version of Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce using only four ingredients. You most likely already have them in the pantry, so you can whip up tonkatsu sauce anytime you need it. The great thing about making your own is that you can also adjust the sweetness to your liking.
Table of Contents
What is Tonkatsu Sauce?
Tonkatsu sauce (とんかつソース) is served with Tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet) and is often used for other deep-fried dishes like Korokke or to make Hambagu sauce.
Tonkatsu sauce mainly consists of vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, prunes, dates, apples, lemon juice, carrots, onions, and celery. It also includes more than 10 kinds of spices along with soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. It’s a lot of work to make it from scratch, so most Japanese people would use the store-bought versions.
However, if you don’t live near the Japanese/Asian grocery stores or prefer to make your own, you can always count on my easy homemade recipe.
The Most Popular Tonkatsu Sauce Brand
The most popular tonkatsu sauce is the Bull-Dog Vegetable & Fruit Sauce (Tonkatsu Sauce). It’s easy to recognize the signature bulldog logo on the bottle. You can purchase it on Amazon and Japanese or Asian grocery stores.
Ingredients for Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
- Worcestershire sauce – I use Lea & Perrins brand. If you’re vegan, use vegan Worcestershire sauce.
- Sugar
- Ketchup – The sweetness of the ketchup varies, so adjust the amount of sugar based on the ketchup taste.
- Oyster sauce – Use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce if you’re vegetarian or allergic to shellfish.
How to Make the Best Tonkatsu Sauce
- Mix all the condiments together. I usually start by combining the Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved before adding the rest of the condiments.
- Yes, that’s it! The main flavor of tonkatsu sauce comes from Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Since every brand of ketchup has a different level of sweetness, you may need to adjust the flavor with sugar.
Okonomi Sauce and Yakisoba Sauce
We have different sauces for okonomiyaki and yakisoba although these three sauces are quite similar.
- Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce (Okonomi Sauce)
- Homemade Yakisoba Sauce
Recipes Using Tonkatsu Sauce
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Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 4½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (use vegan Worcestershire sauce for vegan)
- 2 Tbsp sugar (plus more to taste)
- 5 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce (use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce for vegetarian or if you‘re allergic to shellfish)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. I included a bottle of Bull-Dog Tonkatsu Sauce in the image, but it‘s not needed for this recipe.
- In a jar or small bowl, combine 4½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 Tbsp sugar. Whisk well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Then, add 5 Tbsp ketchup and 2 Tbsp oyster sauce and whisk until combined. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Some ketchup is sweeter than others, so please adjust the amount of sugar to taste. Your Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce is ready to use.
To Serve
- Enjoy this Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce as a condiment for breaded and/or deep-fried Japanese foods like Tonkatsu, Chicken Katsu, and Korokke (Potato and Meat Croquette) or their baked versions Baked Tonkatsu, Baked Chicken Katsu, and Baked Croquette. Tonkatsu sauce is also an ingredient in recipes like Japanese Hamburger Steak (Hambagu), Keema Curry, and Meat Doria (Rice Gratin).
To Store
- Store in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks or freezer for 3–4 months.
Equipment
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on January 27, 2014, and was updated with more helpful content and new images in February 2023. It was republished with a new video on February 16, 2024.
I found this too sweet, a strong ketchup flavor. As you said all ketchups are different. So I added some more worchestire and oyster sauce, grated garlic, squeeze of lemon. Toasted sesames. Now it’s sweet and savory. Good basic recipe tho.
Hi Barb! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
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Hi, Erwin! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipes.
We hope you continue to enjoy the great recipes on our website. Happy cooking!
I loved this recipe! I definitely want to find/try bulldog, but I’m glad I have this simple alternative up my sleeve. Very tasty sauce. I made with the chicken katsu sando recipe and it was delicious with the garlic and kewpie mixed in. Thank you!
Hi there! Thank you for your kind feedback! We are glad to hear you enjoyed Nami’s homemade tonkatsu sauce! 🥰
Hello Nami,
i am unable to find Vegetarian Stir-Fry sauce near me as I am making this tonight. If I only add sugar, ketchup and worchester sauce will that be ok?
Hello, Judy! Thank you for attempting Nami’s recipe.
It will be different from Tonkatsu sauce without the stir-fry sauce, but it will still be tasty. Please adjust the sugar amount to your preference.🙂
Ok thank you!!
I made my own version where instead of sugar, I used grated apple and a splash of apple cider. I think it added a nice fruity element and helped me have one less apple after apple picking
Hi Kristen! Adding the grated apple sounds delicious!
Thank you so much for experimenting with Nami’s recipe and sharing your results with us. Happy Cooking!
I just finished making this sauce for baked tonkatsu, and wow! It is so good! Also it was so easy to make. Thank you for this!
Hi Tiffany! Thank you! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Nami’s homemade sauce recipe! 🤗
This is so easy and tasty! I added a splash of mirin, perfect!
Hi Susie! Thank you so much for your 5 star rating!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Nami’s recipe! Happy Cooking!🤗
So good!! My kids are obsessed with Bulldog sauce but occasionally we run out. I had tried a different DIY Tonkatsu Sauce previously but it was met with overall thumbs-down. Followed your recipe tonight for our tonkatsu dinner and it was a hit! I only added 3 1/2 Tbsp of ketchup but kept other 3 ingredients as written. I will be tripling this recipe and keeping a jar in the fridge! THANK YOU!
Hi Emily! Wow! We are so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed Nami’s Tonkatsu Sauce recipe!
Thank you so much for trying her recipe and for your kind feedback. ☺️
I made this last night for dinner. It was super quick and easy! It was also delicious and was gobbled up so fast I didn’t get pictures! We will definitely have this again soon! I will add toasted sesame seeds on the side of the homemade tonkatsu sauce next time! Just as an aside, I prepped everything and then put the plastic covered platter of breaded pork in the frigerator for about an hour while I did other things. The crunchy breading stayed on perfectly when fried and also while cutting. Such a delight! Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Yvonne! Thank you so much for trying Nami’s recipes and for your kind feedback!
We are so glad to hear you enjoyed homemade Tonkatsu with homemade sauce! Happy Cooking! 🤗
I made this recipe, tonkatsu sauce and sesame dressing recipes and I must say, they are just amazing. I specifically love your sesame dressing. It has just the right amount of acidity and creamy to me. Thank you so much! I am excited to try to other ones soon.
Hi Tam! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your Tonkatsu photo and review!
We’re thrilled to hear you loved her recipes!
Your Tonkatsu looks amazing! 😃
If I’m using Japanese Worcestershire sauce (which I bought on Amazon), should I change up anything in the recipe? I’ve used your recipe numerous times with Lea & Perrins and Jufran spicy banana sauce instead of tomato ketchup and we LOVE it. We haven’t done a taste test yet comparing American to Japanese Worcestershire yet but we will 🙂
Hello Nick! Thank you for giving Nami’s recipe a try!
Nami used the Lea & Perrins brand in this recipe, and the flavor and taste are based on that. While Japanese Worcestershire sauce can be used for this recipe, the flavor and taste may differ depending on the brand. So, feel free to adjust the sweetness or vinegary flavor to your liking.
We hope this information is helpful!