Katsu is a texture dish, and pressed tofu takes the panko crust as happily as chicken does. The pressing matters: half an hour under a weight turns tofu from a sponge into a cutlet. The curry sauce is the ten minute stovetop kind, sweet with onion and carrot, and it belongs over rice.
Everything you need
- 400 g block extra-firm tofu
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup plant milk or beaten egg
- 1¼ cups (75 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 onion, sliced (for the sauce)
- 1 carrot, sliced (for the sauce)
- 1 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour (for the sauce)
- 1 tbsp (16 g) soy sauce
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1½ cups vegetable stock
- oil spray
Single layer, always. Crowding the basket steams food instead of crisping it. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
0 of 6 done-
Press the tofu: wrap the block in a clean tea towel, sit a heavy pan on it and leave it 30 minutes. Slice into 6 thick slabs and season with half the salt.
For this step
- 400 g block extra-firm tofu
- 1 tsp fine salt
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Start the sauce: soften the onion and carrot in a little oil for 8 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and flour for a minute, then add the stock gradually, stirring. Simmer 10 minutes, add soy and honey, then blend smooth or leave chunky.
For this step
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour (for the sauce)
- 1 tbsp (16 g) soy sauce
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1½ cups vegetable stock
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Coat each slab: flour, then milk or egg, then panko mixed with the rest of the salt, pressing the crumbs firmly on.
For this step
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup plant milk or beaten egg
- 1¼ cups (75 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour (for the sauce)
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Preheat the air fryer to 200°C / 400°F for 3 minutes. Spray the cutlets generously on both sides.
For this step
- oil spray
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Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, turning at 6, until deep golden all over.
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Slice each cutlet into strips, lay over rice and pour the katsu sauce across the middle, leaving some crust dry for the crunch contrast.
For this step
- 1 tbsp (16 g) soy sauce
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Air fryer notes
- Cook at 200°C / 400°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
Cook's tips
- Sauce over the middle only, at the table. Drowning the whole cutlet undoes the crust you just built.
- Freezing the tofu block first, then thawing and pressing, gives it a chewier, meatier bite that some people prefer.
Make it your own
- The same crust and timing works on halved aubergine steaks.
- Add a splash of coconut milk to the sauce for a richer katsu.
Storing & reheating
Keep cutlets and sauce separate: 3 days in the fridge. Re-crisp cutlets at 190°C for 4 minutes. The sauce freezes well for 2 months.
Frequently asked
How do you get breading to stick to tofu?
Press the tofu dry first, then flour, wet dip, panko, pressing each layer on. The flour grips the damp surface and gives the wet dip something to hold.
What is katsu sauce made of?
Japanese curry sauce: onion and carrot softened, curry powder and flour toasted in, then stock simmered until velvety. Soy and a little sweetness round it out.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.