Japanese-Style Katsudon Rice Bowls (Vegan Recipe) (2024)

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These Japanese-Style Katsudon Rice Bowls are packed with crispy coated pieces of Tofu Katsu cooked down in a sweet sauce with onions and mushrooms, inspired by Japanese Katsudon. Served over steamed bowls of short grain rice for a perfectly hearty meal.

INSPIRED BY JAPANESE KATSUDON

I love Japanese cuisine, from sushi to rice bowls and ramen, because they’re all unique and delicious in their own ways.

I’ve veganized my fair share of Japanese dishes and this time around I made my own vegan version of the famous Katsudon, a Japanese Pork Cutlet and Egg Rice bowl but this is of course a vegan version and is basically tofu katsu simmered in a sweet-savoury sauce. The traditional Pork Katsudon comes with egg and is usually served over rice, donburi style.

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A VEGAN VERSION

Though katsudon is usually made with pork cutlet, I of course made this vegan version using extra firm tofu!

‘Don’, that’s short for donburi means “rice bowl dish” and usually contains meat, seafood, and vegetables simmered together to make a rice topping. So the term don is used to label dishes topped over rice such as gyudon, tendon, and oyakodon, (to name a few!).

You can check out the video below to see how I make my favourite tofu katsu.

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MAKING THE KATSUDON

USING TOFU

For my vegan version of Katsudon, I used some tofu to create the katsu.

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They’re crispy breaded slabs of tofu which I then cooked in a delicious umami sauce before topping over rice.

I sliced the extra firm tofu into slabs before preparing the batter and coating.

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Around 3/4 to 1-inch thick slabs are good.

The batter will be really thick to be able to stick to the tofu well.

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Dip each piece of the tofu into the batter then transfer it to the bread crumbs to evenly coat.

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I like to use my left hand for wet and my right hand for the dry breadcrumb mix to keep things as clean as possible.

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Repeat this until you’ve coated all the slabs ◡̈

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COOKING THE SLABS OF TOFU

I used a large cast iron pan and heated up some neutral oil. Once the oil is hot, you can add in the coated tofu katsu pieces.

To test out the heat of the oil, you can simple add a few breadcrumbs. If it immediately sizzles, it’s good to go!

You’ll want the oil to be VERY HOT.

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Leave the side to cook until golden brown and crisp before flipping the tofu katsu over to cook the remaining side.

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After it cooks, remove the tofu from the oil and drain any excess oil by placing it on a strainer or cooling wrack. You can leave the tofu to cool for a few minutes.

You can then slice them diagonally.

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PREPARING THE KATSUDON

I sautéed the onions and mushrooms in a sweet savoury sauce.

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Afterwards I added in the sliced tofu katsu pieces to soak some of the sauce.

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SERVE AND ENJOY YOUR KATSUDON

Afterwards, top it over some steamed short grain rice and garnish with some scallions if you’d like. Enjoy this immediately while still hot!

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Get the full recipe for this katsudon below!

Are you looking for more delicious, vegan recipes?

You can get a copy of my cookbook, Vegan Asian!

If you crave vegan-friendly versions of classic Asian dishes, this cookbook is packed with Southeast and East Asian dishes inspired by those I grew up enjoying at home and those I’ve tried from my travels. From iconic Thai dishes to piping-hot Japanese fare and everything in between, the recipes in this will take your palate on a delicious food trip across Asia, and hopefully keep you coming back for more!

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LOVE:

  • Tantanmen (Vegan Ramen)
  • One-Pot Spicy Miso Ramen
  • Shoyu Ramen
  • Japanese Chahan or Fried Rice
  • Miso Butter Fried Rice

Japanese-Style Katsudon Rice Bowls

4.67 from 3 votes

I made my own vegan version of the famous Katsudon, which is basically katsu or pork cutlet over rice. For my vegan version of Katsudon, I used some tofu to create the katsu. They’re crispy breaded slabs of tofu which I then cooked in a delicious umami soup before topping over rice.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Servings 2

Calories 478 kcal

Ingredients

Tofu Katsu

  • 1/2 lb extra firm tofu
  • ¼ tsp salt

Batter

Breading

To Cook Tofu

Vegan Dashi

Sauce

To Serve

  • 2-3 cups steamed Japanese rice for serving
  • Chopped spring onions and sesame seeds for garnishing

Instructions

  • Soak the dried mushrooms and kombu in room temperature water overnight. Do not discard the water. This will be the dashi.

    Slice the mushrooms and set aside.

  • For the leftover rehydrated kombu, you can make this intoKombu Tsukudanior simmered kombu for a delicious dish with rice. You can see the recipehere.

  • See video below on how to make tofu katsu. Drain water from the tofu by using a tofu press or wrapping it in a paper towel and then placing a heavy flat surface (a board or plate) on top. Leave for 15 minutes until water has been absorbed by the towel.

  • Slice the tofu into ½ -inch thick square slabs. You may be able to slice one tofu into 3 slabs, depending on the thickness of your tofu. Season with ¼ tsp salt.

  • Prepare the dry batter mix. Mix everything together, before pouring the water and mixing all the ingredients until smooth.

    Add more water if the batter is too thick. It should be a very thick pancake batter consistency.

  • In another plate or tray, add the breadcrumbs.

  • Place each tofu in the batterthen coat into the breadcrumbs. Repeat this step for the rest.

  • Heat the oil in a frying pan. I used a cast iron pan. Once hot (you can test this by putting a little bread crumbs and it will sizzle when hot), add in the tofu.

  • Fry for around 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway, over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Take the tofu out from the oil then turn off the heat.

  • Let cool for 10-15 minutes then slice diagonally into ¾ -inch thick strips.

  • Carefully remove the oil from the pan. Add in the mushroom water/broth, onions, and sliced mushrooms, Leave to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add in the soy sauce, mirin or sake, and sugar.

  • Mix well and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Leave the sauce to simmer for the sugars to start to thicken and some of the liquid to evaporate. Taste the sauce and feel free to season it more, if desired.

  • Add in the sliced tofu katsu. Using a spoon, carefully scoop some of the sauce to pour over the tofu.

    If you have access to vegan just egg, you can pour the mixture all over the tofu katsu and leave it to simmer until cooked. Turn off the heat.

  • Place the tofu over a bowl of steamed Japanese rice. Feel free to garnish with some spring onions and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.

  • Enjoy while hot!

WATCH Video

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2115mg | Potassium: 342mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 3mg

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a rating or comment and share a photo on Instagram, and tag me @thefoodietakesflight or use #thefoodietakesflight 🙂

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Japanese-Style Katsudon Rice Bowls (Vegan Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Is katsudon a traditional Japanese food? ›

This Japanese comfort food classic smothers fried cutlets with seasoned dashi and lightly cooked egg. Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site.

What is Katsu and katsudon? ›

Katsu is pork or chicken covered with flour and put in an egg, then covered with bread crumbs and fried in oil. Katsudon is a rice bowl made with cutlets. Simmer the thinly sliced onion in the broth, and then simmer the cutlet cut into bite-sized pieces.

What is a katsudon? ›

Katsudon (Japanese: カツ丼) is a popular Japanese food, a bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried breaded pork cutlet, egg, vegetables, and condiments. Katsudon. The dish takes its name from the Japanese words tonkatsu (for pork cutlet) and donburi (for rice bowl dish).

Why is katsudon so good? ›

This dish is primarily made up of layers of steamed rice, breaded pork cutlet, and an umami-rich sauce. There are many versions of katsudon based on the region, but everyone seems to love the addition of simmered onions and egg poured on top.

What is katsudon sauce made of? ›

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.

What is tonkatsu vs katsu? ›

The simplest phonetic translation of "cutlet" to Japanese vocalizations is katsuretsu, which in turn is shortened to katsu. Add ton—the Sino-Japanese word for "pork"—to the front of that and you've got tonkatsu, or breaded fried pork cutlets (not to be confused with tonkotsu, which is pork-based ramen broth).

Is katsudon unhealthy? ›

Nutritional Balance: Katsudon can be a balanced meal with proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Energy Source: The fats in pork cutlet and carbohydrates in rice provide energy. Caution: Being high in calories and fats, excessive consumption may increase the risk of obesity and heart diseases.

What is the difference between Japanese and Korean katsu? ›

Korean don-gaseu is different from Japanese tonkatsu in that it is thinner and often served unsliced, thus eaten with a knife and fork, not chopsticks, and is served with demi-glace on top of the fried meat (or in case of fish cutlet, tartar sauce on the fried fish).

What cut of meat is katsu? ›

They are typically made from two cuts of pork: the lean and tender hire (ヒレ, tenderloin or filet) and the fattier rosu (ロース, loin). While tonkatsu is by far the most popular katsu dish, there are other variations made of chicken (chikinkatsu), beef (gyukatsu), ham (hamukatsu) and ground meat (menchikatsu).

What is a fun fact about katsudon? ›

A little fun fact... It is a tradition for Japanese students to eat Katsudon before taking an entrance exam! Katsu means “to win.” A winwin dish indeed!

What does katsudon sauce taste like? ›

It's sweet and tangy with an umami undertone that packs a flavorful punch. You'll usually find it served with pork tonkatsu, a popular dish of breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet with cabbage and rice. It's also commonly served on katsu sando, which is a sandwich with a piece of pork tonkatsu as the filling.

What to serve with katsudon? ›

It came served over rice with a side of miso soup and pickles. I've written before about how Japan excels at the one-dish restaurant, and this was one of the best examples. Their katsudon always comes to mind when I make this dish.

Why is katsudon soggy? ›

One of Japan's ultimate comfort foods is katsudon, a crispy fried pork cutlet cooked with egg and dashi broth and served over rice. While this is an absolutely delicious meal and should never be passed up, there is just one problem: since it's been cooked in egg and broth, the final result is a bit of a soggy cutlet.

How unhealthy is katsu? ›

Katsu is a piece of breaded and fried meat. Pork is typically used. The curry is a sauce that tends to be milder in flavor than other curries. Unfortunately, katsu curry can be high in calories and not very healthy for you.

What does "don" mean in Japanese? ›

Don could be short for donburi (丼), a Japanese dish served on rice in a bowl. Oyakodon (おやこ丼), a chicken and egg rice bowl, is a favorite of mine. Image a. Don (ドン) is a Japanese sound effect like thumping, booming or banging.

Is katsu traditional Japanese? ›

Chicken katsu (chicken cutlet (Japanese: チキンカツ, Hepburn: chikinkatsu)), also known as panko chicken or tori katsu (torikatsu (鶏カツ)) is a Japanese dish of fried chicken made with panko bread crumbs.

Is katsudon Japanese or Korean? ›

Katsudon is a popular Japanese dish that has also become widely enjoyed in Korea. Fried donkkaseu is topped over rice with sauteed onions, a beaten egg and a sweet but savory soy sauce. It's also referred to in Korean as “donkkaseu deopbap”.

Is Katsu Curry traditional Japanese? ›

Katsu curry is a style of Japanese curry that features a breaded chicken cutlet. The curry sauce is commonly served over rice and also often includes potato and carrot.

Who invented katsudon? ›

It is said to be invented by a student of Waseda high school, Keijiro Nakanishi and his friends, and it was served for students at cafeterias then, and was spread nationwide.

References

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