Simple Pork Cutlet Bowl (Katsudon)

The incredibly delicious Japanese dish Katsudon is made with rice, tonkatsu on top, and a coating of sweet and savory onion, egg, and soy sauce. It’s a fantastic dish that is filling and delicious and is ideal for lunch or dinner.

Why Is Katsudon So Good?

It’s full of umami and satisfies every taste bud on your palate. A crisp pork cutlet covered in panko, a steaming bowl of rice, and a sweet and savory sauce with caramelized onions and egg. 

This recipe is home-cooking friendly. I’ll teach you how to make pan-fried tonkatsu for your katsudon pork cutlet rice bowl. You can also use the same method but with pork from this impeccable Japanese Chicken Katsu Recipe to make deep-fried tonkatsu. 

This katsudon recipe is also a great way to revitalize leftover tonkatsu from yesterday’s meal. You can even make a larger batch of tonkatsu the day before and enjoy it fresh with coleslaw, then make this amazing Japanese pork cutlet bowl the next day.

Ingredients For Making Japanese Pork Cutlet Bowl

For this recipe, you’ll need tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet), rice, and the special homemade pork cutlet bowl sauce.

For the pork cutlet bowl sauce:

• 1 cup dashi broth or chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. mirin
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• ½ large Golden onion

For the pork cutlet bowls:

• 1 spring onion (to garnish)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups steamed white short-grain rice
• 2 tonkatsu (see below)

Pan-fried tonkatsu recipe:

• 2 center-cut boneless pork chops (pounded down to a centimeter)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Flour (for dusting)
• 1 egg (for coating)
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (for coating)
• Oil for frying 

How do you make Japanese pork cutlet bowls

Step 1: Tenderize & Season the Pork Chops

Start by pounding the pork chops until they’re even and about 1 centimeter thick. Don’t turn them to mush. Season them with salt and pepper, and lightly dust them with flour. 

Step 2: Prepare the Egg & Panko Breading Stations

Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Place the panko in a separate bowl or tray.

Step 3: Preheat the Cooking Oil in a Skillet

Heat a generous amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Check the heat by placing a breadcrumb. It should sizzle – then the oil is hot enough.

Step 4: Coat the Pork Cutlets in Egg & Panko Breadcrumbs

Dip the pork cutlets in egg, then in panko, patting firmly so the crumbs adhere to all sides. You don’t want any naked pieces.

Step 5: Fry the Pork Cutlets & Drain on Paper Towels

Carefully place the pork cutlets in the hot oil and cook for 5-6 minutes on one side, flip, and cook for another 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a plate with paper towels.

Step 6: Prepare the sauce

While the tonkatsu is resting, prepare pork cutlet bowl sauce. Fry the onions on medium heat in about 1 tablespoon of oil until translucent and slightly caramelized. Add sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and broth. 

Step 7: Slice the Tonkatsu & Arrange on the Onions

Cut the tonkatsu into slices and place them on top of the onions. 

Step 8: Add Beaten Eggs & Cook Until Set

Beat the eggs in a bowl and drizzle on top of the pork and the sauce. Cover and cook on medium-low until the egg has set. 

Step 9: Serve the Dish Over Rice, Garnish and Enjoy!

Serve over a bed of rice and pour any remaining sauce over the cutlet and rice. garnish with spring onions. Dig in!

Notes & Tips

• I love how the sauce soaks into the cutlet and makes it nice and juicy. But if you prefer to serve the tonkatsu crispy, keep it separate from the sauce. Place the onions, sauce, and eggs over the steaming rice and the pork cutlet on top.
• If you struggle with rice sticking to the bottom of your cooker, we’ve got a helpful article on How To Fix Rice Sticking To The Bottom Of Various Cookers. And if you have the opposite problem and your rice tends to get mushy, check out our article on How To Fix Mushy Rice In A Rice Or Pressure Cooker. 
• To balance out this meal, add a side of fresh vegetables and fermented food. Japanese people like to have a bowl of miso with their meals. Fermented foods are extremely beneficial for our health. Read more about fermenting here. 
• You can check out our list of the best instant miso soups to buy or make your own. I also love fermenting my own vegetables like this Lacto-Fermented Bok Choy Kimchi recipe. There’s nothing wrong with eating fried foods if you balance them out with fresh veggies and fermented foods. 

What’s The Difference Between Tonkatsu & Katsudon?

By now, you may have figured out that tonkatsu refers solely to the fried pork cutlet. Tonkatsu is typically served with fresh cabbage, rice on the side, and tonkatsu sauce – a sweet and savory Worcestershire sauce. 

Katsudon is tonkatsu served over a bowl of rice (donburi) and topped with caramelized onion sauce and steamed egg. Both are popular lunch meals in Japan and some of the most appreciated Japanese dishes worldwide. 

Is Katsudon Supposed To Be Soggy?

Yes, the sweet and savory broth soaks into the rice, into the egg, and the tonkatsu, but it’s absolutely divine. I recommend embracing the sogginess and letting the flavors explode in your mouth. There’s no better way to eat leftover pork or chicken cutlets.

Katsudon, Exams & Police Interrogations

There’s a popular tradition in Japan where students eat katsudon the night before taking important exams. The reason is that the word “katsu” is a homophone, meaning not only “cutlet”, but also “to win” or “to be victorious”. 

It’s also become a trope in Japanese cinema, especially in police films. The policemen believe that suspects are bound to speak the truth when eating katsudon, and they ask them “Did you ever think about how your mother feels about this?”

As of 2019, police will never actually feed suspects during interrogation, but it’s still a popular gag in films. And no wonder, since this dish will take any Japanese back to their childhood when their mom would prepare katsudon for their bento box.

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