Tofu Katsu

All the flavor and CRUNCH of traditional Chicken Katsu, but with Tofu instead! Pairs perfectly with some Katsu Sauce or in a Plate Lunch!

Vegan Fried Chicken is something I’ve made quite often on this here page, and for some reason, I’ve never gotten around to making some Katsu! Not sure why because it’s delicious!

I made some for a Plate Lunch, and I honestly loved this so much I had to give it it’s own recipe page! It’s super crunchy and the Katsu sauce compliments it perfectly!

For this recipe, we are basically making my Grilled Tofu Chick’n recipe and then battering it and deep frying! You can shallow fry too, or even Air Fry it as well!

What’s the best tofu for tofu Katsu?

I highly recommend Super Firm Tofu as I found it had the best texture and was the easiest to work with. You can use the twice frozen method if you like, but I personally prefer Super Firm for it’s convenience and texture.

Super Firm is vacuum sealed and doesn’t require any pressing so it’s really the easiest and quickest choice. If you can only find Extra Firm, just make sure you press it for at least 30 minutes.

ingredients for tofu katsu

• Marinade – To infuse more flavor, we’ll be marinating and grilling the tofu before dredging / breading. The marinade is a pretty basic concoction of soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and some pantry staple seasonings.

• Seasoned Flour – This will be a pretty typical seasoned flour mixture, and will mostly serve to keep the breading from flaking off.
• Vegan Buttermilk – instead of eggs, we’ll be using a Vegan Buttermilk, with some added ginger and garlic powder.
• Panko Breadcrumbs – This is arguably the star of the show! Make sure you get Panko and not regular breadcrumbs.
• Katsu Sauce – a simple but delectable sauce made with just a few ingredients!

how to make Tofu Katsu

The process is quite simple! First we’ll slice our block of tofu into fillets. Then score them lightly so the marinade can penetrate a bit more. Make sure you don’t score too deeply as this will make the fillet a bit more delicate and might fall apart. You can also cut the fillets into more “chicken breast” style shapes if you like.

Whip up the marinade and then let the tofu hang out in it for at least 30 minutes.

Next we’ll grill the tofu and then we’ll put together our breading station.

Dredge the tofu first into the flour, then the wet, and then finally the Panko Breadcrumbs.

Heat up a pot of oil to 375 F and carefully add the breaded filet into the oil. Fry until golden brown and beautiful, about 4 minutes or so.

Let them rest on a wire rack, and add a little salt. Then cut them into strips.

Serve with some Katsu Sauce on a bed of shredded Cabbage, with some rice, or go big and make a Plate Lunch!

storage

Eat this as fresh as possible! That said, if you have extras, store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Air frying to reheat is your best bet! I would reheat at 375 F for about 4-5 minutes or until heated and crispy again.

can i air-fry or bake these?

For less oil, check out my Air Fry Vegan Chick’n Recipe!

shallow fry option

If you want to use less oil, you can shallow fry these as well.

TIPS FOR VEGAN FRIED CHICK’N

• Use a heavy bottomed pot (Stainless Steel, Cast Iron, Carbon Steel etc)
• I highly recommend a Deep Fry Thermometer to monitor the oil temp.
• Use a neutral tasting, high smoke point oil (Canola, Vegetable, Peanut etc.)
• Make sure to use UNSWEETENED plant milk. I like RIPPLE the best.
• Add flour as needed to thicken the vegan buttermilk mixture.
• Shake off the excess flour and batter when you dredge.
• Let the chick’n rest on a Wire Rack after frying to prevent soggy chick’n.

SAFETY TIPS FOR DEEP FRYING

• Don’t leave the pot unattended.
• Keep children away from the pot.
• Don’t fill the pot more than halfway with oil. Don’t overcrowd it.
• Turn the handles away from you to avoid accidental spills.
• Keep a lid nearby so you can cover the pot if it catches fire.
• Never use water to put out an oil fire.
• Get a Fire Extinguisher just to be extra safe. This isn’t just good for deep frying, but for having in the house in general!

DEEP FRY ALTERNATIVES

If you want to see about alternatives to deep frying, check out my BEST WAYS TO FRY VEGAN CHICKEN post!

other recipes you’ll dig!

• Plate Lunch
• Teriyaki Tofu
• Vegan Beef Teriyaki
• Hawaiian Style Macaroni Salad

Recommendations for Kitchen Gear, Spices & Pantry Items, Photos and Videos, are on my AMAZON Storefront!

If you made and enjoyed this recipe, please leave a rating & review! It really helps out the blog and it makes my day, thank you!

Tofu Katsu

Thee Burger Dude

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Fried Chicken

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 16 oz. Super Firm Tofu *

Marinade

• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha
• 2 Tbsp Vegan Mayo (or Neutral Oil)
• 1 tsp Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Water

Dry Dredge

• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Black Pepper to taste

Wet Dredge

• 1/2 cup Plant Milk (unsweetened)
• 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tbsp Flour

Panko Breadcrumbs

• 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

Katsu Sauce

• 1/2 cup Ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Agave (or Maple Syrup, Date Syrup)
• 4 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire (Vegan)

Instructions

 

Katsu Sauce

• Simply whisk and combine the ingredients together. Season to taste and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Tofu Katsu

• Cut the block of tofu into 4 filets. You can cut each fillet into a more "chicken breast" type shape if you like. Then lightly score each fillet in a diamond pattern.
• Make the marinade, then marinate the fillets in it for about 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• In a pan over medium heat, grill the fillets for about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and let them cool.
• Prepare the dry, wet and panko dredges by mixing all the ingredients respectively in separate bowls / containers.
• Fill up a dutch oven or large skillet with a neutral high smoke point oil (such as peanut, canola or vegetable). You just need enough oil to cover the fillets, so about 3 inches worth. Heat to 375 F (I highly recommend using a thermometer).
• Dredge each fillet first in the dry mixture, then wet, and then into the panko. Shake off the excess each time you dredge it and make sure you thoroughly coat it.
• Once the fillets are coated and the oil is up to temperature, carefully add them to the pot. Don't overcrowd, I would say do 2 at a time maximum. The oil temperature will drop but as long as it stays above 350 F you should be fine.
• Fry them for about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and beautiful. Let them rest on a wire rack to cool for a couple minutes, adding a little sprinkling of salt. Slice them up, and enjoy with some shredded cabbage and rice!

Notes

*I recommend using Super Firm Tofu, the kind that's vacuum packed. If you can only find Extra Firm, you'll need to press it for at least 30 minutes to get rid of the excess water.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!