Katsudon (Japanese Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl)

By
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a freelance food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/18/24
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 bowls

Katsudon is a popular Japanese dish consisting of tonkatsu (breaded deep-fried pork) and eggs cooked in a sweet and salty broth served over rice. Katsu, or "cutlet" in Japanese, refers to meat that's been pounded thin before being cooked. Don, or donburi, identifies this as a bowl dish. Katsudon is hearty compared to other donburi, but the taste is so good that you will not mind the extra calories from deep-frying the tonkatsu.

Breaded Japanese pork cutlet surrounded by egg served over white rice

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

In Japanese culture, katsudon is considered soul food, the symbol of a tasty warm meal that can melt even the coldest part of your heart. Katsudon is a typical lunch dish in Japan, and it is available at many casual restaurants, such as udon noodle shops, small corner restaurants, and bento shops. For those of us outside of Japan, here's a simple recipe to make this satisfying dish at home.

What Do You Serve With Katsudon?

Katsudon is a meal in a bowl, needing little accompaniment for a filling lunch. Try serving with edamame, a green salad with a Japanese-style dressing, or pickled cucumbers.

What Can I Use if I Don't Have Mirin?

Mirin is available in most grocery stores and online and adds delicious flavor to a variety of sauces and dishes. If you don't have any handy, try substituting with a smaller amount of sake (since the flavor is stronger) and adding a little extra sugar. Alternatively, dry sherry works fairly well or even dry white wine.

Tips for Making Katsudon

  • Patience is key - Preparing katsudon makes a few dirty pans because the tonkatsu has to be prepared first, and thus you cannot cook everything at one time in one pan. However, the process is easy and relatively quick.
  • Multitasking - If you are good at multitasking, you can cook two individual servings of katsudon (during the egg, onion, and broth phases) in two small pans at once.
What You'll Need to Make This Katsudon Recipe
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A Handy Dandy Meat Tenderizer
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A Heavy Cast Iron Skillet
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A Nifty Rice Cooker

"This was a very flavorful, satisfying dish. I used half of a pork cutlet for each serving, and along with the rice and egg, it was plenty for a lunch or dinner. I used kombu dashi powder to make the broth, as it was easy to find." —Diana Rattray

Katsudon pork cutlet rice bowl tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 center-cut boneless pork chops, pounded down to 1 centimeter thick

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • All-purpose flour, for dusting

  • 5 large eggs, beaten, divided

  • 1 cup panko

  • Oil, for frying

  • 1 1/4 cups dashi soup stock

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons mirin

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

  • 4 cups Japanese steamed rice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for pork cutlet rice bowl recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Season 2 center-cut boneless pork chops (pounded down to 1 centimeter thick) with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Pork cutlets seasoned with salt and pepper on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Dust with a light, even coating of all-purpose flour.

    Pork cutlets dusted with flour on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. In one shallow bowl, beat 1 of the eggs. Put 1 cup panko into another shallow bowl.

    Beaten egg and panko in two separate bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Add a thin, even layer of oil to a cast-iron pan or skillet over medium heat. The oil is ready when you drop a panko breadcrumb into it and it sizzles.

    Oil bubbling in a cast-iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Dip the flour-dusted pork into the egg to coat both sides.

    Flour-dusted pork cutlet dipped in beaten egg

     The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Transfer the pork to the panko and press it evenly into the meat to get a good coating.

    Egg-dipped pork cutlet dredged in panko

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Carefully lay the pork chops in the hot oil and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on one side, until golden brown.

    Breaded pork cutlets frying in oil in a cast-iron pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  9. Flip and cook the other side for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until browned, crispy, and cooked through.

    Golden brown pork cutlets in oil in a cast-iron pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  10. Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.

    Fried pork cutlets draining on a plate lined with paper towels

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  11. Slice your tonkatsu into pieces.

    Breaded fried pork cutlets cut crosswise into narrow strips

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  12. Put 1 1/4 cups dashi soup stock in a pan and heat on medium heat.

    Dashi stock in a deep skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  13. Add 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin, and 1 tablespoon sugar to the soup and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.

    Soy sauce added to broth in a deep skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  14. To cook 1 serving of katsudon, put 1/4 of the soup and 1/4 of the sliced onion in a small skillet. Simmer for a few minutes on medium heat.

    Onion and broth simmering in the skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  15. Add 1 serving of tonkatsu pieces (half of 1 pork cutlet) to the pan and simmer on low heat for a few minutes.

    Half of a sliced pork cutlet placed in the broth in the center of the skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  16. Beat another one of the eggs in a bowl. Bring the soup to a boil and pour the egg over the tonkatsu and onion.

    Beaten egg added to broth in the skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  17. Turn the heat down to low and cover with a lid. Cook until the egg has set and remove it from the heat. The egg should be cooked through.

    Set egg around pork cutlet the center of the skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  18. Serve by placing 1 serving of steamed rice in a large rice bowl. Top with the simmered tonkatsu on top of the rice. Repeat to make 3 more servings.

    Pork cutlet and egg served over white rice on a dinner plate

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
801 Calories
36g Fat
78g Carbs
38g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 801
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 47%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 285mg 95%
Sodium 1908mg 83%
Total Carbohydrate 78g 28%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 125mg 10%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 695mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)