What is Katsu?

Katsu is a Japanese traditional dish of fried chicken cutlet with a sweet dipping sauce

In Japanese, katsu translates to “cutlet”

Here we have reimagined this katsu in a healthier version by swapping out tofu for the chicken, and roasting in a convection oven, plus kicking up tofu and dipping sauce a notch by adding a bit of gochugaru powder and Sriracha

The tofu is cut in cubes to get more surface area for the panko to give it a crispy coating

This is a very satisfying dish that requires just one sheet pan – So clean up is a breeze

The sweet dipping sauce in this recipe has ketchup, garlic, mirin (a sweet Japanese wine), and tamari, plus a little spice from Sriracha to balance it out

What are Benefits of Tofu?

Tofu is a cheap complete protein, and has many benefits, including supporting heart health, plus it is a significant source of healthy fats and fiber

Be sure to choose organic, or look for the Non-GMO verified label to ensure the soybeans do not have glyphosate, which is a known carcinogen

How Do I Prepare Tofu?

For this dish, choose either firm or extra firm tofu. Silken tofu is too soft, and will not hold its’ shape. Silken tofu is used for puddings and for blending into soups to make them creamy

Pressing excess water from the tofu can help it to absorb marinades, and hold its’ shape when used in a stir fry

Press tofu between two cutting boards so excess liquid can drain in the sink

Start by slicing the tofu block in half lengthwise, place between two cutting boards next to your sink, and prop a small plate under the far side of the sink

Fill a small pan with water and place it on top of cutting board to add weight to help press water out of tofu, as shown

Or, you can use a tofu press like the one shown here, allowing to press for about 15 minutes

What Coating is Used for Katsu?

The tofu is first coated with whole wheat flour, then flax egg is used as a binder so the whole wheat panko bread crumbs will stick to the tofu

Flax egg is made by mixing two tablespoons of ground flax mixed with 1/4 cup plus two tablespoons water. After about ten minutes, it forms a gel and can be used as an egg substitute. You can use eggs or egg whites if you do not want to use flax

Read panko label ingredients and choose a product without added sugars

Whole Wheat Flour, Flax Egg, and Whole Wheat Panko

Follow along on Instagram for easy healthy cooking tips, and watch an instructional post for Tofu Katsu here

https://www.instagram.com/tina_integrative_dietitian/

Easy Crispy Tofu Katsu

Vegan take on a Japanese classic

Course dinner

Cuisine anti inflammatory, Japanese, vegan

Keyword 30 Minute Meal, 5 Ingredients, Anti Cancer, Asian, crunchy, Detox, Easy, healthy, Immune Boost, Japanese, Tofu

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 pound extra firm organic non-GMO tofu
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp gochujang powder or smoked paprika optional
2 eggs beaten or flax egg*
1/2 cup sugar free whole wheat panko bread crumbs

For the Katsu Sauce

1/3 cup ketchup
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp tamari or good soy sauce
Small squeeze of Sriracha optional

Instructions

Press tofu between two cutting boards so excess liquid can drain in the sink
Start by slicing the tofu block in half lengthwise, place between two cutting boards next to your sink, and prop a small plate under the far side of the sink
Fill a small pan with water and place it on top of cutting board to add weight to help press water out of tofu, as shown
We are not marinating the tofu here, but this is a great strategy to use when marinating, plus make the tofu a bit firmer if you are using it in a stir fry
Or, you can use a tofu press as shown above
Allow tofu to press for about 15 minutes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F on convection roast
Gather tofu coating ingredients in three small separate bowls
Mix whole wheat flour in one bowl with salt and gochugaru powder
Beaten eggs (or flax egg) go in the second bowl
Panko goes in the third bowl
Drain tofu and cut into two bite cubes
Coat tofu cubes first in flour mixture, then egg, then panko, working in small batches of a few pieces at a time
Make sure all sides of tofu cubes are coated
When breading ingredients, I like to use my left hand for wet ingredients, and right hand for dry to keep the process cleaner
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet
Make sure there is plenty of space between pieces of tofu for maximum crispiness
Roast in middle of oven for 30 minutes, turning with tongs or spatula half way through
Serve warm with katsu dipping sauce on the side
Mix all katsu sauce ingredients
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed

Recipe Notes

*Make this dish vegan by swapping “flax egg” for eggs. Mix 2 tbsp ground flax with 1/4 cup plus two tbsp water and let stand for about 10 minutes. It will form a gel that you can swap out for eggs as a binder in this dish, as well as baking