Katsudon (Pork Cutlet and Egg Rice Bowl)

About This Recipe

Katsudon is one of Japan's most beloved donburi (rice bowl) dishes and a fixture of yoshoku — Western-influenced Japanese cooking. A pre-fried tonkatsu pork cutlet is briefly simmered in a sweet-savoury dashi sauce with sliced onion, then finished with egg poured over the top in the final 30 seconds. The egg barely sets — just curdled but still custardy — before the whole thing is turned out over hot steamed rice. The result is layers of texture and flavour: crispy breaded pork that softens slightly in the sauce, sweet-savoury onion, silky half-set egg, and fluffy rice that absorbs all the cooking juices. Katsudon is traditionally eaten before exams in Japan — 'katsu' is a homophone of the word meaning 'to win' or 'to overcome'. Rooted in the everyday cooking of Japanese kitchens, Katsudon (Pork Cutlet and Egg Rice Bowl) balances technique and tradition: the pork loin chops (about 150g each), fat trimmed is treated with care, drawing on time-honoured ratios that locals have refined across generations. The dish carries an unmistakable sensory signature — aromas that fill the kitchen as it cooks, layered textures that reveal themselves bite by bite, and a depth of flavour that comes from patient seasoning rather than shortcuts. Whether served as a weeknight dinner or as the centrepiece of a celebratory table, it reflects a regional pantry where local produce, seasoning habits and cooking vessels shape the final result. Home cooks who make this dish often note how forgiving it is once the core method is understood, and how a few small choices — the freshness of the pork loin chops (about 150g each), fat trimmed, the order of additions, the resting time at the end — separate a good version from a memorable one. This recipe walks through those choices so the dish arrives with the character it has on its home turf.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2pork loin chops (about 150g each), fat trimmed
• 30 gplain flour
• 1egg, beaten (for coating)
• 80 gpanko breadcrumbs
• 300 mlvegetable oil, for frying
• 1medium onion, thinly sliced
• Sauce
• 200 mldashi stock
• 3 tbspsoy sauce
• 3 tbspmirin
• 1 tbspcaster sugar
• 4eggs, lightly beaten (for the katsudon)
• 400 gcooked short-grain Japanese rice, hot
• 2 tbspthinly sliced spring onion, to garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the tonkatsu

   Score the fat edge of each pork chop with a knife (prevents curling). Pound gently to even thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Dust in flour, dip in beaten egg, then press firmly into panko breadcrumbs.

2. 2

   Fry the cutlets

   Heat oil to 170°C in a deep pan. Fry cutlets for 4–5 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through (72°C internal temperature). Drain on a wire rack. Cut into 2 cm slices — keep the cutlet together as a unit.

3. 3

   Make the katsudon

   In a small (20cm) frying pan, combine dashi, soy, mirin and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add onion slices and simmer 3–4 minutes until softened.

4. 4

   Add the cutlet

   Lay the sliced tonkatsu over the simmering onions. Pour beaten egg in a circular motion over the cutlet. Cover the pan immediately.

5. 5

   Set the egg

   Cook covered for exactly 30–45 seconds. The egg should be just set on top but still custardy. Do not over-cook — the egg continues cooking from the residual heat when placed on rice.

6. 6

   Serve

   Tip the whole contents of the pan over a bowl of hot rice. Garnish with spring onion.

Variations

• •

  Chicken katsudon: substitute chicken breast for pork — equally delicious and slightly lighter.

• •

  Oyakodon: omit the tonkatsu entirely — simmer chicken pieces with onion in the same sauce, add egg to finish. Japan's other iconic donburi.

• •

  Cheese katsudon: place a slice of mild cheese on the cutlet before adding the egg.

• •

  Vegetarian: replace the main protein with mushrooms, paneer, tofu or hearty beans for a meat-free version.

• •

  Spicier: add fresh chilli, a chilli paste or a pinch of cayenne with the aromatics for a warmer profile.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. If prepping ahead, keep the fried tonkatsu and sauce components separate and assemble per serving.

Frequently Asked Questions