Description
This homemade Katsu Sauce Recipe offers a tangy umami blend, perfect for transforming simple weeknight meals into something special with its savory depth and bright tang. It is a family-friendly condiment that can be prepped ahead of time.
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 0.5 teaspoon sesame oil
- a small pinch white pepper
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a small saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic powder, and ginger powder until smoothly combined and uniform in color.
- Simmer and Thicken: Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, watching for small bubbles around the edges. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens to coat the back of a spoon. If the sauce appears too thin after simmering, continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, uncovered, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Taste and Adjust: Carefully taste the warm sauce. Adjust sweetness or tang as desired, adding a touch more sugar for sweetness or a tiny splash of rice vinegar for a brighter tang.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce cool slightly before serving. As it cools, the sauce will thicken a bit more, achieving a perfect, pourable texture.
Notes
For a gluten-free katsu sauce, substitute regular soy sauce with tamari and ensure your Worcestershire sauce is certified gluten-free. For a spicier kick, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a teaspoon of sriracha during the simmering step. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of water or mirin until the desired consistency is reached. If the flavor is not quite right, balance the sweet (add more sugar or mirin) and tangy (more ketchup or Worcestershire) notes to suit your palate.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
- Calories: 25 calories
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Katsu sauce, tangy, umami, homemade, Japanese, condiment, easy, family-friendly, meal prep