Zucchini Katsu – Japanese pan-fried zucchinis

Lovers of Japanese food worldwide know the familiar homecooked Japanese food that is Chicken Katsu or Pork Katsu (aka Tonkatsu).   They are simple pan-fried thin cutlets of chicken or pork, served with Tonkatsu sauce.  You may see them also served with Japanese curry.  Using the same ingredients and cooking method, you can also make Zucchini Katsu.  And they are absolutely delicious!

Simple ingredients for Zucchini Katsu

What makes these pan-fried “katsu” dishes special is the use of Japanese bread crumbs, panko.  Panko are flaky bread crumbs that make the coating of the fried foods nice and crunchy.  Other than that, you just need the all-purpose flour and eggs.  And vegetable or canola oil for pan frying, of course. 

Making these is just as simple.  Use shallow dishes for flour and panko, and a small bowl for eggs, lightly beaten.  Line them up this way on the countertop:  flour 🡪 eggs 🡪 panko, which is the order that you’ll be coating the zucchini.  

Best Zucchini to Use for Zucchini Katsu

Try to avoid using overripe large zucchini for this recipe as they have a lot of seeds and tend to get too watery in the center.  They also even start to taste slightly bitter.  Using just-ripened zucchinis will yield sweet, firm yet tender pan-fried zucchinis.

Super Easy Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce

Any of these katsu dishes are served with this dark, rich Tonkatsu or Katus sauce.  There are quite a few recipes out there, or you can also buy premade Tonkatsu sauce.  But the sauce to serve with any kind of katsu is actually super easy to make at home.  Here is the recipe:

• Ketchup
• Japanese Worcestershire sauce

Use equal parts of each.  Mix them in a small bowl until completely blended.

Zucchini Katsu Recipe

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