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    Oh My Veggies » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Main Dishes

    Vegan Tofu Katsu Curry

    Published: Dec 1, 2021 · by Nicole · Updated: Mar 7, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    How to make a vegan tofu Katsu curry! This Japanese-inspired dinner features crispy and well-flavored tofu coated in crispy breadcrumbs, and a rich curry sauce that will make your kitchen smell amazing. It's also ready in 30 minutes, and perfect served with rice.

    Vegan tofu Katsu curry

    As far as dinners are concerned, I'm always up for a curry. Curries are easy to make at home and always super comforting. And this vegan Katsu curry with crispy tofu is one of my personal favorites!

    Katsu curry is a Japanese curry that's typically served with a breaded chicken cutlet. This vegan version features tofu as an alternative, and a sauce which is made out of vegetables (carrots and sweet potatoes), coconut milk and plenty of seasoning.

    Curry sauce with tofu

    Serve it as a weeknight dinner that the whole family is guaranteed to love! The rich, savory flavors are out of this world, and adding the breadcrumb coating to the tofu takes it to the next level. I'm sure you'll want to make it over and over again.

    Vegan tofu Katsu with rice

    Ingredients for vegan Katsu curry

    This meatless Katsu requires just simple ingredients for a phenomenal result. These are:

    • Sesame oil for cooking the sauce and frying the tofu 'cutlets'.
    • The aromatics: onions, garlic, ginger and red chilli peppers. If you'd prefer less spice, you can leave out the chilli.
    • The spices: garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika and mustard seeds for flavoring the sauce.
    • Tomato paste for adding a tangy flavor to the sauce.
    • Carrots and sweet potatoes. When these are blended, they add a great flavor and smooth texture to the sauce.
    • Coconut milk. If you don't want to use coconut milk, you can use any other unsweetened plant based milk of your choice, but it won't be as creamy.
    • Curry paste. Check packaging to ensure vegan. You can also use curry powder.
    • Bay leaves.
    • Mirin. This is a rice wine that's very popular in Japanese cooking that has a subtle sweet flavor.
    • Soy sauce. You can also use tamari or coconut aminos.
    • Panko breadcrumbs for making the breadcrumb coating. You can sub these for any other breadcrumbs of your choice (for instance, gluten-free if necessary).
    • Seasonings for the breadcrumbs: salt, onion powder and dried oregano.
    • Plain flour for making the batter. You can also use a gluten-free flour blend if necessary.
    • Extra firm tofu. If you're not using extra firm tofu, you will need to press it for at least 10 minutes to ensure that the texture is firm on the inside rather than watery.
    Tofu Katsu with rice

    How to make tofu Katsu curry

    Make the curry sauce

    Start by adding sesame oil to a large pan. Then, add the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli peppers, garam masala, cumin, paprika, mustard seeds and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat, until fragrant, and stir frequently to ensure they don't burn.

    Vegetables in a saucepan
    Curry sauce
    Curry sauce in a pan

    Now add the carrots, sweet potatoes, coconut milk, curry paste and bay leaves. Bring to a light simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are fully softened. Stir once every 2-3 minutes.

    Remove the pan from the stove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the mirin and soy sauce, and blend using an immersion blender until smooth.

    Make the crispy tofu katsu

    Prepare your breading station. In one bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, onion powder and oregano. In a different bowl, whisk together flour and water, ensuring that no lumps remain.

    Next, slice the tofu into slabs around ¼ inch in thickness. Dip them in the batter, making sure to shake off any excess, and then the breadcrumbs.

    Panko breadcrumb mixture
    Batter in a bowl
    Tofu on a wooden board

    Add some sesame oil to a pan over a medium-high heat. Allow it to warm up for a couple of minutes, and then add the tofu. Fry for 5 minutes, then flip using kitchen tongs and fry for 3-4 minutes more, until crispy and golden brown.

    Serve

    Crispy tofu
    Vegan tofu Katsu curry recipe

    Layer the curry sauce over a bed of rice, followed by the crispy tofu. I like to serve it with sushi rice, but any rice variety of your choice will work. You can also serve it with noodles.

    FAQs

    Bowl of tofu Katsu with curry sauce
    Can this tofu Katsu curry be made gluten-free?

    Yes, simply use tamari instead of soy sauce, gluten-free breadcrumbs and a gluten-free plain flour mix.

    How can I bake the tofu instead of frying?

    You can bake the crispy tofu for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F/180 degrees C, flipping half way through.

    Can this recipe be made ahead of time?

    You can store the curry sauce and the Tofu katsu in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days, although the tofu may lose some of its crispiness. You can reheat the tofu in the microwave, and the curry sauce either in the microwave or on the stove.

    Other vegan curry recipes you may love

    • Vegan jackfruit curry.
    • Simple vegan tofu curry.
    • Vegan eggplant butternut squash curry.
    • Easy vegan potato curry.
    Tofu Katsu and curry sauce

    If you give this vegan tofu Katsu curry recipe a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@ohmyveggies) so I can see your recreations, and leave your feedback in the comments below together with a star rating.

    Recipe

    Vegan Tofu Katsu Curry

    How to make a vegan tofu Katsu curry! This Japanese-inspired dinner features crispy and well-flavored tofu coated in crispy breadcrumbs, and a rich curry sauce that will make your kitchen smell amazing. It's also ready in 30 minutes, and perfect served with rice.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    0 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Japanese, Vegan
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Breadcrumbs, carrots, coconut milk, curry, earth of maria, sweet potato, to move, Tofu
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 751kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Immersion blender
    • Mixing bowl x2
    • Frying pan or skillet

    Ingredients

    For the curry sauce

    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 large onion diced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 tbsp ginger grated
    • 1 red chilli de-seeded and sliced
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • 1 tbsp mustard seeds
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste
    • 2 medium carrots diced
    • 1 large sweet potato peeled and diced
    • 1 can coconut milk (14oz/400ml)
    • 1 tbsp curry paste
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 tsp mirin
    • 2 tbsp soy sauce
    • ½ tsp salt or to taste
    • ½ tsp black pepper or to taste

    For the tofu Katsu

    • 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ½ tsp onion powder
    • 2 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 cup flour
    • 1 cup water
    • 14 oz extra firm tofu
    • ¼ cup sesame oil
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Make the curry sauce

    • Add the sesame oil to a large pan. Then, add the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli peppers, garam masala, cumin, paprika, mustard seeds and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat, until fragrant, and stir frequently to ensure they don't burn.
    • Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, coconut milk, curry paste and bay leaves. Bring to a light simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are fully softened. Stir once every 2-3 minutes.
    • Remove the pan from the stove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the mirin and soy sauce, and blend using an immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Make the tofu Katsu

    • Prepare your breading station. In one bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, onion powder and oregano. In a different bowl, whisk together flour and water, ensuring that no lumps remain.
    • Slice the tofu into slabs around ¼ inch in thickness. Dip them in the batter, making sure to shake off any excess, and then the breadcrumbs.
    • Add some sesame oil to a pan over a medium-high heat. Allow it to warm up for a couple of minutes, and then add the tofu. Fry for 5 minutes, then flip using kitchen tongs and fry for 3-4 minutes more, until crispy and golden brown.

    Serve

    • Serve the curry sauce and the crispy tofu Katsu over a bed of rice of your choice.

    Video

    Notes

    Tofu: if you're not using extra-firm tofu, you will need to press it for at least 10 minutes. This can be done using a tofu press, or by layering some kitchen towels on it followed by a pan with heavy objects inside (e.g., cans of beans).
    To make gluten-free: simply use tamari instead of soy sauce, gluten-free breadcrumbs and a gluten-free flour mix.
    To bake the tofu: you can bake the crispy tofu at 350 degrees F/180 degrees C for 25 minutes, flipping half way through.
    To make ahead: you can store the curry sauce and the Tofu katsu in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days, although the tofu may lose some of its crispiness. You can reheat the tofu in the microwave, and the curry sauce either in the microwave or on the stove.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 751kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 20gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 1483mgPotassium: 1096mgFiber: 8gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 18250IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 186mgIron: 9mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Vegan Apple Fritters
    Edible Brownie Batter »

    30 Minutes or Less, Earth of Maria, Tofu and Tempeh Recipes, Vegan Dinner Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegan Weeknight Meals, Vegetarian Recipes Breadcrumbs, carrots, coconut milk, curry, Panko breadcrumbs, sweet potato, tofu

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
    Learn more here.

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