This Keto Pork Tonkatsu is a guilt-free way to enjoy this Japanese classic. This only requires 5 main ingredients and it’s perfect with rice and salad for a healthy and satisfying meal!
Pork Tonkatsu is a classic Japanese dish where pork cutlet is coated in panko bread crumbs, deep fried until nicely golden brown, and served with a sweet and tangy sauce. The deep-fried pork is juicy on the inside and very light and crispy on the outside.
While one of its signature characteristics is the airy and crispy breadcrumbs that make the fried cutlet very light, I’m going to share a low-carb alternative so that you can enjoy this guilt-free.
Ingredients For Pork Tonkatsu
Boneless Pork Cutlet
In Japan, Katsu is a general method of cooking where you coat a piece of meat in breadcrumbs, fry it until crispy, and serve it sliced into strips. Katsu can be done with beef sirloin or chicken breast, but for this recipe, we will use the classic pork loin.
Use 1/2-1-inch thick pork loin which you can pound a bit so it expands and becomes more tender. You can also use pork chops as an alternative but you need to make slits on the fat (or completely remove it) to prevent the whole cutlet from curling up when you fry.
Almond Flour & Egg
Just like any deep-fried dish, you need flour and egg to act as a binder for the breading you will use. Almond flour is a low-carb alternative to all-purpose flour. It’s gluten-free, it contains lots of vitamins and nutrients, and it does the job well!
Crushed Pork Rind
As an alternative to breadcrumbs, we will be using crushed pork rind. This is the secret! Essentially this is pork skin that has been fried and crushed to mimic the airy and light texture of the breadcrumbs. When you fry this, it also becomes crispy and adds flavor to the whole dish.
How to Make Keto Pork Tonkatsu
This recipe is super easy, it shouldn’t even take more than 30 minutes!
Season the pork cutlet with salt and pepper well, don’t be shy! Set it aside while you prepare the egg, almond flour, and pork rind in separate plates. Heat up your oil to 340F as well.
Once all the ingredients are laid out, you can go ahead and coat the seasoned pork cutlet with almond flour, then dip it in the egg, then coat it with the pork rind. Make sure to pack the breading into the pork.
Place the breaded pork straight into the hot oil and cook them for 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove any remaining crumbs before the next batch of frying as this can burn and turn the cutlets bitter. Repeat the process until all your cutlets are cooked.
How to Fry a Perfectly Crispy Tonkatsu
#1 Heat up the oil!
The oil must be well heated up before placing the breaded cutlets in the pan so it cooks right away. The faster it cooks, the less time it stays in the oil. This prevents the cutlet from turning soggy and too oily!
#2 Do not overcrowd your frying pan!
Place just enough cutlets to fry so that the temperature does not drop. The more you put in the pan, the longer it will take to cook, and the soggier the breading will be!
#3 Use a cooling rack!
Place all cooked pork cutlets in a cooling rack to ensure both sides remain crispy. The moisture can build up at the bottom when you don’t use one which will turn the breading soggy.
What to Serve with Pork Tonkatsu
There are many ways you can enjoy pork tonkatsu. The classic way of serving this is with rice, shredded cabbage with sesame sauce, and a sweet and tangy katsu sauce. The rice and cabbage will be a great complement and balance to the savory deep-fried pork.
Another way to serve this is katsudon style where you place the pork cutlet over a bed of onion, seasoned dashi stock, and egg. This will turn the tonkatsu into a savory, warm, and comforting meal.
You can also serve this with curry sauce to make a katsu curry bowl where the curry rice will be a hot and indulgent complement to the crispy and juicy pork!
Lastly, you can make a “sando” by spreading sauce over the cutlet and sandwiching it in between two milk breads. This will be a super satisfying snack!
Whichever way you choose to serve this, ensure it is served hot and crispy, and consume it immediately. I don’t recommend leftovers as the overall texture of the pork cutlet may drastically change.
Other pork dishes you might like:
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Keto Pork Tonkatsu Recipe
Ingredients
- Boneless Pork Cutlet 1/2-1 inch thick each
- Almond Flour
- Egg
- Crushed Pork Rind
- Salt and Pepper To taste
- Coconut or Avocado Oil For keto-friendly frying
Instructions
- Generously season the pork cutlet with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare the almond flour, egg, and crushed pork rind on separate plates and heat oil enough to shallow fry the pork cutlet.
- Coat the seasoned pork cutlet with almond flour, dip in egg, then coat with pork rind.
- Place the breaded pork cutlet in the hot oil (340F) and shallow fry it for 2-3 minutes per side until both sides are golden brown.
- Place cooked pork cutlet in a cooling rack so both sides remain crispy and clean out the remaining crumbs in the oil before the next batch of frying to keep the remains from burning.
- Serve with rice, shredded cabbage salad, katsu sauce, and enjoy!
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