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    Home » Entrees

    Vegan Katsu Curry

    Published: Jun 9, 2021 Updated: Jun 28, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Vegan Katsu Curry

    This vegan katsu curry combines crispy breaded tofu and a creamy coconut curry sauce to create a Japanese inspired meal that you will love.

    Vegan katsu curry with fresh lime and cilantro in a black bowl.

    This vegan katsu curry is simply delicious! It’s easy enough to make on a regular week night, but looks fancy enough to serve at any dinner party.

    And oh my it is SO flavorful. If you already love a good vegan curry or coconut curry, then this just takes things up a level with the addition of the crispy breaded and fried tofu.

    Having this for dinner is like eating at the best gourmet restaurant, but you did it yourself! It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel pretty impressed with yourself. Which is always a good feeling.

    If you love tofu, also check out our wonderful marinated tofu, fried tofu and baked tofu recipes.

    And if you love this katsu curry then our vegan butter chicken (also tofu in a creamy sauce) and our vegan tikka masala will likely also be right up your street.

    Ingredients for Tofu Katsu Curry

    Photo of the ingredients needed to make vegan katsu curry.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    • Coconut sugar – is just for flavor balance in the curry sauce. It doesn’t make it sweet at all, just perfectly balances the flavors. We love coconut sugar but brown sugar (light or dark) also works great.
    • Firm tofu – or extra firm tofu are ideal for this as they hold up well to being breaded and fried. In addition we press the tofu for 30 minutes to make it as firm as possible.
    • Vegetable stock – or broth are interchangeable in this recipe.
    • Sesame seeds – are just for decoration of the final dish for serving, so they are optional.
    • Coconut milk – should be canned, full fat and unsweetened. You could also use coconut cream (also canned, unsweetened) for an even richer version. If you have a coconut allergy then a creamy plant milk like cashew milk will be a good option.
    • Vegan buttermilk – we make up this homemade vegan buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk (or almond milk, but soy milk works best) to the 1 cup (240ml) line. Leave it for a minute to curdle into buttermilk.
    Vegan katsu curry with fresh lime and cilantro in a black bowl.

    How To Make Vegan Katsu Curry – Step By Step Instructions

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    Press the tofu:

    • Put your tofu on to press. It’s ideal if you have a tofu press, but even if you don’t, just place the tofu on a plate, with another plate on top of it and then stack something heavy on top, like a heavy pot. Leave it to press for 30 minutes while you prepare the curry sauce.

    Prepare the curry sauce:

    • Add sesame oil to a pot on medium heat and add chopped onions and carrots.
    • Sauté until the onions are softened.
    Two photo collage showing chopped onions and carrots added to pot and sautéed.
    • Add crushed garlic, ginger, curry powder and turmeric and sauté for a minute to toast the spices.
    Collage of two photos showing crushed garlic and spices added to pot and sautéed.
    • Add tomato paste, coconut milk, vegetable stock and coconut sugar.
    Two photo collage showing tomato paste, coconut milk, vegetable stock and coconut sugar added to pot.
    • Mix together and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the carrots are soft.
    • Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the sauce directly in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can let the sauce cool for a bit and then transfer it in stages to your blender jug, blend and then when it’s all blended return it to the pot.
    • Place the pot back on the heat at low heat and leave it to keep warm while you prepare the tofu.
    Two photo collage showing sauce being stirred in the pot and then immersion blended.

    Prepare the tofu:

    • When the tofu has finished pressing, slice it into rectangles and then into squares. Then slice each square diagonally from corner to corner leaving you with two triangles.
    • Spread the tofu triangles out on a baking sheet. You should end up with around 20 triangles.
    Two photo collage showing tofu cut into pieces and placed onto a tray.
    • In a shallow dish, add all purpose flour, curry powder and garlic powder and mix together.
    Two photo collage showing flour and spices added to bowl and mixed together.
    • Prepare the vegan buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then add soy milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line. Let it curdle and then pour it into a second shallow dish.
    • In a third shallow dish, add breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and mix together.
    Two photo collage showing panko breadcrumbs and salt and pepper added to bowl and mixed together.
    • Take each tofu triangle and roll it in the flour mix.
    Two photo collage showing tofu dipped in flour mix on both sides.
    • Then roll it in the buttermilk and finally roll it in the breadcrumbs.
    Two photo collage showing tofu dipped in vegan buttermilk and then breadcrumbs.
    • Make sure each tofu triangle is well coated. Place each crumbed tofu triangle back onto the baking tray.
    Two photo collage showing tofu dipped in breadcrumbs and then placed onto a tray.
    • In a frying pan on medium to high heat, add sesame oil and let it heat up until hot. Sprinkle a few breadcrumbs into the hot oil. If they sizzle nicely then the oil is ready.
    • Add 6 tofu triangles (or however many will comfortably fit in your pan). They should sizzle when they hit the pan.
    • Fry for a minute and a half or until golden brown on the bottom and then flip them over and fry on the other side.
    Two photo collage showing oil added to pan and heated and then tofu pieces added to the hot pan.
    • When they are golden brown on each side, place them onto a tray lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
    • Repeat until all your tofu is cooked.
    • Top up the sesame oil as needed for each batch of tofu.
    Two photo collage showing browned tofu in the frying pan and then the fried tofu pieces on a tray lined with paper towels.

    Assemble and Serve:

    • Build your bowls. Place your rice and katsu curry sauce side by side in a bowl. Serve the crumbed tofu on top of the katsu sauce and decorate with sesame seeds, fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
    Vegan katsu curry with rice and fresh lime and cilantro in a black bowl.

    Chef’s Tips

    Slice the tofu into whatever shape best suits you. You don’t have to slice it into triangles like we did. But try to get around 20 pieces from your block.

    The vegan buttermilk can be made with soy milk or almond milk. We prefer soy milk as it creates a richer/thicker buttermilk. However, you can really use any plant milk even if it doesn’t curdle, it will still work.

    Make it super easy. If you would prefer to make an even easier version of this recipe, you could buy vegan chicken nuggets or schnitzels that are already crumbed and just fry those up instead of the tofu and serve them in the curry sauce. Though I do recommend the breaded tofu as it is super delicious.

    Vegan katsu curry with fresh chopped cilantro in a black bowl.

    Make Ahead and Storing

    Make ahead: To save time in this recipe, you could make the curry sauce up to 24 hours ahead of time, let it cool and then refrigerate it and then just reheat it on the stovetop before serving. The tofu could also be pressed and cut ahead of time and then just breaded and fried right before serving.

    Storing: Leftovers keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the microwave. The breaded tofu may lose some of its crispiness but it’s still delicious.

    Forkful of tofu katsu curry above a bowl.

    More Vegan Curry Recipes

    1. Vegan Thai Red Curry
    2. Vegan Massaman Curry
    3. Vegan Sweet Potato Curry
    4. Vegan Chickpea Curry
    5. Vegan Potato Curry
    6. Vegan Cauliflower Curry

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Vegan katsu curry with fresh lime and cilantro in a black bowl.

    Vegan Katsu Curry

    This vegan katsu curry combines crispy breaded tofu and a creamy coconut curry sauce to create a Japanese inspired meal that you will love.
    5 from 20 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entree, Savory
    Cuisine: Japanese, Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 582kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    Katsu Curry Sauce:

    • 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
    • 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Chopped
    • 1 Large Carrot Chopped
    • 2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
    • 1 Tbsp Freshly Grated Ginger
    • 2 tsp Mild Curry Powder
    • 1 tsp Turmeric
    • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
    • 14 ounce Can Coconut Milk (400ml) Full Fat, Unsweetened
    • 1 cup Vegetable Stock/Broth (240ml)
    • 1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar

    Breaded Tofu:

    • 14 ounces Firm Tofu (400g)
    • 2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
    • 2 tsp Mild Curry Powder
    • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
    • 1 cup Vegan Buttermilk (240ml) 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice + Soy Milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line
    • 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
    • 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil For Frying, add more as needed

    Serving:

    • Basmati Rice
    • Sesame Seeds
    • Fresh Cilantro
    • Lime Wedges
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Press the tofu: Put your tofu on to press. It's ideal if you have a tofu press, but even if you don't, just place the tofu on a plate, with another plate on top of it and then stack something heavy on top, like a heavy pot. Leave it to press for 30 minutes while you prepare the curry sauce.
    • Prepare the curry sauce: Add sesame oil to a pot on medium heat and add chopped onions and carrots. Sauté until the onions are softened.
    • Add crushed garlic, ginger, curry powder and turmeric and sauté for a minute to toast the spices.
    • Add tomato paste, coconut milk, vegetable stock and coconut sugar. Mix together and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the carrots are soft.
    • Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the sauce directly in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can let the sauce cool for a bit and then transfer it in stages to your blender jug, blend and then when it’s all blended return it to the pot.
    • Place the pot back on the heat at low heat and leave it to keep warm while you prepare the tofu.
    • Prepare the tofu: When the tofu has finished pressing, slice it into rectangles and then into squares.  Then slice each square diagonally from corner to corner leaving you with two triangles. Spread the tofu triangles out on a baking sheet. You should get around 20 tofu triangles from your block of tofu. 
    • In a shallow dish, add all purpose flour, curry powder and garlic powder and mix together.
    • Prepare the vegan buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then add soy milk* up to the 1 cup (240ml) line. Let it curdle and then pour it out into a second shallow dish. 
    • In a third shallow dish, add breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and mix together.
    • Take each tofu triangle and roll it in the flour mix. Then roll it in the buttermilk and then roll it in the breadcrumbs. Make sure each tofu triangle is well coated. Place each crumbed tofu triangle back onto the baking tray.
    • In a frying pan on medium to high heat, add sesame oil and let it heat up until hot. Sprinkle a few breadcrumbs into the hot oil. If they sizzle nicely then the oil is ready.
    • Add 6 tofu triangles (or however many will comfortably fit in your pan). They should sizzle when they hit the pan. Fry for a minute and a half or until golden brown on the bottom and then flip them over and fry on the other side. When they are golden brown on each side, place them onto a tray lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Repeat until all your tofu is cooked. Top up the sesame oil as needed for each batch of tofu. 
    • Assemble and Serve: Build your bowls. Place your rice and katsu curry sauce side by side in a bowl. Serve the crumbed tofu on top of the katsu sauce and decorate with sesame seeds, fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

    Notes

    1. Coconut milk – should be canned, full fat and unsweetened. You could also use coconut cream (also canned, unsweetened) for an even richer version. If you have a coconut allergy then a creamy plant milk like cashew milk will be a good option.
    2. Coconut sugar – is just for flavor balance in the curry sauce. It doesn’t make it sweet at all, just perfectly balances the flavors. We love coconut sugar but brown sugar (light or dark) also works great.
    3. Vegan buttermilk – can be made with soy milk or almond milk. We prefer soy milk as it creates a richer/thicker buttermilk. However, you can really use any plant milk even if it doesn’t curdle, it will still work.
    4. Slice the tofu into whatever shape best suits you. You don’t have to slice it into triangles like we did. Try to get 20 pieces of tofu from your block. 
    5. Make it super easy. If you would prefer to make an even easier version of this recipe, you could buy vegan chicken nuggets or schnitzels that are already crumbed and just fry those up instead of the tofu and serve them in the curry sauce. Though I do recommend the breaded tofu as it is super delicious.
    6. Make ahead: To save time in this recipe, you could make up the curry sauce up to 24 hours ahead of time, let it cool and refrigerate it and then just reheat it on the stovetop before serving. The tofu could also be pressed and cut ahead of time and then just breaded and fried right before serving.
    7. Storing: Leftovers keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the microwave. The breaded tofu may lose some of its crispiness but it’s still delicious.
    8. Nutritional information is for the breaded tofu and the sauce and excludes rice. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 582kcal | Carbohydrates: 40.1g | Protein: 19.6g | Fat: 39.6g | Saturated Fat: 17.7g | Sodium: 959mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9.3g
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kayte says

      May 29, 2022 at 7:26 pm

      This is delicious. Thank you. I followed your curry recipe to the tee. I decided to use whatever I had at home. I roasted small white creamer potatoes, sautéed plant based sausage, red and green pepper, and about 1/2 cup frozen corn. This is a winner. Next time I will try your tofu; it looks so good. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks again.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 30, 2022 at 12:36 pm

        So happy you enjoyed it Kayte, thanks so much for posting and the wonderful review!

        Reply
        • Kyrila Scully says

          May 31, 2022 at 3:41 pm

          I don’t eat any fried foods. I substitute veggie broth for oil and that works just great. However, would it be possible to bake or air-fry the tofu wedges without oil? Please advise. Thanks!!!5 stars

          Reply
          • Alison Andrews says

            June 01, 2022 at 11:24 am

            Hi Kyrila, you can certainly give them a try in the air fryer or oven. I think it would work!

    2. Gwen says

      May 23, 2022 at 10:42 am

      I loved the crispy tofu. With the vegan buttermilk it was so easy to make. I changed up the sauce to make it spicier and we really enjoyed it.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 23, 2022 at 12:24 pm

        Awesome Gwen, thanks so much for the great review!

        Reply
    3. Angelina says

      April 07, 2022 at 2:14 pm

      Amazing sauce! The kitchen was filled with sweet nice fragrance while making it! Thanks for sharing this recipe! =^.^=5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        April 07, 2022 at 2:44 pm

        So happy you enjoyed it Angelina, thanks so much!

        Reply
    4. Catherine says

      April 02, 2022 at 3:15 pm

      What a fabulous recipe! Absolutely loved making my own katsu curry sauce, and the end result was amazing. So much better than any shop bought sauce. Using buttermilk instead of plain soya milk made it much easier to bread the tofu pieces, and the seasoning in the flour added to the flavour. Top marks from my son in law who said it was his favourite meal ever! Thanks Alison ❤️5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        April 04, 2022 at 11:32 am

        Yay! That’s awesome to hear Catherine, thanks so much!

        Reply
    5. Catherine says

      December 05, 2021 at 9:15 pm

      Fairly easy and absolutely delicious!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 06, 2021 at 2:21 pm

        So glad to hear! Thanks Catherine!

        Reply
    6. Terti says

      July 30, 2021 at 10:03 pm

      I was short on time, so just made the curry sauce and served with a pre-made schnitzel, rice and veggies. Yum! All dinner bowls were licked clean! I have used a purchased curry sauce before, but never again. Next time, I’ll prepare the tofu as well. 🤗5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        August 02, 2021 at 12:33 pm

        I am so happy to hear that Terti! Thanks for the amazing review!

        Reply
    7. Aasiyah says

      June 14, 2021 at 7:32 pm

      Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing this great recipe 🧡5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 15, 2021 at 2:51 pm

        Yay! Thanks for the awesome review!

        Reply
    8. Anna says

      June 11, 2021 at 9:49 am

      Oooh! This is so delicious! A must for the chillier days..5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 11, 2021 at 11:46 am

        Thanks Anna!

        Reply
    9. Pat Jepsen says

      June 09, 2021 at 8:44 pm

      Left overs! I’ll be lucky. Thanks again Alison I love crispy tofu and curry, a match made in heaven.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 10, 2021 at 8:43 am

        Hahaha yes indeed, leftovers might be a rare sight for this dish! 🙂

        Reply
      • Ellie says

        January 02, 2022 at 8:21 pm

        Wow that was delicious!!! All my family tried it who are non vegans and LOVED IT. I felt like a chef seeing the finished product:) amazing recipe xx5 stars

        Reply
        • Alison Andrews says

          January 03, 2022 at 9:40 am

          So happy to hear that Ellie!

          Reply

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