Air Fryer Tonkatsu is a tender pork loin chop covered with a crispy panko breading. It bakes to a golden brown quickly in the air fryer making it the perfect weeknight meal. Serve it with the homemade Tonkatsu sauce for a kid-approved dinner!

Easy air fryer recipes are our favorite recipes! If you are looking for more chicken recipes to make in our favorite kitchen appliance, try these Air Fryer Honey Garlic Marinated Chicken Thighs, delicious! Or Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer, made with pickle juice and a homemade Panko breading.

Up close, above view of pork tonkatsu on a plate that has been sliced and has a drizzle of katsu sauce across the top and served with some shredded cabbage.

This healthy version of Tonkatsu is going to become your families new go to meal, it gets baked instead of fried. This crunchy pork chop is perfect when served with a side salad of sliced cabbage and a drizzle of Katsu sauce.

What is Tonkatsu?

Tonkatsu (とんかつ, 豚かつ) is a popular Japanese dish that takes a pork loin chop that gets coated in Japanese breadcrumbs and then deep fries it. The word “ton” means pig and “katsu” is the shortened version of “katsuretsu” which basically means cutlet. So tonkatsu actually means “pig cutlet.”

While tonkatsu is typically deep fried, this version is baked in the air fryer making it a healthier option. The pork gets dredged in flour, dipped into a bath of egg, and coated in panko bread crumbs.

Tonkatsu is different from tonkotsu, which means pig bone and is actually referring to a broth made with pork bones.

Above view of a plate of cut up tonkatsu served with a side of shredded cabbage and a small pitcher of katsu sauce. There is another plate of tonkatsu in the picture also and a striped towel.

The best way to get the breading to stick to pork chops

To get the breading to really adhere to the pork chop, we need to coat it in flour and egg before hand to really give it something to stick to. Once you dip the pork chop in the flour, be sure to shake off any excess. You just want a nice thin coating of flour.

After both sides are dipped into egg and excess egg drips off, lay the pork in a bed of panko. Press down on the chop so that the crumbs really stick to it, then flip over and do the same to the other side.

How to Serve Tonkatsu?

The traditional way to serve Tonkatsu is sliced into 3/4″ pieces alongside or over a bed of chopped cabbage with a side of tonkatsu sauce. The cabbage serves as a way to aid in digestion, it helps to prevent heartburn from the oily food.

You can also make a dish called katsu don by serving tonkatsu over rice. Or add the air fried tonkatsu in between two pieces of white bread and some cabbage to make a katsu sando (sandwich!).

Above view of two plates of tonkatsu served with cabbage and a small pitcher of katsu sauce.

Which pork cut is the Best to Use?

When making tonkatsu the best pork cut to use is either pork loin or pork fillet (also known as pork tenderloin). Pork loin is more commonly used and it works really well because it has more fat on it. This helps make the dish more tender and rich in flavor.

You can get a whole pork loin and slice it into 1/2-inch pork chops yourself. But, I find it easier to get them precut from either a grocery store or a local butcher.

What goes in Tonkatsu?

Panko Breadcrumbs: These are easily found at your local grocery store, but if they aren’t there you may be able to find them at an Asian market.
Oil: Just a little oil is used to lightly wet the toasted breadcrumbs so that they get crunchy once air fried. I like to use olive oil but if you only have vegetable oil on hand that will also work.
Salt and Pepper: Added for seasoning. I like to use freshly ground black pepper.
Pork: You want to get boneless pork loin chops that are 1/2 – inch thick. Use pork loin or pork tenderloin (pork fillet).
Flour: This is for the breading process.
Egg: The egg helps the breading stick.

All of the ingredients needed to make this recipe including pork loin chops, flour, panko, salt, pepper, oil, and an egg.

Tonkatsu Sauce Ingredients

The main ingredients for homemade tonakatsu sauce are Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and ketchup. When making the sauce, adjust the amounts to your liking. If you need more umami flavor, by all means add some more oyster sauce. Want it sweeter? Add some more brown sugar.

How to Make Air Fryer Tonkatsu

Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and ingredient amounts.

STEP 1: Add just breadcrumbs (not the oil) to a frying pan over medium heat. Stirring almost constantly, toast the breadcrumbs. Once most of the crumbs are lightly browned, remove from heat and pour them into a shallow bowl. Add the oil over the breadcrumbs and mix.

STEP 2: Sprinkle both sides of the pork cutlets with salt and pepper.

The first two instruction steps which include cooking the panko on the stove and adding salt and pepper to the pork chops.

STEP 3: Add the flour to one shallow bowl and a beaten egg to another shallow bowl.

STEP 4: Dredge all sides of a pork chop in flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip into egg, drip off that excess and lay in the breadcrumbs. I like to firmly press all sides of the pork chop to get it coated then flip over and do the same thing to the other side.

STEP 5: Repeat with all of the pork steaks.

This is how to bread the pork. Add flour, egg, and breadcrumbs to separate plates. Dip the pork into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs.

STEP 6: Preheat the air fryer.

STEP 7: Make tonkatsu sauce while air fryer is heating. In a small bowl, mix together ketchup, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.

STEP 8: Place all four pork chops into the air fryer and cook. Flip over.

The last two instruction steps are to make the katsu sauce and then cook the pork in the air fryer.

STEP 9: Cut each pork cutlet into 3/4″ slices to easily pick up with chopsticks and serve with sauce and shredded cabbage.

Tips for Success

Use Panko breadcrumbs to make the best tonkatsu. They are a Japanese breadcrumb made from crustless white bread that has been processed into flakes and then dried. Panko adheres better to proteins and will give a crispier texture.
Flip the pork over halfway through cooking for even crispness on both sides.
The cooking time will vary based on the type of air fryer you have. The best way to know if your pork is done, is to use an instant read thermometer. You want the pork to be cooked to 145°F. If it is over that, you will end up with dried out pork.

Recipe Variations

Breadcrumbs. Although panko breadcrumbs are the recommended coating to use, if you can’t find them plain breadcrumbs will give a similar result.
Switch up your protein. Make ebi katsu which uses shrimp instead of pork. Menchi katsu uses ground meat instead of whole meat. And there is always chicken katsu, made with chicken breast.
Make it vegetarian. Cheese katsu uses cheese in place of the meat. Or make it with vegetables instead.

How to Store & Reheat

How to store it? Let the pork cool completely and put in an airtight container. It should last about 3-4 days in the fridge.

How to freeze it? Let cool completely before putting into an airtight, freezer safe container. It can be frozen for 3 months, just be sure to label with the recipe and date.

How to thaw it? Thaw frozen cooked tonkatsu on a plate in the refrigerator overnight until defrosted.

Try these other pork recipes!

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