Crispy Pork Katsu with Sesame Roasted Carrots and Ginger Rice

This crispy pork katsu recipe brings the beloved Japanese dish to your home kitchen. Tender pork chops are coated in a tangy sour cream and panko crust, then shallow-fried until golden and crunchy. The result is a satisfying main course that pairs beautifully with fragrant ginger rice and sweet roasted carrots.

To complete the meal, we add a nutty touch with sesame seeds on the carrots and a drizzle of sweet-savory Japanese barbecue sauce over the pork. It’s a balanced dinner that feels special enough for a weekend but easy enough for a weeknight.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.25 cup Brown RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Sesame SeedsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.75 ounce Bachan's Original Japanese Barbecue SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 thumb GingerView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Pork ChopsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Trim, peel and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Peel and mince or grate ginger. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.
2. Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until tender, 20-25 minutes. Once roasted, carefully toss with sesame seeds.
3. While carrots roast, heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add ginger and scallion whites; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in rice, ¾ cup water (1¼ cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
4. Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin until pork is about ½ inch thick. Place panko, garlic powder, salt (1 tsp; 2 tsp for 4 servings) and pepper in a gallon-size zip-close bag. Place sour cream in a medium bowl; add pork and turn to evenly coat. Add coated pork to bag with seasoned panko and seal to close. Shake until pork is evenly coated. Tip: You may need to move around pork chops in bag, pressing with your hands, to spread out panko and make it stick.
5. Heat a ¼-inch layer of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering and hot enough that a pinch of panko sizzles when added to pan, add coated pork (discard any remaining panko in bag). Cook until panko is golden brown and pork is cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. (For 4 servings, cook in batches.) Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
6. Place Japanese barbecue sauce in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until warmed through, 30 seconds. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and season with salt and pepper. Divide rice, pork and carrots between plates. Drizzle pork with Japanese barbecue sauce. Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko?

Panko gives the crispiest texture, but you can substitute with regular breadcrumbs. The coating may be less crunchy.

What can I use instead of Japanese barbecue sauce?

You can use a mix of soy sauce, ketchup and a little sugar or honey as a substitute.

Can I bake the pork instead of frying?

Yes, you can bake the coated pork chops at 425°F on a greased baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and cooked through.