This Japanese Cheese Katsu recipe features gooey, stretchy mozzarella cheese breaded with a crispy panko crust. You'll love the contrast between the melty mozzarella and the crunchy panko breading. It's the ultimate comfort food!
Can't get enough of Katsu? Try my Hawaii Chicken Katsu, Ebi Katsu, and Banana Katsu next! Serve this Cheese Katsu with a side of Tonkatsu Sauce, cabbage salad, and sliced tomatoes!
Cheese katsu is my guilty pleasure. It's so delicious, but you can't help but feel a twinge of guilt knowing you're basically eating deep-fried fat and carbs. But whatever, life is about enjoying the good stuff.
I first had cheese katsu at Saku, a Japanese restaurant in Vancouver. It was so damn good that I knew I had to try making it at home!
My recipe is super quick and easy to prepare. It takes less than 30 minutes and only requires four ingredients! The only tricky part is deep-frying it, which I know many people find intimidating. But trust me; the end result is totally worth it.
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🧀 What is Cheese Katsu?
Cheese Katsu, also known as cheese cutlet, is a type of Katsu dish from Japan. A block of cheese, usually mozzarella, is coated in egg and panko breadcrumbs before being deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. The end result is a gooey, cheesy interior surrounded by a crunchy exterior. The textural contrast is what makes it so delicious.
The most popular types of katsu are usually meat-based, such as tonkatsu or chicken katsu, but cheese katsu has become increasingly popular. It's a great option, especially for vegetarians who wouldn't normally eat meat-based katsu.
In addition, deep-fried cheese dishes are becoming increasingly popular in Asian countries; a notable example is Korean cheese corn dogs. If you're interested, try my recipe!
🥘 Ingredients
- Mozzarella Cheese - the star ingredient and best cheese for cheese katsu! Did you know mozzarella cheese is specifically made to be stretchy when melted? During its manufacturing process, the proteins are uncoiled, formed into long strands, and compressed and repeatedly stretched until they align, creating the cheese's signature stringy consistency.
- Egg - for making the egg wash, coat the cheese so that the breadcrumbs can cling to it.
- Salt - to enhance all the flavors. We mix it with the eggs to distribute it evenly over the katsu.
- Panko breadcrumbs - A Japanese-style breadcrumb that is terrific for making deep-fried breaded foods. You can find this in most Western and Asian grocery stores.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Setup your workstation
Combine the egg and salt in a shallow bowl, and beat until mixed. Pour the panko breadcrumbs into another shallow bowl.
Organize your workstation by arranging your cheese blocks, egg wash, and panko breadcrumbs in a small area.
Step 2. First coating
Gentle dip a cheese block into the egg wash to coat completely, and allow excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat cheese in the panko breadcrumbs, gently pressing them into the cheese to adhere and coat completely.
Step 3. More coatings
Repeat coating the cheese block in egg wash and breadcrumbs two more times for a total of three coatings. Transfer the cheese katsu to a covered container and freeze for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Step 4. Deep fry
Heat 1 inch of oil to 350℉ in a Dutch oven, fryer, or wok. Gently lower each cheese katsu into the oil and fry each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and gently pat the katsu with paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve immediately with a side of Tonkatsu Sauce, cabbage salad, and sliced tomatoes!
💭 Top Tips
- Ensure cheese blocks are no more than ½ inch thick. The outside will burn before the cheese melts if they're too thick. If the cheese hasn't melted properly, finish them in a 350℉ oven for 4-5 minutes. The oven's heat is gentler, so it won't overcook the outside.
- Do a triple coating of breading to make the outside extra crunchy and provide additional security against any cheese from leaking out.
- Freeze the breaded cheese blocks for at least 2 hours to partially freeze the cheese. This will help prevent any cheese from leaking out before the breading hardens during frying.
- Don't pierce the katsu with anything pointy like a thermometer or toothpick while it's frying; otherwise, the cheese will leak.
- Drain cheese katsu on a wire rack if you have one! A wire rack allows air circulation underneath the katsu so the crust won't get soggy.
👨🏻🍳 Variations
- Cornflakes - Instead of panko breadcrumbs, you can use cornflakes for the breading. Crush them using your hands or a rolling pin.
- Jalapeno Cheese - Mix one finely minced Jalapeno into the egg wash to turn this Japanese dish into a Jalapeno popper fusion. If you don't like it too spicy, make sure to exclude the seeds!
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Store leftover cheese katsu in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: If the cheese katsu is partially eaten, reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 7-10 minutes. If it's fully intact, the best way to reheat it is by deep frying or air frying it. To deep fry, heat oil to 350°F and cook for 1 minute on each side. To air fry, cook at 325°F for 3-4 minutes.
Make ahead: Cheese cutlets can be made up to one month day in advance. Follow the instructions through the breading process, then store them in an air-tight container in the freezer, separating each katsu with parchment paper so they don't stick. Fry at 350°F for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown
📖 Recipe FAQs
Cheese katsu is done when the cheese has melted, but it can be difficult to determine that without cutting into it! Unless you have x-ray vision, most of us don't. The problem with cutting into it is that once you cut into it, the melted cheese can leak out and create a mess in the fryer.
The only thing we can really go off of is time. I recommend cutting the cheese into 1-inch thick slices, and it should melt after cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side. If the cheese is cut too thick, it'll take longer to melt, and you risk burning the crust before the inside melts.
Any oil with a high smoke point will do. I recommend using canola, soybean, corn, or vegetable oil.
Yes, you definitely can! The air fryer does a pretty good job of crisping up the panko breading around the cheese. Place the katsu in the basket in one layer, spray or brush one tablespoon of oil over the top, then air fry at 350°F for 7-8 minutes. Flip it over, brush another tablespoon of oil, and air fry for another 7-8 minutes until crisp.
If your air fryer can't fit both katsu pieces in one layer, you'll have to do it in two rounds. There should be at least 1 inch of space around each piece to properly circulate the air.
🍽 Looking for more katsu recipes?
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment. I'd love to hear your feedback!
📋 Recipe
Cheese Katsu
Equipment
- 1 deep fryer, dutch oven, wok, or high-walled pot
Ingredients
- 350 g mozzarella cheese (cut into ½-inch thick slices)
- 3 egg
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 3 cup panko breadcrumbs
For serving
- tonkatsu sauce (homemade tonkatsu sauce or store-bought)
Instructions
- Setup your workstation: Combine the egg and salt in a shallow bowl, and beat until mixed. Pour the panko breadcrumbs into another shallow bowl. Organize your workstation by arranging your cheese blocks, egg wash, and panko breadcrumbs in a small area.
- Breading: Gentle dip a cheese block into the egg wash to coat completely, and allow excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the cheese in the panko breadcrumbs, gently pressing them into the cheese, so they adhere and coat completely. Repeat coating the cheese in egg wash and breadcrumbs two more times for a total of three coatings.
- Freeze: Transfer cheese katsu to a covered container and freeze for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Deep fry: Heat 1 inch of oil to 350℉ in a Dutch oven, fryer, or wok. Gently lower each cheese katsu into the oil and fry each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and gently pat the katsu with paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve immediately with a side of Tonkatsu Sauce, cabbage salad, and sliced tomatoes!
Notes
- Ensure cheese blocks are no more than ½ inch thick. If they're too thick, the outside will burn before the cheese melts. If the cheese hasn't melted properly, you can finish them off in a 350℉ oven for 4-5 minutes. The heat of the oven is gentler, so it won't overcook the outside.
- Do a triple coating of breading to make the outside extra crunchy and provide additional security against the cheese leaking out.
- Freeze the breaded cheese blocks for at least 2 hours so that the cheese is partially frozen. This will help prevent cheese from leaking out before the breading hardens during frying.
- Don't pierce the katsu with anything pointy like a thermometer or toothpick while it's frying otherwise, the cheese will leak.
- Drain cheese katsu on a wire rack if you have one! A wire rack allows air circulation underneath the katsu so the crust won't get soggy.
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