This vegan aubergine katsu curry is built on everyday vegetables and Japanese curry roux, with golden, double-dipped aubergine slices layered on top. The roasted aubergine gives a soft, creamy centre that contrasts perfectly with the crispy coating and rich, savoury sauce - a plant-based take on the classic meat katsu that’s just as satisfying.
Katsu curry makes a great weeknight dinner, works well for meal prep, and holds up nicely when you’re feeding a crowd. The process is simple: cook the curry sauce, bread and fry the aubergine, then plate it all over steamed rice.
To round it out, serve with a side of miso soup and quick pickled vegetables — cucumber is a great match for this curry. Add some crispy gyoza and you’ve got a complete Japanese-inspired spread.
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Ingredients
Serves 4 | Prep time 15 mins | Cooking time 45 mins
For the Curry
- 90g S&B curry block (or similar)
- 650–700 ml water
- 1 medium onion (150g), peeled and diced
- 1 medium carrot (100g), diced
- 5 baby or white potatoes (~180g), cubed
- ½ medium red bell pepper (100g), diced
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
For the Katsu
- 1 medium aubergine, sliced into 1 cm discs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup plain flour
- 250 ml oat milk
- 300 ml of neutral oil (or enough to create a 3 cm depth in your pan)
To Serve
- 800 g cooked Japanese rice
- Spring onions, thinly sliced
- Roughly chopped coriander (optional, not traditional)
Instructions
The method has three main parts: making the curry sauce, preparing and frying the aubergine katsu. We’ll go step by step then bring everything together at the end.
First, make the curry.
1. Peel the onion and dice it into 1cm cubes. Set aside in a prep bowl.
2. Peel the garlic and slice it thinly. You can set this aside with the onion.
3. Peel the carrot, slice it lengthwise into quarters, then cut each piece into small cubes.
4. Cut the pepper into 1-inch square pieces. Try to keep the sizes similar to the carrot for consistent texture.
5. Peel, wash, and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Set them aside with your other chopped vegetables.
6. Thinly slice the spring onions. These are for garnish at the end, so set them aside for now.
7. Roughly chop the coriander. This also goes on at the end - store in a small bowl or container until you’re ready to serve.
8. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until they soften and start to sweat (about 3–5 minutes).
9. Once the onions begin to brown slightly, add the rest of the chopped vegetables, another pinch of salt, and a splash of soy sauce. Stir-fry for a few minutes to bring the flavours together.
10. Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let the vegetables cook for around 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and fork-tender.
11. Once the potatoes are done, add the curry stock cubes and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid to keep warm while you prep the katsu.
Now make the aubergine katsu.
12. Slice the aubergine into 1cm-thick discs. Aim for even thickness so they cook at the same rate.
13. Set up a breading station with three bowls: one for flour, one for plant milk, and one for panko breadcrumbs. Place them in order for a smooth workflow.
14. Take each aubergine slice and coat it in flour, then dip it into the plant milk. Repeat both steps once more before pressing the slice into the panko.
15. Make sure each aubergine slice is completely coated with panko on both sides and around the edges. Set them aside on a plate or tray.
16. Heat oil in a pan to about 3cm depth. The oil should reach 180°C - if you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a few panko crumbs. If they sizzle and float immediately, it’s ready.
17. Carefully fry each aubergine slice for around 2 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Flip gently to avoid breaking the crust.
18. Drain the fried aubergine on a paper towel-lined plate or a cooling rack placed over a tray to remove excess oil.
Finally, plate up and serve.
19. Now it’s time to serve. Start with a portion of freshly cooked white rice, then ladle over some of the warm curry sauce. Layer 3–4 slices of the crispy aubergine katsu on top.
20. Finish with a garnish of sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of chopped coriander. Serve hot and enjoy!
Hint: Control the oil temperature
Keep the oil at around 180°C for the perfect katsu. If it’s too hot, the panko will brown too quickly and burn before the aubergine cooks through. Too cool, and the coating will absorb oil and turn soggy. Use a thermometer if you have one, or test with a panko crumb - it should sizzle and float immediately.
Substitutions
This curry can be gluten free by switching out a few ingredients we use for the aubergine katsu:
- Panko breadcrumbs → Use gluten-free panko or crushed gluten-free cornflakes.
- Flour (for dredging) → Swap with rice flour, chickpea flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose blend.
- Soy sauce → Use tamari or coconut aminos.
Variations
- Spicy - Prefer a bit more heat? Add fresh or pickled chilis, cayenne pepper, or a spoonful of chilli oil to the curry base for a bit of extra fire.
- Aubergine alternatives - Tofu, pumpkin and sweet potato all work well. Check out our go-to sweet potato katsu recipe.
- Tomato - Add a tablespoon of tomato paste or a few chopped cherry tomatoes while cooking the veg for a tangy, umami-rich boost.
Equipment
- Deep frying pan or wok
- Saucepan
- Slotted spoon
- Wire rack or kitchen towels for draining
- Rice cooker for perfect Japanese rice (or follow my recipe if you're cooking rice without a rice cooker)
Storage
For best results, store the curry and katsu separately to keep the texture just right and prevent the katsu from becoming soggy.
The curry sauce will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or you can freeze it for up to a month.
The fried aubergine should be kept in the fridge and eaten within 1–2 days — just reheat it in the oven to bring back that crispy crunch before serving.
Top Tip
If you're serving your curry on a dinner plate (instead of a large bowl), pack your rice into a small bowl or ramekin, then flip it onto the plate for a clean, 'contained' shape. Spoon the curry over the top and place the katsu slices to the side. This is similar to how some Tokyo restaurants plate up a traditional katsu curry.
FAQ
You slice it, bread it, and fry it - that’s the short version. For the full step-by-step (with a killer curry sauce to go with it), check out the Aubergine Katsu Curry recipe above on this page.
No soaking needed. Just slice and go - eggplant fries beautifully once it’s breaded.
Steamed Japanese rice is a classic pairing. Here’s my go-to method for how to cook perfect Japanese rice - fluffy, sticky, and just right for soaking up curry sauce.
Katsu is a general term in Japanese cuisine that refers to a breaded and fried cutlet - usually made with meat, vegetables, or even tofu. Tonkatsu is a specific type of katsu made with pork (“ton” means pork in Japanese). So while tonkatsu is always pork, katsu can refer to a broader range of cutlets, like chicken katsu, tofu katsu, or in this case, aubergine (also known as 'eggplant') katsu.
Tofu, pumpkin and sweet potato are excellent substitutes and fry beautifully. For a totally different take on katsu, try my tofu katsu burger recipe with some togarashi fries.
Related
Looking for more tasty vegan Japanese dishes? Try these:
- Mountain Vegetable Rice (Sansai Gohan)
- Caterpillar roll
- Shio Ramen
- Tofu Noodles: A Quick, Comforting Classic
Pairing
Here are some side dishes to serve with your aubergine katsu curry:
- 5 minute Kinpira Gobo Recipe
- Onigiri Vegan Recipe
- Vegan Tempura Recipe
- Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)
Aubergine Katsu Curry
Ingredients
For the Curry
- 90 g S&B curry block or similar
- 650 –700 ml water
- 1 medium onion 150g, peeled and diced
- 1 medium carrot 100g, diced
- 5 baby or white potatoes ~180g, cubed
- ½ medium red bell pepper 100g, diced
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
For the Katsu
- 1 medium aubergine sliced into 1 cm discs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup plain flour
- 250 ml oat milk
- 300 ml of neutral oil or enough to create a 3 cm depth in your pan
To Serve
- 800 g cooked Japanese rice
- Spring onions thinly sliced
- Roughly chopped coriander optional, not traditional
Instructions
First, make the curry.
- Peel the onion and dice it into 1cm cubes. Set aside in a prep bowl.
- Peel the garlic and slice it thinly. You can set this aside with the onion.
- Peel the carrot, slice it lengthwise into quarters, then cut each piece into small cubes.
- Cut the pepper into 1-inch square pieces. Try to keep the sizes similar to the carrot for consistent texture.
- Peel, wash, and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Set them aside with your other chopped vegetables.
- Thinly slice the spring onions. These are for garnish at the end, so set them aside for now.
- Roughly chop the coriander. This also goes on at the end - store in a small bowl or container until you’re ready to serve.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until they soften and start to sweat (about 3–5 minutes).
- Once the onions begin to brown slightly, add the rest of the chopped vegetables, another pinch of salt, and a splash of soy sauce. Stir-fry for a few minutes to bring the flavours together.
- Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let the vegetables cook for around 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and fork-tender.
- Once the potatoes are done, add the curry stock cubes and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid to keep warm while you prep the katsu.
Now make the aubergine katsu.
- Slice the aubergine into 1cm-thick discs. Aim for even thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Set up a breading station with three bowls: one for flour, one for plant milk, and one for panko breadcrumbs. Place them in order for a smooth workflow.
- Take each aubergine slice and coat it in flour, then dip it into the plant milk. Repeat both steps once more before pressing the slice into the panko.
- Make sure each aubergine slice is completely coated with panko on both sides and around the edges. Set them aside on a plate or tray.
- Heat oil in a pan to about 3cm depth. The oil should reach 180°C - if you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a few panko crumbs. If they sizzle and float immediately, it’s ready.
- Carefully fry each aubergine slice for around 2 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Flip gently to avoid breaking the crust.
- Drain the fried aubergine on a paper towel-lined plate or a cooling rack placed over a tray to remove excess oil.
Finally, plate up and serve.
- Now it’s time to serve. Start with a portion of freshly cooked white rice, then ladle over some of the warm curry sauce. Layer 3–4 slices of the crispy aubergine katsu on top.
- Finish with a garnish of sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of chopped coriander. Serve hot and enjoy!
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