What Is a Santoku Knife Best Used for? (Uses and Food Types)

As Santoku knives grow in popularity worldwide, and in particular in the Western world, it's becoming more important to know what this Japanese equivalent to a Western chef's knife is best used for.

Santoku knives are typically high-quality knives that many people consider an investment, and their versatile use can often be misinterpreted. The versatility of this knife depends on how you use it and what you cut with it.

A Santoku knife, derived from the meaning "three virtues" or "three uses", is a multi-purpose knife best used for chopping, slicing, dicing and mincing. Its general-purpose design means it is well suited to chopping or slicing vegetables, cutting or mincing boneless meat, and slicing fine cuts of seafood. The Santoku is also referred to as the Japanese equivalent of a Western Chef's knife.

While a Santoku knife is a general-purpose knife suited to a variety of uses, it's important to know where it excels and where it struggles — general-purpose doesn't mean it can do everything. So, a santoku knife: what is it used for?

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Specific Characteristics of a Santoku Knife

• Santoku knives are typically smaller than chef's knives, with a blade length ranging from about 5 to 8 inches. They have a shorter, wider blade than chef's knives, which makes them well suited to slicing, dicing and mincing.
• Santoku knives have a distinctive shape, with a curved spine and a straight edge. This shape suits an up-and-down chopping motion and precise push cuts.
• Santoku knives usually have a relatively thin blade and a sharp edge angle, typically around 15 degrees per side. This makes them very sharp and capable of clean cuts through a variety of foods.
• Some Santoku knives have a granton edge — small divots or scallops along the blade that reduce friction and help stop food sticking as you cut.

What Is a Santoku Knife Best Used For?

What's a santoku knife? Santoku knives are one of the most popular knives in both Japanese and Western households. They are designed for precision cutting, and the great strength of this knife is its ability to make ultra-fine cuts across a variety of food types.

As mentioned earlier, the name Santoku bōchō (Japanese: 三徳包丁) translates to "three virtues" or "three uses", a nod to the knife's design being optimised for mincing, dicing and slicing — and for the foods it is commonly used with, like meat, fish and vegetables.

This all-purpose use is why the knife is a kitchen staple in Japanese households, and it has multiple advantages when used properly.

What Are the Advantages of Using a Santoku Knife?

What's a santoku knife for? The main advantage of a Santoku knife is the precise, fine cuts it can provide.

Japanese-steel knives typically hold a sharper edge, and this is true for both double-bevel and single-bevel designs.

As a result of that sharper edge, a Santoku knife not only gives a more precise, fine cut but can also better preserve the flavour of the food — an essential component of traditional Japanese cuisine.

By holding a sharper edge, a Santoku knife can cleanly pass through the food's cell membrane, and without getting too technical, this clean pass maintains the cell integrity of the food for a more enhanced flavour.

The easiest way to tell a knife isn't cutting cleanly (because it's holding a dull edge) is when juice or bits of food are left on the chopping board or knife after a cut.

A sharp Santoku leaves minimal juice on the chopping board, which is crucial when chopping fruit and vegetables. The design is also optimised for long use: the knife is lightweight with balanced weight distribution, which allows for easy manoeuvrability without fatiguing the user.

The shorter blade is also easier to control, which is one reason this knife has become so popular in home kitchens.

A Western chef's knife usually ranges from 8" to 12", noticeably more than the average 5" to 8" Santoku, which is why many Western cooks choose the smaller, easier-to-control Santoku.

How to Use a Santoku Knife

A Santoku knife is a versatile, essential tool in any kitchen. It is a Japanese-style knife commonly used for slicing, dicing and chopping a wide variety of ingredients.

The name Santoku, which means "three virtues", refers to the knife's ability to handle three tasks: slicing, dicing and chopping.

Slicing: Hold the ingredient securely on a cutting board and draw the knife through in a smooth forward-and-down motion. This works well for boneless meats and fish.

Dicing: Dicing needs a little more precision. First slice the ingredient into even pieces, then make a series of evenly spaced perpendicular cuts to create small cubes. Keep the ingredient held securely and guide the knife with a controlled motion. Ideal for vegetables and fruit.

Chopping: Use a downward motion to work through firmer ingredients like nuts and root vegetables, keeping the tip in light contact with the board.

Whatever the task, use a sharp knife — it makes cutting easier and safer. To keep the edge keen, sharpen regularly on a honing steel or a sharpening stone.

Different Styles of Santoku Knives

Santoku knives are a popular, versatile type of kitchen knife known for their thin, sharp blades and distinctive shape. They suit a wide range of tasks, including slicing, dicing and mincing.

There are several styles available, each with its own features:

• Granton edge Santoku knives: small divots or scallops along the blade reduce friction and help stop food sticking — particularly handy for slicing meats and other delicate foods.
• Ceramic Santoku knives: made from hard, sharp ceramic that resists wear and corrosion. Lightweight and easy to handle, but brittle and prone to chipping if knocked.
• Stainless steel Santoku knives: durable and corrosion-resistant, easy to clean and maintain. Entry-level stainless may not hold an edge as long as a high-carbon stainless blade.
• Damascus steel Santoku knives: a hard VG10 or AUS-10 core wrapped in many layers of stainless cladding for that distinctive rippled pattern — prized for both looks and edge performance. This is the style we specialise in.

What Types of Foods Would You Use a Santoku Knife For?

A Santoku is a multi-purpose knife designed for a range of cutting, slicing and chopping tasks, so you can use it on a wide variety of foods, including:

• Vegetables: thanks to its fine, clean cuts, a Santoku is well suited to slicing and chopping vegetables and to neat, presentation-ready cuts.
• Meat: great for slicing and portioning boneless meat. Note that, due to its shorter, thinner blade, it is not suited to dense meat with tough cartilage or bone — use a cleaver or boning knife there.
• Seafood: a Santoku is often used for slicing and chopping fish, including raw fish for home sushi.
• Fruit: slice and chop fruit such as apples, pears and mangoes; a smooth push cut gives clean, precise slices.
• Herbs: the thin, sharp blade is perfect for finely mincing herbs like parsley, coriander and basil — stack the leaves and slice through them.
• Nuts: chop nuts into small pieces for baking or cooking with a gentle rocking or downward motion.
• Bread: in a pinch a Santoku will slice soft bread, but it won't replace a serrated bread knife for crusty loaves.

What Is the Difference Between a Chef's Knife and a Santoku Knife?

A common misconception is that a Santoku and a Western chef's knife are the same thing. There are similarities, but they are different knives with different strengths.

Here are the key differences:

Size and Weight

A Santoku knife is typically shorter, thinner and lighter than a Western chef's knife, which makes it easier to manoeuvre but limits the size and density of foods it handles.

A Santoku ranges from 5" to 8" — on the shorter side for an all-purpose knife — while a Western chef's knife ranges from 8" to 14" (with 10" to 12" most common).

Blade Design

A Western chef's knife has a pronounced belly curve from heel to tip, which suits a rocking motion and the pinch grip.

A Santoku knife has a much flatter edge with a gentle curve near the tip, designed for clean push cuts.

A chef's knife is often made of stainless steel that is tough, easy to clean and resistant to corrosion, though softer steels don't hold their edge as long and need more frequent sharpening.

A santoku blade can be made from various steels, but the most common today — and the only type we stock — is high-carbon stainless steel such as VG10 or AUS-10, not reactive carbon steel.

This lets the knife be thinner, lighter and hold a sharper edge for longer (needing less frequent sharpening). A harder, thinner edge does ask for a little care — keep it off bone and frozen food, and hand-wash and dry it.

Bevel

Most santoku knives — including every one we sell — are double-bevel (ground on both sides), which suits everyday Western-style use and is straightforward to sharpen at around 15 degrees per side. Traditional single-bevel santoku do exist, but they are specialist tools and far less common.

A granton edge (those scalloped divots) further helps the blade release food for a cleaner, more precise cut.

Our top santoku picks

Every santoku we sell is forged from hard Japanese steel (VG10) at around 60–61 HRC — a keen, long-lasting edge that's still tough enough for daily prep. Here are three we'd happily recommend.

Final Thoughts

A Santoku knife is one of the most versatile and widely used kitchen knives in the world — genuine competition for a Western chef's knife.

Its general-purpose design makes it well suited to mincing, slicing and dicing, and its precision and control mean you can use it on a variety of foods including boneless meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables.

It does have limits, though: the shorter, thinner blade isn't ideal for larger, denser foods or anything with bone, and some cooks still prefer a longer 10" to 12" blade for maximum versatility. For most home kitchens, a good santoku is one of the most useful knives you can own.

FAQs

Do I need both a chef's knife and a santoku?

Not necessarily. A santoku and a chef's knife overlap a lot — both slice, dice and chop — so many home cooks are happy with just one. A santoku is shorter, lighter and easier to control; a chef's knife has more length and a rocking curve for bigger jobs.

What is a santoku knife used for?

A santoku is an all-purpose knife for slicing, dicing and mincing vegetables, boneless meat, fish, fruit and herbs. Its thin, flat, sharp blade makes clean, precise cuts. It is not made for bones, frozen food or large joints.

Can you cut meat with a santoku knife?

Yes — a santoku handles boneless meat like chicken breast, steak and pork well. Avoid bones and very large or dense cuts; use a cleaver or a boning knife for those.

What should you not use a santoku for?

Avoid bone, frozen food, hard squash, and prying or twisting. The hard, thin edge is made for clean slicing, not heavy chopping through dense material.

Is a santoku single or double bevel?

Most santoku knives sold today, including every one we stock, are double-bevel (sharpened on both sides) at around 15 degrees per side. Traditional single-bevel santoku exist but are specialist and far less common.

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