Wiener Schnitzel
Wiener Schnitzel is a classic Austrian entree that’s easier to make than you may think! Veal or pork cutlets are pounded, breaded, and pan fried to crispy perfection in this authentic recipe. It’s a great main course to serve for dinner parties with friends or just as an easy weeknight dinner at home with the family.
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Wiener Schnitzel
Wiener Schnitzel is one of those recipes that’s been around since the dawn of time. Well, maybe not quite that far back, but you get the idea! There’s a reason behind this entree’s longevity, and that’s the simplicity of it. Essentially, it’s just thinly pounded meat that’s breaded and fried to crispy golden brown perfection on your stovetop.
You’ll find no unnecessary ingredients or complicated steps here. This is an authentic wiener schnitzel recipe that delivers tried and true results every single time! I really love that besides the meat, I pretty much always have everything else I need to make it in my kitchen. There’s nothing better than an impressive recipe like this that’s made deliciously with inexpensive pantry staples!
While wiener schnitzel is traditionally made only with veal, it can be changed easily to fit your dietary needs. Pork or even chicken can both be substituted to make this easy dinner recipe! Other than the meat itself, you only need a handful of other ingredients to make this classic dish – eggs, milk, flour, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and vegetable oil. Oh, and don’t forget to squeeze on some fresh lemon juice of course!
How to Make Wiener Schnitzel
- Pound the cutlets. Use a meat mallet to pound each cutlet until it’s about 1/4” thick. Set aside.
- Create the breading stations. Mix the whole milk with the egg together well in the first bowl. In the second bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the plain bread crumbs to the third bowl.
- Prepare for frying. Add vegetable oil to a deep sided skillet and heat to 350°F. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. Place a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels next to the skillet.
- Bread the meat. Coat each pounded cutlet in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cook the meat. Add each piece of prepared meat to the hot oil one at a time. Cook for 3 minutes per side.
- Drain. Once cooked, remove the meat from the oil and let it drain on the paper towels.
- Serve and enjoy! Squeeze lemon juice onto the cutlets, garnish with a pinch of fresh parsley and add salt and cracked black pepper if desired.
This Cast Iron Skillet from Lodge is my favorite cookware. A true workhorse in the kitchen, this pan is priced under $30. A must have in your cooking arsenal.
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
What is the best way to flatten out the meat?
Using a meat mallet, the tenderizer side (the ridged side) will give you the best results! The goal here is to get the meat pounded to about 1/4 inch thickness.
How do you eat wiener schnitzel?
It’s most traditional to serve this dish with freshly squeezed lemon juice on top. You can always add side dishes like potatoes (keep them simple and boiled or go the extra mile with duchess potatoes or hasselback potatoes), a side salad or a veggie like roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
Is wiener schnitzel pork or beef?
Wiener schnitzel is exclusively made with veal. Technically speaking, if you were to make this recipe with pork or chicken, it would be simply be called schnitzel and lose the wiener title. With that being said, this recipe works well with whatever cut of meat you choose to use! It’s your kitchen, so you get to make the rules.
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Get the Recipe: Wiener Schnitzel Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 veal or pork cutlets
- 2 eggs
- 2 TBSP whole milk
- ½ cup AP flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, plain
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Vegetable Oil for Frying about 2 cups
- ½ lemon
- 8 slices of lemon, garnish
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- 3 Shallow bowls
Instructions
- Using a meat mallet, pound each cutlet until it is about 1/4” thick. Set aside on a small tray and set up the breading station.
- In a shallow bowl mix the whole milk with the egg together well.
- In a second shallow bowl, add the flour, salt, and pepper.
- In a third shallow bowl add the plain breadcrumbs.
- In a deep skillet add the vegetable oil for frying and heat to 350 degrees. Prepare a separate plate or baking sheet lined with a paper towel and set aside. (You just need enough oil to cook one side at a time, so about 1/8 to ¼ inch deep of oil.)
- Coat each piece of the meat in the flour mixture, then dip into the egg mixture. Finally dip into plain breadcrumbs and place them on the parchment lined tray.
- Gently add each piece of veal, one at a time, into the preheated oil and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
- Remove from the pan and let drain on the tray/plate lined with a paper towel.
- Squeeze the juice from ½ a lemon on the meat and serve, garnished with fresh chopped parsley, salt & pepper.
Notes
Leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated up to 3 additional days after cooking.