Easy German Schnitzel Recipe {From a German!} - Plated Cravings (2024)

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Schnitzel pan-fried to golden perfection with a crispy breading just like at your favorite German restaurant! This easy step by step recipe shows you how easy it is to make the best Schnitzel at home.

Being German we sure love German food like our Black Forest Cake, German Apple Cake, or Vanillekipferl.

Easy German Schnitzel Recipe {From a German!} - Plated Cravings (1)

Easy German Schnitzel

Making Schnitzel at home is easier than you think! One of my favorite foods growing up in Germany was probably Schnitzel with Fries. You can get it in every restaurant but my Grandmother made the BEST Pork Schnitzel ever. Today I want to share all the tips and tricks!

A traditional German or Wiener Schnitzel should be golden brown and have a crispy breading with bubbles. Yes, air bubbles! This is very important – the goal is to get as many air-filled bubbles between the meat and the breading as possible after frying.

What is Schnitzel?

A schnitzel is a thin piece of meat that is coated in a breading and pan-fried in butter or oil. There are many variants made from different meats like pork, chicken, and veal.

What is Wiener Schnitzel?

Wiener Schnitzel is traditionally made from veal cutlet and originates from Austria.

Easy German Schnitzel Recipe {From a German!} - Plated Cravings (2)

What cut of meat is used for Schnitzel?

For Schnitzel you want to use a boneless cut of meat. You can use boneless pork chops for German Schnitzel, boneless veal chops for Wiener Schnitzel, or chicken breasts to make chicken schnitzel. I often buy the fast fry version that is already pretty thin and only needs a little bit of pounding and just make smaller schnitzel.

How to Make Schnitzel

Making Schnitzel at home is a lot easier than you might think.

  1. Pound the meat as thin as possible without making any holes in it. (see photos above for reference)
  2. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Drench through some flour.
  4. Drench through the egg mixture.
  5. Turn schnitzel in the breadcrumbs.
  6. Fry until golden.
  7. DONE

To pound the Schnitzel, use a meat pounder, tenderizer, or a small pan. Always use the flat side and not the raised side because the little holes in the meat will make it drier.

Easy German Schnitzel Recipe {From a German!} - Plated Cravings (3)

How to Fry Schnitzel

Schnitzels are shallow-fried instead of deep-fried. That means they are not submerged in fat but only swim in about a finger deep of fat.

Traditionally Schnitzels are fried in clarified butter which is called Butterschmalz in German. This gives you the great taste of butter combined with a high smoke point. Normal butter will not work in this recipe, because it has such a low smoke point.

You need to use about 1/2 inch of oil in the pan so the schnitzel cooks evenly and can ‘swim’ in the pan. It is also important that the fat is not too hot, the perfect temperature is 320-340F (160-170C) otherwise the breadcrumbs will burn.

Easy German Schnitzel Recipe {From a German!} - Plated Cravings (4)

What to serve with pork schnitzel

Always serve Schnitzel with a slice of lemon to squeeze over the hot Schnitzel and ketchup on the side.

Starchy sides: Fries, German potato salad, German Spaetzle, or tater tots make a great side dish.

Vegetable sides: Green salad, German Cucumber Salad, or coleslaw.

You can also serve schnitzel with a mushroom sauce which is called Jaeger Schnitzel.

What do to with leftovers?

Store leftover schnitzel in an airtight container in the fridge. They keep for a few days and taste great cold. My favorite thing to do is to make a schnitzel sandwich.

Easy German Schnitzel Recipe {From a German!} - Plated Cravings (5)

Tips for making the BEST Schnitzel

  • Pound meat until it is super thin about 0.2 inches or 0.5 cm. The thinner the better!
  • Don’t press the schnitzel into the breadcrumbs otherwise, you won’t get air bubbles.
  • Immediately fry the Schnitzels! Don’t let them sit.
  • Use enough fat or oil in the pan! 0.5 inches or 1.5 cm – about the thickness of a finger.
  • Clarified butter is best tastewise! Check out my easy recipe here. Taste-neutral Vegetable oil with a high smoke point can be used too. Add a Tbsp of butter to the oil for taste.
  • Make sure the fat is hot before you put the schnitzel in the pan! Drop a breadcrumb in the pan, if it sizzles it’s hot or use a thermometer (340F is perfect).
  • Don’t overcrowd the pan because the temperature of the fat will drop when you put the schnitzel in!
  • Only turn the Schnitzel once!

Tools used to make this Recipe
Meat Pounder: Using a meat pounder makes it so easy to get the meat to the right thickness.
Frying Pan: I love this brand for pots and pans.

Easy German Schnitzel Recipe {From a German!} - Plated Cravings (6)

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5 from 22 votes

Schnitzel

By: Julia Foerster

Schnitzel pan-fried to golden perfection with a crispy breading just like at your favorite German restaurant!

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless pork chops, or more if small
  • Salt, to season
  • Pepper, to season
  • 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup dried white breadcrumbs
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp cream or milk
  • Clarified butter, or vegetable oil and 2 Tbsp of butter
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

  • Place the pork chops on a cutting board and put a large piece of clingfilm over it and pound with a rolling pin, large knife, or mullet to about 0.2 inches (0.5cm) without making holes in it. Season with salt and pepper on each side. Repeat with the other pork chops.

  • In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs lightly with the cream. Put flour on a plate and the breadcrumbs on another.

  • Dip each schnitzel in the flour on both sides, then drench through the egg mixture, and lastly turn in the breadcrumbs until evenly covered but don’t press the schnitzel in the mixture.

  • In a large frying pan, heat 1/4-inch oil or clarified butter (about the thickness of a finger) over medium heat until a breadcrumb sizzles and quickly browns. If using oil then add 2 Tbsp butter to the pan, it will foam a bit.

  • Drop escalopes in the pan (depending on the pan you have to cook the schnitzel in batches) and cook until golden brown on the bottom about 2-4 minutes depending on the size, then turn over and cook until the other side is golden and the schnitzels are done about 1-3 more minutes.

  • Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to quickly blot the excess oil, then immediately serve garnished with a lemon slice.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 229IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Categorized as:
German Recipes, Main Dishes

About Julia Foerster

Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch, with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions.

Read More About Me

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Easy German Schnitzel Recipe {From a German!} - Plated Cravings (2024)

FAQs

What is real German schnitzel made of? ›

The dish's name actually comes from the German word schnitt, which translates to "cut." The most popular type of meat for schnitzel is veal (wiener-schnitzel) or pork (schweine-schnitzel), but you also see varieties made with chicken (hänchen-schnitzel), or turkey (puten-schnitzel).

What is the most popular schnitzel in Germany? ›

The most popular variations of Schnitzel are Jägerschnitzel (“hunter schnitzel”) which is served with mushroom gravy, Zigeunerschnitzel (“gypsy schnitzel”), served with a zesty bell pepper sauce, and Rahmschnitzel (“cream schnitzel”) served with a delicious creamy Rahm Sauce.

What's the difference between schnitzel and Jaeger schnitzel? ›

Schnitzel Wiener Art ('Viennese style schnitzel') is a pounded, breaded and fried cutlet, more often made of pork than of veal. Restaurants mostly serve it with a slice of lemon and french fries. Jägerschnitzel ('hunter's schnitzel') is a schnitzel with mushroom sauce.

What is the best oil to fry a schnitzel in? ›

The absolutely best way to perfect schnitzel is to shallow-fry them in neutral-tasting cooking oil (Vegetable, Canola, Peanut, Sunflower). So you don't need to use a lot of oil, but you want to use enough oil so that the schnitzel will “float” in the oil as it cooks and not touch the bottom of the pan.

What is schnitzel called in America? ›

schnitzel, a thin meat cutlet, pounded until tender and then breaded and fried, that is a culinary staple in German-speaking countries and communities. The Americanized version of the dish is chicken-fried steak.

What do Germans eat with schnitzel? ›

How to make Schnitzel
  • Hasselback Potatoes. Go to recipe > These hasselback potatoes, aka Fächerkartoffeln, are classy yet comforting. ...
  • German Fried Potatoes. Go to recipe > ...
  • Mashed Potatoes. Plain mashed potatoes are another great potato side. ...
  • French Fries. What a classic!

What is the best cut of meat for schnitzel? ›

What kind of meat is used for Schnitzel? Schnitzel can, of course, be made from almost any thin, boneless meat cut. However, traditionally, Wienerschnitzel is made using only veal, and German Schnitzel is made with boneless pork chops. You can also try using chicken, mutton, beef, or turkey.

What do you call a schnitzel in English? ›

noun. schnit·​zel ˈshnit-səl. : a seasoned and garnished veal cutlet.

What sauce to eat with schnitzel? ›

The Top 13 Schnitzel Sauces
  • Rahm Sauce - German Cream Sauce.
  • Jager Sauce - Authentic Jagerschnitzel Gravy.
  • German Mushroom Cream Sauce.
  • Gypsy Sauce - Zesty Bell Pepper Sauce.
  • German Mustard Sauce.
  • Homemade Brown Gravy.
  • Beer Gravy.
  • German Horseradish Sauce.
Jul 6, 2022

Do you cook schnitzel on high or low heat? ›

Remember, the key to a crispy coating is frying the schnitzel at the right temperature. Too low and it'll absorb too much oil, too high and it'll burn. Aim for medium-high heat and you'll get that golden, crispy finish every time – about 165°C if you have a kitchen thermometer.

How to cook schnitzel without crumbs falling off? ›

Also, some cooks add extras to the crumbs, such as grated Parmesan. It's best to let the cutlets sit for at least 15 minutes before frying. This lets the breading firm up so the coating will adhere to the cutlet and will not fall off during cooking.

How to keep schnitzel crispy? ›

To keep schnitzel, or any fried food (like churros!), crispy, place it on a cooling rack over a baking sheet after frying, instead of on a paper towel. Crazy, right?! The air circulation (this is KEY!) underneath the food keeps the bottom from getting soggy while you're finishing up cooking.

What is the original meat in schnitzel? ›

Wiener schnitzel can only be made with veal. Schweineschnitzel uses pork and is traditionally made with pork chops in Germany (in the U.S., pork tenderloin is common). Schnitzel made with chicken breasts is called hähnchenschnitzel, and is also a favorite in Israel.

What are the ingredients in Deutsche Küche pork schnitzel? ›

Pork Loin, Salt, Breaded With: Enriched Flour (wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Soybean Oil, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Malted Barley Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Yeast, Battered With: Wheat Flour, Corn Starch, Salt, Whey, Egg Whites, Leavening (sodium Bicarbonate), Paprika, ...

What's the difference between Wienerschnitzel and a schnitzel? ›

Basically, all schnitzels are breaded and fried thin pieces of meat, but only wiener schnitzel is made with veal. Cooking term: Schnitzel is a cooking term used to describe any meat pounded thin, then breaded and fried. Key ingredient: Schnitzel is made with pork, chicken, beef, or veal.

What is schnitzel batter made of? ›

Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, lemon rind, parsley and garlic powder on a plate. Season with salt and pepper. Dip egg-coated chicken in breadcrumb mixture. Gently press on with fingertips to secure.

References

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