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Ready in just 15 minutes, this easy Pork Schnitzel recipe is about to become your new favorite weeknight dinner idea. Calling for just 7 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) you might already have everything you need to whip up this classic German entree.
Schnitzel is the German version of a pork cutlet. It’s usually breaded and deep-fried like a Country Fried Steak or Breaded Pork Tenderloin.
The cutlets are extra crunchy thanks to a coating of flour, eggs, and panko bread crumbs. They need nothing else than a squirt of fresh lemon juice or a dollop of mayonnaise, but I love Pork Schnitzel best with a platter of Spaetzle and Braised Red Cabbage.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Bread crumbs: Light and fluffy, extra-crispy panko is a form of Japanese bread crumb. Find it in boxes or canisters at most major grocery stores or Asian markets, or learn how to make your own fried bread crumbs.
- Pork tenderloin: Trim off any pieces of visible fat, which can err on the chewy side, then slice at an angle into four portions that you can pound into cutlets.
Step by step instructions
- Prepare a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet, and line a plate with a triple layer of paper towels. Place bread crumbs in a large shallow dish. Spread flour in a second large shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, beat together eggs and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Working with one piece of pork at a time, place pork between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap, and pound to an even thickness, between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thick. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Bread the cutlets one at a time by first dredging thoroughly in flour and shaking off excess flour. Next coat with egg mixture, and allow excess to drip back into dish. Coat cutlet evenly with bread crumbs, pressing crumbs to ensure they adhere to the cutlet. Place cutlets on prepared wire rack and allow coating to dry, about 5 minutes.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Lay 2 cutlets into the oil without overlapping and cook, moving cutlets continuously and gently until wrinkled and light golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared paper-lined plate. Flip and blot cutlets several times to remove excess oil. Repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Pork Schnitzel recipe makes four (5-ounce portions); each serving is enough for one adult main dish.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The cutlets can be pounded out, breaded, and stored covered in the refrigerator one day in advance. Unfortunately, they cannot easily be frozen and then reheated in a pan or oven.
- Gear check: A meat tenderizer can make quick work out of pounding the pork into thin cutlets. A sturdy skillet or rolling pin will also do the trick.
- Oktoberfest: Planning a German fall festival? See my full Oktoberfest Menu. Start with Chicken Schnitzel, a cripsy, crumb-coated, pan-fried cutlet or Rouladen. Spaetzle, homemade egg noodles, make a delicious side dish along with German Potato Salad. Serve with big Soft Pretzels and homemade Mustard. Finish the meal with crunchy Lebkuchen or a Black Forest Cake and serve with plenty of German beer and some Lemon Spezis (Coca-Cola with Lemonade) for the kids.
Recipe FAQs
What is a schnitzel?
A schnitzel is a thin, boneless meat cutlet made from beef, chicken, pork, or veal. It is often breaded and pan-fried. The most famous is Wienerschnitzel, from Austria.
What cut of pork is pork schnitzel made from?
Pork schnitzel can be made from any boneless cut of pork such as pork tenderloin or boneless pork chops.
More German recipes
German Recipes
Rouladen
German Recipes
Spaetzle
German Recipes
German Potato Salad
German Recipes
Lebkuchen
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Pork Schnitzel
Ready in just 15 minutes, this easy Pork Schnitzel recipe is about to become your new favorite weeknight dinner idea. Calling for just 7 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) you might already have everything you need to whip up this classic German entree.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (see note 1)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 cups vegetable oil divided
- 1 (1 1/4-pound) pork tenderloin trimmed and cut on an angle into 4 pieces (see note 2)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for serving
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prepare a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet, and line a plate with a triple layer of paper towels. Place bread crumbs in a large shallow dish. Spread flour in a second large shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, beat together eggs and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Working with one piece of pork at a time, place pork between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap, and pound to an even thickness, between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thick. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Bread the cutlets one at a time by first dredging thoroughly in flour and shaking off excess flour. Next coat with egg mixture, and allow excess to drip back into dish. Coat cutlet evenly with bread crumbs, pressing crumbs to ensure they adhere to the cutlet. Place cutlets on prepared wire rack and allow coating to dry, about 5 minutes.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Lay 2 cutlets into the oil without overlapping and cook, moving cutlets continuously and gently until wrinkled and light golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared paper-lined plate. Flip and blot cutlets several times to remove excess oil. Repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Bread crumbs: Light and fluffy, extra-crispy panko is a form of Japanese bread crumb. Find it in boxes or canisters at most major grocery stores or Asian markets, or learn how to make your own fried bread crumbs.
- Pork tenderloin: Trim off any pieces of visible fat, which can err on the chewy side, then slice at an angle into four portions that you can pound into cutlets.
- Yield: This Pork Schnitzel recipe makes four (5-ounce portions); each serving is enough for one adult main dish.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The cutlets can be pounded out, breaded, and stored covered in the refrigerator one day in advance. Unfortunately, they cannot easily be frozen and then reheated in a pan or oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cutletCalories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 284mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 303IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 3mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I’ve been making schnitzel for over 40 years..chicken.. pork or veal.. in the 70s we had a pork schnitzel called alimano.. I’ve tried finding this recipe with no luck.. adding parmesan is the closest I can get to the taste… any help would be appreciated..
Hi Carol, thank you so much for the comment! I’ve not heard of alimano-style schnitzel, I wonder if it could be similar to Munich-style schnitzel, where one side of the cutlet is brushed with sweet mustard, and the other brushed with horseradish. Hope this helps! Take care! – Meggan