This traditional German Schnitzel recipe, known as Schweineschnitzel, is just the way you know and love it from your favorite German restaurants! Made the way I learned it from my Mutti and Oma, this tutorial includes all the tips and tricks are included for making the absolute PERFECT Schnitzel!
Be sure to also try our Jägerschnitzel smothered in mushroom gravy!
Being from Germany and as much as I love to cook, it would be unforgivably inexcusable, a total outrage, if I didn’t know how to make Schnitzel! After all, it’s one of the most quintessential German dishes. Practically every tourist to Germany has had Schnitzel and most fall in love with it.
Schnitzel vs. Wienerschnitzel: What’s the Difference?
Many people associate Schnitzel with Wienerschnitzel. However, “Wienerschnitzel” is actually a geographically protected term in Germany and Austria and can only be made with veal. German Schnitzel is prepared the same way as Austrian Wienerschnitzel, but the difference is that German Schnitzel, known as Schweineschnitzel, is made with pork instead of veal. As for where the Schnitzel originally came from…the technique of breading and frying thin cuts of meat is attributed to the Romans from around 1 BC. Another factual tidbit: Austrians will be the first to admit that Wienerschnitzel doesn’t come from Wien (Vienna).
But whether it’s Schweineschnitzel or Wienerschnitzel, when it’s perfectly breaded, perfectly fried, and perfectly crispy, practically everyone loves a good Schnitzel! And now you can make it – perfectly – in your own kitchen!
Variations
The most popular variations of Schnitzel are Jägerschnitzel (“hunter schnitzel” served with mushroom gravy), Zigeunerschnitzel (“gypsy schnitzel”, served with a zesty bell pepper sauce), and Rahmschnitzel (“cream schnitzel” served with a rich cream sauce). All three are commonly found in German restaurants and are all positively delicious.
What to Serve with Schnitzel
In Germany, Schnitzel is most commonly served with any of the following:
- French fries
- Spätzle and gravy
- German Potato Salad
- A leafy green salad
Additional serving options include mashed or roasted potatoes, Sauerkraut, German Red Cabbage, and roasted or steamed veggies.
Non-German sides that pair well with Schnitzel include:
Whichever sides you serve it with, it is commonly garnished with a slice or two of lemon and a sprig of parsley.
Schnitzel Recipe
Let’s get started!
Throughout the pictured recipe steps below, I’m going to share some tips and tricks with you that are important for achieving perfect results – just like the kind you get at a German restaurant.
Expert tip 1: Pound the meat very thin, no more than 1/4 inch thick. The reason this is important is because you’ll need to fry it at high heat for a short period of time to get that perfect crispy crust without leaving the middle of the meat raw.
The easiest way to pound the pork is to lay it between two pieces of plastic wrap. Be sure to pound them using the flat side of a meat mallet. Lightly sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Dip the pork into the flour, coating all sides.
Next dip the pork into the egg mixture, coating all sides.
Then coat the pork with the breadcrumbs.
Expert tip 2: Don’t press the breadcrumbs into the meat. Just softly coat the pork on both sides and all edges, and then gently shake off any excess.
Expert tip 3: Fry the Schnitzel immediately. Don’t let them sit in coating or the end result won’t be as crispy. You don’t need a ton of oil, but you need enough so that the Schnitzel can “swim”.
Expert tip 4: Make sure the oil is hot enough – but not too hot. It should be around 330ºF – test it with a candy thermometer. If it’s too hot, the crust will burn before the meat is done. If it isn’t hot enough, you’ll end up with a soggy coating. When the oil is hot enough it will actually penetrate the coating less and you’ll end up with a crispy “dry” coating instead of an overly oily one. The result will be a beautifully crispy coating with a tender and juicy interior, and that’s exactly what we want.
Remove the Schnitzel from the fry pan and place them briefly on a plate lined with paper towels. Transfer them to serving plates and garnish with slices of lemon and fresh parsley sprigs.
Serve immediately with French fries, Spätzle, or German potato salad and a fresh leafy green salad. See blog post above for more serving recommendations.
Enjoy!
For more authentic German recipes be sure to try our:
- Sauerbraten
- Rouladen
- Spaetzle
- Currywurst
- Käsespätzle
- German Potato Salad
- Kartoffelpuffer
- Senfbraten
- Jägerschnitzel
- Maultaschen
- German Potato Soup
- Frikadellen
- Creamy German Cucumber Salad
- German Sauerkraut Soup
German Schnitzel (Schweineschnitzel)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork steaks or chops, (to make Austrian Wienerschnitzel use thin veal cutlets)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour combined with 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying (use a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point)
Instructions
- Place the pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them until just 1/4 inch thick with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Lightly season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the flour mixture, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Dip the chops in the flour, the egg, and the breadcrumbs, coating both sides and all edges at each stage. Be careful not to press the breadcrumbs into the meat. Gently shake off the excess crumbs. Don't let the schnitzel sit in the coating or they will not be as crispy once fried - fry immediately.Make sure the cooking oil is hot enough at this point (about 330 degrees F) as you don't want the Schnitzel to sit around in the coating before frying. Use enough oil so that the Schnitzels "swim" in it.Fry the Schnitzel for about 2-3 minutes on both sides until a deep golden brown. Transfer briefly to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve immediately with slices of fresh lemon and parsley sprigs. Serve with French fries, Spätzle or German potato salad, and a fresh leafy green salad.
Video
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet March 12, 2014
Susan P. (@littleredkitchn) says
This schnitzel looks perfect and delicious! I haven’t had it in a long time and this makes me think I need to bring it back on the dinner menu soon!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
For sure, Susan! Happy cooking!
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence says
YUM!!! This looks so good. I lived in Germany for a little bit, and had plenty of schnitzel and spatzle. I also did a little weekend trip to Vienna, and have Wienerschnitzel at the restaurant that serves the largest Wienerschnitzel in Austria (or so they claimed!). You’re version is perfect!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Brandon! Yes, I’ve been to several restaurants in Germany and Austria that make that claim. I can’t remember how they compared to each other, but they sure were huge!
Cynthia McCloud Woodman/What A Girl Eats says
This schnitzel looks delicious Kimberly! And of course it’s got to be totally authentic, since you made it! I have fond memories of spatzle from when we used to go skiing. We’d always go to a Swiss restaurant and have spatzle with butter! Yum! I need to try it at home!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Cynthia, and those sound like some great memories!
notjustbaked says
I love love a perfect schnitzel, and these look amazing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much! Which reminds me, my husband has been bugging me for a while about making some more!
Faith (An Edible Mosaic) says
I love Schnitzel of all types and this really does look perfect! I love that golden crust!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I agree, Faith, I love Schnitzel every which way!
eva says
Hi there, you say in above somewhere not to use Panko bread crubs. They are the only ones I have in the house just now. Why are they no good for this recipe? Thanks.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Eva, it’s not that you can’t use panko breadcrumbs, it’s just that panko isn’t what’s used to make traditional Schnitzel. It’s a bulkier, rougher texture.
liltiger says
Yes he has ordered everything as soon as I can find ingredients. Home in Australia now looking after aging parents but will cook it as soon as I get back and shop.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, litiger, let us know how it goes!
liltiger says
Thankyou – looks great. Hubby loves a Jaeger schnitzel, spaetzle and red cabbage… Spent a few years in Garmisch ski racing and teaching skiing for the US Army. So I guess I need to try to make this for him.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, I’m sure he’ll be in heaven! If you haven’t already, check out my recipe for Spätzle and Rotkohl. I know Garmisch very well, it’s in my most favorite area of Germany.
Ray Guastini says
i was a teacher in the DoDDS schools in Germany for 30 years. Ate schnitzels in Karlsruhe, Giessen, Zweibruecken, Mannheim and Schweinfurt.
Live in Jacksonville, Fl and can’t find a decent German restaurant.
My frau is German but I make the schnitzels. get my recipes from the “net” Yours is great. Easy to buy good German spatzle in local stores.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ray, I always love meeting people who are from or have spent time in Germany – welcome and thank you for the compliment! I have quite a few German recipes on my site and many more to come. If you click on “recipes” on the menu bar at the top of the page you can search by country and find Germany and I’m sure there will be several others that will interest you. Einen schönen Gruß an Ihre Frau!
Chris Ladenburg says
Thank you for the temperature guide. You are right about that being the key to perfectly cooked breaded pork cutlets. The Schnitzels came out perfect! I made extra for sandwiches tomorrow…but that’s not going to happen. They all disappeared.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Chris, I’m so glad they were a success! It sounds like you’ll have to make another batch for tomorrow, eh? :)
Mo says
This recipe is almost identical to recipes for breaded tenderloin sandwiches that you seem to only find in Indiana, central Illinois and Iowa. I believe they are indeed of German influence as you suggest above. The only difference is you eat the meat on a bun with condiments like ketchup, mayo, tomato, lettuce, onion and pickle. They are absolutely delicious when made properly (i.e.. crispy on the outside, tender on the inside). Another difference is the egg wash is usually flavored with garlic, onion powder, pepper, etc and the bread crumbs are panko crumbs or ground up saltine crackers (my fav). Those variations on this traditional schnitzel recipe do provide more flavor. Do think you could make these in a deep fryer rather than pan frying. When making more than two servings I have difficulty getting consistent crispiness across the entire batch; I assume because the oil temperature is fluctuating.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mo, yes, the Schnitzel sandwiches in Indiana are indeed of German influence from the early German settlers. You can find them throughout Germany as well as a variation of traditional Schnitzel eaten on its own. They’re delicious! Exactly, it’s all about the temperature so you never want to overcrowd the pan and you want to be sure to bring the oil back up to the right temp before adding the next batch. But I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t make these in a deep fryer. The breading may not look quite as perfect (it may come off it places), but then again it might. If you try it in the deep fryer let us know how it turns out!
Anonymous says
Just booked marked your page.. :-). I had an exchange student visit for the summer 28 yrs ago.. She was 15 and from Germany. Well, she and her 8 yr old daughter (doesn’t speak English yet) are visiting my wife and I now, .. I plan on making schnitzel tonight for dinner.. Came across your page and feel so lucky to have… Thank you for this recipe, as well as, all the others I will be trying.. :-) Gutes Essen…
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful! I’m so happy you found my site and look forward to seeing you around :)
Anonymous says
The schnitzel was a huge hit!! Thank you again.. :-)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, thanks so much for your feedback!
Anonymous says
Hi Kimberly you said above you would give the recipe for German mushroom gravy I did not see it could you please let me know how to make it please
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi, you can use this recipe and just omit the pork. Be sure to let the flour/butter mixture reach a rich golden brown for optimal flavor. Recipe: http://www.daringgourmet.com/2013/03/26/german-creamy-mushroom-pork-hunters-sauce-with-spaetzle/
Trudy says
My son just returned home to Indiana from a two week college immersion trip to Tubingen. He brought be back a regional cookbook, but it is German so I can’t read it. Glad to find your site to help me make some of his favorite meals from his trip. We joked that the schnitzel is very similar to the breaded tenderloins we put on sandwiches in Indiana.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Trudy, Tübingen is just a few minutes south from where I’m from in Stuttgart, Germany. Hope your son had a good time! Those breaded tenderloin sandwiches may very likely be of German influence. I’m so glad you found my site as well – happy cooking! Best, Kimberly
martha marengo says
read all the way through these comments wondering if anyone else made breaded tenderloins. one of my absolute favorites. seems like they are only found in the central states as no one seemed to have heard of them when we lived on the east or west coast.
Stephanie says
So I’m not quite ambitious enough to attempt these from scratch yet, but there is a wonderful German deli in town that sells the schnitzel all ready to fry (fresh of course). I realize they probably won’t be as crispy, but I’m willing to risk it. My question is, what kind of oil do you use to fry them? When I lived in Germany I was just a child, and unfortunately, didn’t pay attention to that kind of thing, but I know when it tastes right, and I imagine the type of oil could have an effect on flavor…
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Stephanie! You’ll want to use a flavorless oil. There are a few options, the cheapest being vegetable (soybean), corn and canola. I personally avoid those like the plague because they’re really unhealthy oils, especially for high heat cooking. If you’re concerned about the health factor, I use avocado oil for high heat cooking like frying Schnitzel. Unfortunately it’s expensive, but I have found a great deal on it at Costco which is where I now buy it. It’s the best deal by far. Happy cooking!
yolanda says
Yes I agree. Avo oil for hight heat, and yes from Costco. I’ll be making wienerschnitzel for 10 with potato gratin, steamed bock choi , or green beans w/mushrooms and a green salad. I grew up in the French part of Switzerland, and “tranches pannées” with veal was popular in my family. I love your comments. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Yolanda, and your dinner party sounds fabulous – have fun and happy eating!