Pork Schnitzel

Pork schnitzel is a classic European-style meal, utterly delicious and cozy. Prepared with thin cutlets of succulent pork loin that are breaded and lightly pan fried, this pork schnitzel recipe is total comfort food served with mashed potatoes and a cucumber salad!

A beloved European “comfort food” dish

Growing up in an Eastern European household, I had the pleasure of enjoying a lot of homemade schnitzel in my formative years. I'm happy to say that this delicious tradition has carried over into present times!

Schnitzel is that classic comfort food, a European favorite that is so simple and easy to make, brimming with the comforting and delicious flavors of love, home, and care. For me, this dish represents all that is so very beautiful and nourishing about home cooking!

I have very vivid memories of my mom preparing her pork schnitzel recipe...

She would first gently pound out the pork loin until nice and thin, then season it to give it delicious flavor. She would set up her little dredging station next, to coat each pork cutlet in breadcrumbs to create a deliciously crispy exterior once fried.

I remember the way the house would smell whenever she would prepare pork schnitzel, the aromas so savory, comforting, and enticing. And I can still recall the sounds the schnitzel would make as it fried in the pan, gently hissing and occasionally popping in the hot oil, becoming evermore golden-brown and enticing with each minute.

It was such as savory and simple meal which I now love to prepare and serve, typically with my fluffy mashed potatoes and my crisp, tangy cucumber salad for some brightness on the side. Just like mom used to make!

It's truly the best European-style comfort food meal, best enjoyed at home!

My recipe for pork schnitzel

Simply put, “schnitzel” is a term used for the preparation of lightly pounded, breaded and fried cutlets of meat.

Traditional Wiener schnitzel (Viennese schnitzel) is made only with veal, but pork schnitzel is a very popular version, as well. Also, chicken, mutton, reindeer, and beef can be made into schnitzel—basically, whatever kind meat is available and preferred.

For my pork schnitzel here, the process is quite a simple one, and requires only a very basic seasoning such as salt and pepper, some garlic, and a sprinkle of paprika.

And because I love my pork schnitzel cutlets to be extra crispy, I coat them in a combination of both panko breadcrumbs and traditional breadcrumbs after dipping in flour and whisked eggs.

All that's required is a quick trip to a skillet for shallow fry, just until the pork schnitzel is a deep golden-brown on the outside, and juicy and succulent on the inside.

Here's a sneak peek at how I make my pork schnitzel recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I pound out my sliced pork loin to create thinner cutlets, then season them and allow the meat to marinate for a short while.
2. Next, I prepare my breading station by adding flour to one bowl, whisked eggs to another bowl, and breadcrumbs in yet another bowl.
3. I dip each pork cutlet into the flour first, then the whisked eggs, and finally the breadcrumbs, pressing them in a bit to help the coating adhere, then place the coated cutlets onto a platter to hold.
4. Then, I add enough oil to a large skillet to shallow fry (about ⅓ of the way up the sides of the skillet), bring the oil up to temp (shimmering), then add several breaded cutlets into the oil and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden.
5. I place the pork schnitzel cutlets onto a wire rack to drain for a few moments, then serve hot with my favorite accompaniments such as my basic mashed potatoes and my cucumber salad.

Recipe

Pork Schnitzel

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This comforting pork schnitzel is prepared with a combination of panko and traditional breadcrumbs for an extra crispy and golden crust!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Eastern European

Yield: Serves 4

Nutrition info: 300 calories per serving

Prep time: 40 minutes (including 20 minute marination)
Cook time: 16 minutes
Total time: 56 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 ¼ pound pork loin, trimmed of excess fat and sliced into 4 thin cutlets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• Salt
• Black pepper
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup traditional breadcrumbs
• Avocado oil (or other neutral oil), for frying
• Lemon slices, to serve on the side (optional)
• Parsley, to sprinkle (optional)

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of my ingredients according to my ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Then, lightly pound out the pork loin cutlets using a small mallet, to tenderize and create thinner cutlets. Place the cutlets into a medium sized bowl and add the garlic, paprika, a couple of generous pinches of salt and pepper, and rub the seasoning into the cutlets, and marinate for about 20 minutes.
3. When you are ready to bread the cutlets, prepare your breading station by having the flour in a large bowl or on a plate, having the whisked eggs in another large bowl, and having both the panko and the traditional breadcrumbs in another large bowl or plate.
4. Prepare another large plate to lay the breaded cutlets onto to hold for frying.
5. Next, dip each pork cutlet into the flour, shaking off the excess, then into the egg wash, then the breadcrumbs, coating thoroughly. Repeat the process until all cutlets are breaded.
6. To fry, fill a large frying pan with enough oil to come about ⅓ of the way up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil on medium-high heat for a few minutes, and check the readiness by dropping in a small piece of the breading to see if it fries and floats.
7. Once the oil is hot, add the breaded cutlets to the hot oil (work in batches if necessary), and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove and place onto a wire rack to drain, and repeat with all pork cutlets.
8. Serve the pork schnitzel hot, garnished with lemon and parsley, if desired, and with your choice of sides.

Tips & Tidbits for my pork schnitzel recipe:

• Pork loin, for succulent pork schnitzel: While once could use pork tenderloin here, I simply opt for pork loin as it yields slightly larger cutlets. The pork loin takes on the flavors of the marinade deliciously, and is very juicy and succulent once fried. (You can also sub chicken, as well!)
• Give the pork cutlets a pound: To tenderize the pork cutlets and prep them for their dip in the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, give them a little pound with a mallet once you slice them. And if you don't have a mallet, just slice the meat nice and thin, and you should do well with that.
• Choose your breadcrumbs: The more fine, standard breadcrumbs are used for traditional schnitzel preparation, but for a little more crunch and texture, I personally like to modernize things a little bit by using a combo of half panko and half traditional crumbs.
• Hot oil for crispy schnitzel: When frying the schnitzel, use a large pan (doesn't need to be too deep, either) and a neutral oil such as avocado. Make sure that the oil is nice and hot before adding in your breaded cutlets, and you can do this by dropping in a little piece of breading to see if it sizzles. If it bubbles up, your oil is ready for frying.
• Traditional sides: For an authentic way to serve pork schnitzel, you can accompany it with my roasted potatoes or my mashed potatoes, and something a little acidic, like a cucumber salad.

Craving more comfy-cozy and crispy recipes? Check out this Pan Fried Fish, these Fried Pork Chops, this Fried Chicken, these crunchy Fish Sticks, this Coconut Crunch Chicken Sandwich, or these crispy Baja Fish Tacos!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2018, and has been updated with even more love!