The right sauce can make or break a dish. Not every schnitzel needs a sauce but some sauces can really make the schnitzel special. I have collected the best sauces recipes for schnitzel for you. Let's have a look at the different sauces and learn about Germany's favourites. Before we start doing this, let's have a look at the different types of schnitzel available.
Types of Schnitzel
Schnitzel is the term for a dish in Germany, where the meat is tenderised. A schnitzel does not always need to be breaded to be a schnitzel. Unbreaded Schnitzel are referred to as "Schnitzel Natur". German schnitzel is generally made from 4 types of meat.
- Veal Schnitzel (Wiener Schnitzel),
- Pork Schnitzel (Schweineschnitzel)
- Turkey Schnitzel (Putenschnitzel)
- Chicken Schnitzel (Hähnchenschnitzel).
Pork Schnitzel is the most common variety in Germany. Veal is the most expensive cut of meat, and made famous through the Wiener Schnitzel. Turkey and Chicken schnitzel are healthy alternatives and very popular with home cooks.
Jäger Sauce ( German Hunter Sauce).
The famous mushroom sauce for schnitzel. It turns every ordinary schnitzel into a Jäger Schnitzel. Jäger means "Hunter" in German. Hunters used to collect mushrooms on their way home from a hunt, and the cooks would make this mushroom gravy to go with the caught meat.
There are many variations of this sauce. Some recipes use white or red wine. Generally, the ingredients include cream, stock, mushrooms and onions.
You do not have to serve this mushroom gravy only with schnitzel. It also tastes very good with spätzle, pasta or semmelknödel (Bread dumplings)
Zigeuner Sauce (Paprika Sauce for Schnitzel)
Zigeuner Sauce is a spricy, tangy paprika sauce for schnitzel. The term "Zigeuner" is the German word for Gypsy. In recent years the name of the sauce has been controversial. and the sauce has been renamed "Hungarian Style Paprika Sauce". The sauce is simple and consists mainly of chunky cut peppers, onion, pickled gherkins (affiliate link) and tomato sauce.
Schnitzel served with this sauce are called "Zigeunerschnitzel".
Rahmsauce (German Cream Sauce)
Rahmsauce is a cream sauce for schnitzel. Based on a sauce made from a simple roux, stock and cream, it has a lovely subtle taste. Rahm is the German word for cream. Schnitzel with rahmsauce is called Rahmschnitzel. This sauce is also very popular to have with frikadellen or spätzle.
The sauce has a roux as a base and is made with meat stock /broth and cream.
Frankfurt Green Sauce (Herb Sauce)
Frankfurter Grüne sauce is one of the traditional recipes from Frankfurt am Main. The sauce is from seven distinct herbs, sour cream and yoghurt. The seven herbs are Borretsch (Borage), Kerbel (Chervil), Kresse (Garden Cress),
Petersilie (Parsley), Pimpinelle (Salad Burnet), Sauerampfer (Sorrel) and Schnittlauch (Chives).
Grüne Soße with Schnitzel is called Frankfurt Schnitzel. It makes a welcome change to other cream sauces.
Get the recipe for Frankfurt Green Sauce
Cranberry Sauce
Schnitzel with Cranberry sauce (affiliate link) is a popular pairing. Especially if you choose to eat Wiener Schnitzel. In Austria, it is customary to serve Wiener Schnitzel with cranberry sauce (affiliate link) and parsley potatoes.
Lemon Juice
Some argue that a well-cooked schnitzel does not need any sauce. Especially if you are using a delicate meat such as veal. A slice of lemon adds a fresh taste to the meat and helps break out the fat.
There is also a historical reason for serving schnitzel with lemon juice, as the sour taste helped to mask the taste of rancid meat, in a time before refrigeration was not as common.
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What Other Side Dishes go with Schnitzel
- French fries/ Chips (Pommes Frites)
- Homemade German Spätzle (German Egg Dumpling)
- German Potato Salad
- Bratkartoffeln - German Fried Potatoes
- Semmelknodel - German Bread Dumplings
- German Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelklöße)
- German Red Cabbage
- Cucumber and Radish Salad
Did you try one of these recipes?
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Bob Hrnry says
I see the Salzkartoffeln are still more popular than Stampfkartoffeln as in the UK . I do like Wiener Schnitzel the best without sauce just a lemon slice and brat kartoffel as we used to get in the Rhineland
Marita says
Hi Bob, yes the Salzkartoffeln are popular with Schnitzel. I never really had mashed potato with them. Bratkartoffeln are definitley a favorite.