Oven baked schnitzel is the solution if you love a crispy schnitzel for dinner, but are not overly keen on frying it in oil. The schnitzel is still nice and juicy on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside. Try this recipe and see!
I have been sharing many traditional schnitzel recipes on my website, like the German Schweineschnitzel, Turkey Schnitzel, and the famous Wiener Schnitzel. The traditional way to prepare schnitzel is to shallow-fry it in a pan. And don't get me wrong - it is delicious!
But for a quick midweek dinner, I prefer this method.You can bake schnitzel in the oven - with a great result.
Advantages of cooking the schnitzel in the oven
- Healthier - You use a lot less oil with this method, only about 2 tablespoons per schnitzel
- Less mess - No spitting oil on your kitchen surfaces
- More time for yourself - You don't have to stand by the pan, looking out for your schnitzel not to burn. Just put it into the oven and continue with your side dishes or other jobs you have to do.
- You can make more schnitzel at the same time! In a pan, there is only space for one or two at a time,whereas in the oven you have space for 4-8.
Have I convinced you to try yet? Then let's get started
For the detailed instructions and exact measurements, please jump to the printable recipe card
Ingredients you'll need:
- Schnitzel meat of your choice: turkey breasts, pork steaks, veal escalopes or chicken breast.
- For the breading station,you need: egg, flour, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
How to bake schnitzel in the oven
Let me share my recipe for oven-baked schnitzel. No need to worry that you have to sacrifice on taste! It will come out juicy and crisp.
Step 1: Prep & Preheat Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pound veal cutlets between plastic wrap until ⅛ inch thin. Set up a breading station with seasoned flour, egg-cream mixture, and breadcrumbs on separate plates.
Step 2: Bread the Schnitzel Coat each cutlet first in flour (shake off excess), then egg mixture (fully coated), and finally breadcrumbs (press gently to adhere).
Bake & Serve Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and brush each side with about 1 tablespoon oil. Bake 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve warm with lemon wedges.
Variations
If you like, you can add extra seasonings to the schnitzel by seasoning the egg wash with a herb or seasoning of your choice. I have used paprika, ground garlic granules, and thyme before.
Traditional German schnitzel is fried in Butterschmalz (clarified butter). To achieve a buttery taste with your baked schnitzel, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and stir them into the oil.
What to serve with Oven Schnitzel?
Schnitzel goes really well with German Potato Salad - I especially like my Swabian Potato Salad as a side for this dish. It also goes very well with salad such as my creamy Cucumber salad, German Tomato Salad or German Coleslaw.
Leftover Schnitzel can be turned into a Schnitzel Sandwich the next day. Just take a crusty roll (or try my German Brötchen recipe) and place the Schnitzel between it with some mustard (affiliate link) and ketchup. Delicious!
Storage
Leftover Schnitzel keeps in the fridge up to 3-4 days. You can crisp them up again in the oven or frying pan. I would advise against freezing as the bread coating will become soggy.
Have you made this recipe?
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Recipe
Simple Oven Baked Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 4 Schnitzel veal, turkey, chicken or pork
- ⅔ cups (75 g) all-purpose flour
- salt & pepper
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 tablespoon whipping cream (optional) or heavy cream
- 1 cups (150 g) cup of breadcrumbs
- 8 tablespoons neutral oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C /400°F.
- Tenderize the meat: Place a vealcutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap (or use a cut-up freezer bag). Usinga meat mallet (affiliate link) (smooth side) or a heavy pan, pound the meat until it is 4-5 mm(⅛ inch) thin. Repeat with the remaining veal cutlets.4 Schnitzel
- Prepare the breading station: Place the flour on a large plate and season it with salt and pepper. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the whipped cream until well combined. Spread the breadcrumbs onto a third plate. (When arranged in order-flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs-this setup is called "Schnitzelstraße" ("Schnitzel Street").)⅔ cups all-purpose flour, salt & pepper, 2 medium eggs, 1 cups cup of breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoon whipping cream
- Bread the schnitzel: First lightlycoat a veal escalope in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the eggmixture, ensuring it is fully coated. Finally, coat the schnitzel with breadcrumbs,pressing gently to help them adhere.
- Place the schnitzel on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush (affiliate link), brush each side of the schnitzel with about 1 tablespoon of oil. Bake for about 25 minutes. Halfway through, turn the schnitzel. The perfect doneness of the schnitzel is up to personal taste, so I would recommend checking it after 20 minutes.8 tablespoons neutral oil
- Serve warm with fresh lemon wedges.
Larry Philipps says
We love Schnitzel. I'll be using this recipe next time when I have to cook for our family Thristy Thursday night dinner
Marita Sinden says
Yay thank you Larry, Let me know if they like it!
Best WIshes
Marita
Larry Philipps says
Oven baked schnitzel sounds great I'll be trying it really soon
Marita Sinden says
Thank you Larry, Let me know what you think!
angus says
This meal is absolutely super.
Simple, hearty & easy to put together.
Marita Sinden says
Thank you Angus 🙂 Guten Appetit!
Elisabeth Kutter says
Marika, you have not indicated the amount of cream to add to the egg mixture. Please admise.
Marita Sinden says
thanks for pointing that out. It is two tablespoons I will update it.
Denice Schneider says
I tend to lightly fry my schnitzel and then put them in the oven to finish cooking. My mother always used to flatten the meat between two pieces of parchment paper and then pound it with a rolling pin and I still do the same. I also make my own breadcrumbs as my mother always made her own. On my fathers side my great grandfather emigrated to New Zealand in the 1880’s while my mothers grandparents emigrated from England so I have a feeling my mother must have learned how to make schnitzel from my fathers mother or sister. I now live in the UK and while here you can buy pre-made schnitzel in Aldi and Lidl I still make my schnitzel from scratch.
Marita Sinden says
Hi Denice, thank you for sharing. That sounds like also a great method of making schnitzel. Family recipes are the best 🙂