Wiener Schnitzel Recipe (Authentic Veal Schnitzel)

There's schnitzel, and then there's Wiener Schnitzel. It isn't just a piece of breaded veal. It's a little piece of Austria on your plate.

I've ordered it with my eyes closed from just about every German restaurant menu I've ever seen, and it still makes me happy every single time. That crispy, buttery crust, the tender veal, the squeeze of lemon right before the first bite... pure comfort.

At home, it's our special occasion dinner. Veal for a family of five isn't cheap, but that just makes us savor it even more.

So here's my Wiener Schnitzel recipe to make the real thing at home in 30 minutes, including where to find veal in the US and my trick for that famous wavy crust.

What Is Wiener Schnitzel?

Wiener Schnitzel is one of the most famous dishes from Austria. It is a thin, tenderized veal schnitzel, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and pan-fried until golden. It's named after Austria's capital, Vienna ("Wien" in German), and is traditionally served with a slice of lemon.

The meaning of Wiener Schnitzel is simply 'Viennese Schnitzel.' also called Vienna Schnitzel. English speakers pronounce it "VEE-ner SHNIT-sel."

And no, it has nothing to do with the American hot dog chain Wienerschnitzel!

Is It German or Austrian?

Wiener Schnitzel is Austrian. But it's on almost every restaurant menu in Germany too, which is why so many people think of it as think of it as a German Wiener Schnitzel. Fun fact: in Vienna itself, it's simply called "Kalbsschnitzel" (veal schnitzel), because the Viennese know where their schnitzel comes from.

What About Pork? (Schnitzel Wiener Art)

So what about pork Wiener Schnitzel? Then it becomes Schnitzel Wiener Art, which means "Viennese-style schnitzel." It's breaded and fried exactly the same way, but with a pork cutlet.

It's cheaper, easier to find in US grocery stores, and honestly still delicious. It's what most German families make on a regular weeknight. If you'd like to try it, here's my German Pork Schnitzel recipe.

For this recipe, though, we're going the real, special-occasion route: veal all the way.

Ingredients You'll Need

For the detailed instructions and exact measurements, please jump to the printable recipe card

The beauty of Wiener Schnitzel is how simple it is. You only need veal cutlets, all-purpose flour, eggs, a splash of heavy cream, fine breadcrumbs, butter and vegetable oil for frying, salt, pepper and a fresh lemon to serve. With so few ingredients, each one really counts, so here's what to look for:

• Choose veal from the leg, cut about ¼ inch thick. Ask for cutlets from the top round. In US stores they're often sold as "veal scallopini." If your supermarket doesn't carry veal, try the butcher counter. Most butchers will cut it for you if you ask a day ahead. At home, you'll pound it even thinner, to about ⅛ inch (4 to 5 mm).
• Make your own breadcrumbs for the best results. Fine crumbs cling lightly and puff up beautifully in the pan. For the very best flavor, I grate stale German Brötchen into crumbs. Store-bought plain, fine breadcrumbs work too. Just skip the panko, which is too coarse for that delicate, wavy crust.
• Fry in a mix of butter and vegetable oil. Traditionally, Wiener Schnitzel is fried in Butterschmalz (clarified butter, or ghee if you can find it), which gives it that rich, golden flavor. It can be hard to get outside Germany and Austria, though, so my favorite tip is to use a mix of butter and vegetable oil instead. The oil raises the smoke point so the butter doesn't burn, and you still get all that buttery taste.
• Add a splash of cream to the eggs. It makes the coating extra tender and helps it puff away from the meat. A small step, but you'll taste the difference!

How to Make Wiener Schnitzel

Here's a quick overview. You'll find the exact amounts and full instructions in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Pound the veal thin. Place each cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it with a meat mallet (affiliate link) (or a heavy pan) until it's about ⅛ inch thin. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2 Bread it lightly. Set up three plates: flour, eggs whisked with cream, and breadcrumbs. Dip each cutlet in the flour, then the egg, then the crumbs. Don't press the crumbs in! A loose coating is what lets the crust puff up later.

Step 3 Fry and spoon for the waves. Heat about ¼ inch of your butter and oil mix to 340°F. Fry the schnitzel 2 to 3 minutes per side, gently swirling the pan and spooning hot fat over the top. This is what creates that famous wavy, golden crust.

Step 4: Drain and serve right away. Lift the schnitzel onto a wire rack instead of paper towels so the bottom stays crisp. Serve immediately with a lemon wedge.

Substitutions:

• Gluten-free: Swap the flour for cornstarch or a gluten-free all-purpose flour, and use gluten-free breadcrumbs. The crust won't puff quite as much, but it's still lovely and crispy.
• Dairy-free: Simply leave out the cream and fry in vegetable oil only.
• Turkey or chicken: Pounded turkey or chicken breast works well too. Like pork, it can't be called Wiener Schnitzel, but it's a tasty, budget-friendly option. Try my German Turkey Schnitzel.

My Tips for the Perfect Schnitzel

• Skip regular butter on its own. It burns at high heat. If you want that buttery taste without Butterschmalz, just add 1 tablespoon of butter to your oil.
• Let it "swim" in the fat. Schnitzel is shallow-fried, but you need enough fat for it to float, about ¼ inch deep. This helps it cook evenly without drying out.
• Keep an eye on the temperature. The ideal frying temperature is about 340°F (170°C). It drops as soon as the schnitzel goes in, so if the fat stops bubbling much, turn the heat up a little.
• Shake the pan for that wavy crust. Gently shake the pan while frying so the hot fat washes over the top, or spoon it over with a tablespoon. This loosens the coating from the meat, giving you the light, puffy crust a real Wiener Schnitzel is famous for.
• Pick a neutral oil. Sunflower, vegetable or canola oil work best. Olive oil is fine too, but it will change the flavor.
• Breading falling off? Pat the veal dry with paper towels before you start, and don't skip the flour, because it's what helps the egg stick. Bread the cutlets right before frying, and only flip them once.
• Greasy or soggy crust? The fat probably wasn't hot enough, so the crumbs soaked it up instead of crisping. Fry one or two schnitzels at a time so the pan doesn't cool down, and drain them on a wire rack instead of paper towels.

What to Serve with VEAL SCHNITZEL

Top Tip: Never skip the lemon! Some say lemon was first served with schnitzel to hide the taste of old frying fat, back in the days before fridges. Today it's all about flavor: the tartness cuts through the rich, buttery crust and makes every bite taste lighter and fresher. Just squeeze it on right before you eat, not earlier, so the crust stays crispy.

In Vienna, Wiener Schnitzel is usually served with potato salad or parsley potatoes and a dollop of lingonberry jam. In Germany, you'll find it with just about everything! Here are my favorites:

Classic Viennese sides

• Potato salad: the number one pairing. Try my German Potato Salad or, for something cozy, my Warm Potato Salad with Bacon.
• Parsley potatoes: simply boiled potatoes tossed in melted butter and fresh parsley.
• Cucumber salad: light and refreshing next to the rich schnitzel. Go for my tangy Gurkensalat, my Creamy Cucumber Salad or my crunchy Cucumber Radish Salad.
• Lingonberry jam: called Preiselbeeren in German. It's tart and sweet, a bit like cranberry sauce (affiliate link). You can find it at IKEA or online.

German-style sides

• Spätzle: soft, buttery egg noodles.
• Bratkartoffeln: crispy German home fries.
• French fries: a German restaurant favorite, and kids love it!
• Waldorf salad: crunchy apples, celery and walnuts make a fresh contrast to the crispy schnitzel. Try this Waldorf Salad by Bible of Taste.

Is It Served with Sauce?

In Vienna, never! A real Wiener Schnitzel is served with just a squeeze of lemon, so nothing hides that crispy crust. In Germany, though, sauce is very popular. If you'd like to try one, popular sauces for Wiener Schnitzel are a creamy Rahmsauce, a mushroom Jäger Sauce or the fresh herby Frankfurt Green Sauce.

Want more ideas? Check out my full guide to Sauces for Schnitzel.

Storing, Freezing and Reheating

Wiener Schnitzel tastes best fresh out of the pan, but here's how to handle leftovers or get ahead:

• Cooked schnitzel: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
• Uncooked breaded schnitzel: Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge overnight and fry it the next day.
• Freezing uncooked meat: You can freeze the plain schnitzel meat in an airtight container for up to three months. Defrost it in the fridge overnight and prepare as usual.
• Freezing cooked schnitzel: You can freeze cooked schnitzel, but the breadcrumb coat will get soggy when defrosted, as it soaks up the water. It won't be as crispy as freshly made schnitzel.
• Reheating: Reheat the schnitzel in the oven at 400°F for about 8 to 10 minutes, or in the air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes, until hot and crispy.

The Story Behind the Dish

The legend: According to a popular tale, the Austrians did not invent Wiener Schnitzel but imported it from Milan. It was supposedly discovered by the legendary Field Marshal Joseph von Radetzky, commander of the Austrian army in Italy from 1831 to 1857. There he tried the Italian dish "Costoletta alla Milanese." He brought it back to the Austrian Emperor, who enjoyed it so much he asked his royal cook to make something similar. And this is how the first Wiener Schnitzel was born.

The truth: This story turned out to be the product of an Italian gastronomy guide's imagination, and the legend is only a few decades old. The real origin of Wiener Schnitzel is much older. Breaded meat dishes have been part of Austrian cuisine since the beginning of the 18th century, and recipes for pan-fried breaded veal can be found in cookbooks as early as 1740, long before Radetzky's time. You can't rule out some Italian influence, but breaded meats evolved naturally in Austrian cuisine.

The name "Wiener Schnitzel" actually caught on abroad. In 1864, Napoleon III and his wife ate "Côtelettes de veau à la viennoise" in Paris. (Source: Petra Foede (2009), Wie Bismarck auf den Hering kam)

Wiener Schnitzel vs. Scaloppina alla Milanese: Both are breaded veal cutlets and very similar. However, the Milanese version is made with herbs and Parmesan, whereas Wiener Schnitzel uses only flour, egg and breadcrumbs.