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Crispy pork schnitzel is an easy 30-minute weeknight dinner made with pork cutlets, a creamy mushroom gravy, and a vibrant green salad.
Table of Contents
- German Pork Schnitzel
- Schnitzel with German Mustard-Mushroom Gravy Recipe
- German Mustard-Mushroom Gravy Recipe
- German Mustard Sauerkraut Salad Recipe
- Ingredients for pork schnitzel
- How to make classic pork schnitzel
- How to serve pork schnitzel
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More pork recipes
- Latest Recipes
German Pork Schnitzel
One of the best parts about being stationed in Europe was driving to Germany for schnitzel and beer.
A trick I learned years ago on the Food Network is that when you fry something, always think of February—FEB (flour, egg, breadcrumbs). If you dip your meat in the ingredients in that order, you’re good to go.
German schnitzel is generally made with pork. The secret is to pound it very thin. Living in a military town, I’m lucky enough to have a cultural variety of ingredients readily available. I can go down the street and easily find Korean, Filipino or German food.
We have a great German market that sells spicy mustards and authentic breadcrumbs, and my local butcher sells pork already pounded out for schnitzel. If you’re not quite as lucky, just pound your pork between two sheets of plastic wrap using a meat mallet or rolling pin and use traditional breadcrumbs.
I highly recommend you find the authentic mustard, though. It’s got that extra special kick that you just don’t find in the plain yellow stuff.
I usually serve schnitzel on cold winter days with mashed potatoes or spätzle (noodles), but when I went to my butcher this week, I just couldn’t resist.
To lighten up the dish on this hot spring day, I served it with a German mustard sauerkraut salad. You can use any type of lettuce leaves, but I prefer măche. It’s a popular lettuce in Europe.
I like it as a side item because the leaves are small and delicate and hold dressing really well.
Schnitzel with German Mustard-Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
- 2-4 boneless pork cutlets, pounded thin
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup canola oil, you can also use olive oil
Instructions
- Prep: Pat the pork cutlets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Using shallow bowls, prepare the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures.
- Dredge: Dredge both sides of the pork in the flour. Shake off excess.
- Dredge: Dip the pork into the eggs. Allow excess to drip off.
- Dredge: Dredge both sides of the pork through the breadcrumbs. Use your fingertips to press extra breadcrumbs onto the surface. Gently shake off excess.
- Cook: Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, until it reaches 350 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil by dropping a couple of breadcrumbs into the hot oil. If it sizzles without browning too fast, it’s ready. Gently place the pork into the oil. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip. Cook for 3-4 more minutes, ensuring you have a nice golden brown crust. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil. Top with gravy and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
German Mustard-Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
- 2 tbls flour
- 2 tbls butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white onion, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (I prefer crimini)
- 1 tbls olive oil
- 2 tbls German mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk: In a small pitcher, whisk together the milk, chicken broth (or wine) and the flour.
- Heat: Heat the butter in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Saute: Add garlic and onions and sauté, until tender.
- Saute: Add mushrooms and olive oil. Sauté until the mushrooms have softened.
- Stir: Add the mustard and stir continuously. Immediately pour in the milk and flour mixture. Stir until the gravy thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon over prepared schnitzel.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
German Mustard Sauerkraut Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tbls German mustard
- 2 tbls olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1-2 cups Mache lettuce
- 2 tbls sauerkraut
Instructions
- Whisk: In a medium bowl, whisk mustard, olive oil and honey together, until it’s well blended. Add lettuce leaves and sauerkraut and toss well. Serve alongside schnitzel.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients for pork schnitzel
- Boneless pork cutlets: Found in the meat section.
- All-purpose flour: Found in the baking aisle. Used to coat the pork and thicken the mushroom gravy.
- Eggs: Found in the dairy section. Helps the breadcrumbs stick to the pork.
- Breadcrumbs: Found in the baking aisle near the flour. Used to coat the outside of the pork cutlets, giving them a nice crispy coating. Use panko breadcrumbs or regular, depending on your preference.
- Canola oil: Found in the baking aisle. Used for deep frying the breaded pork cutlets. You can also use olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Milk: Found in the dairy section. Makes the gravy creamier.
- Chicken broth or white wine: Helps thin out the gravy and adds flavor.
- Butter: Found in the dairy section. Adds flavor to the gravy and gives it a velvety consistency.
- Garlic: Found in the produce section. Adds a pungent kick to the gravy.
- White onion: Found in the produce section. Adds flavor to the gravy.
- Mushrooms: Found in the produce section. I prefer crimini mushrooms.
- Olive oil: Found in the baking aisle.
- German mustard: I highly recommend finding good German mustard as it has a unique flavor that traditional mustard doesn’t have.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Honey: Found in the condiment aisle near the jam and peanut butter. Used to sweeten the dressing for the salad.
- Mache lettuce: Found in the produce section. Has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and is the base for the salad. You could also use Boston or red leaf lettuce.
- Sauerkraut: Found in the canned tomato and beans aisle of the grocery store. Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage that is salty and sour.
See the full recipe card for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to make classic pork schnitzel
- Prep: Pat the pork cutlets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Using shallow bowls, prepare the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures.
- Dredge: Dredge both sides of the pork in the flour. Shake off excess flour.
- Dredge: Dip the pork into the beaten egg mixture. Let the excess egg drip off.
- Dregde: Dredge both sides of the pork through the breadcrumbs. Use your fingertips to press extra breadcrumbs onto the surface. Gently shake off excess.
- Cook: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it reaches 350F. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil by dropping a couple of breadcrumbs into the hot oil. If it sizzles without browning too fast, it’s ready. Gently place the pork into the oil. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip. Cook for 3-4 more minutes, ensuring you have a deep golden brown crust. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil. Top with gravy and serve.
✔️ PRO TIP
Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the pork reaches at least 145F.
Mushroom Gravy
- Whisk: In a small pitcher, whisk together the milk, chicken broth (or wine) and flour.
- Heat: Heat the butter in a fry pan over medium-high heat.
- Saute: Add garlic and onions and sauté until tender.
- Saute: Add mushrooms and olive oil. Sauté until the mushrooms have softened.
- Stir: Add the mustard and stir continuously. Immediately pour in the milk and flour mixture. Stir until the gravy thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon over prepared schnitzel.
German Mustard Sauerkraut Salad
- Whisk: In a medium bowl, whisk mustard, olive oil and honey together until it’s well blended. Add lettuce leaves and sauerkraut and toss well. Serve alongside schnitzel.
How to serve pork schnitzel
I served up my pork schnitzel with a German mustard sauerkraut salad, but feel free to serve yours up with a side of potatoes or green veggies. Feel free to put a few lemon wedges on the side.
Storage
Leftover pork schnitzel can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You can use the air fryer to cook your pork instead. Turn the air fryer to 375F and cook for 4-5 minutes, flip, and cook again for 4-5 minutes.
Yes. Just make sure to pound them thin before dredging and frying.
Place leftover pork schnitzel on a baking sheet. Turn the oven to 400F and bake for 10-15 minutes. Before reheating, make sure the meat comes to room temperature.
