Wiener Schnitzel
Non-vegetarian
Thin veal escalopes coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and shallow-fried until the crust puffs up golden, served with lemon.
Wiener Schnitzel is an Austrian main course, ready in about 35 minutes and made with veal cutlet and breadcrumbs. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Intermediate
- Calories
- 574
Method
Step 1
Pound the escalopes between sheets of cling film to an even 4–5 mm and season both sides with salt.
- 6 min
Food safety: Wash hands, boards and mallet after handling raw meat.
Step 2
Set out three plates: flour, egg (opens in a new tab) beaten with a fork, and breadcrumbs (opens in a new tab). Coat each escalope in flour, then egg, then lay it in the crumbs and press very lightly — do not pack them on.
- 6 min
Step 3
Heat the oil in a large frying pan to about 170 °C. Fry the schnitzels one or two at a time, constantly swirling the pan so hot fat washes over the top, which makes the crumb puff away from the meat. Cook until deep golden, about 2 minutes per side.
Food safety: Hot oil spits — lay the meat in away from you and keep a lid nearby.
Step 4
Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve immediately with lemon (opens in a new tab) wedges and parsley (opens in a new tab).
- 1 min
How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels
About this dish
- Origin
- Vienna, Austria · Well documentedAlso popular in Germany, SwitzerlandMore food from Austria
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Main courses
- Cooking method
- Shallow-fried
- Taste
- savoury, mild, citrusy
- Diet
- Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-proteinWith the listed swaps: Beef-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · High-protein - Good for
- Child-friendly
- Cook more with
- Veal cutlet · Breadcrumbs · All-purpose flour · Egg · Lemon
- Techniques
- Shallow-frying
Allergens
- May contain: Milkfrom breadcrumbs
- Contains: Eggsfrom egg
- Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour, breadcrumbs
- Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour, breadcrumbs
- May contain: Soyfrom breadcrumbs
- May contain: Sesamefrom breadcrumbs
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
574 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 265 g · recipe makes 4
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 29%
- Carbohydrate 24%
- Fat 46%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 574 kcal | 217 kcal |
| Protein | 42 g | 15.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 35.2 g | 13.3 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 32.9 g | 12.4 g |
| Sugars | 2.5 g | 1 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 2.4 g | 0.9 g |
| Fat | 29.8 g | 11.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 4 g | 1.5 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 177 mg | 67 mg |
| Sodium | 967 mg | 365 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 2.4 g | 0.9 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 548 mg
- Calcium
- 83 mg
- Iron
- 3.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 66 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 40 µg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.4 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.4 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 113 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: parsley.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Bread the meat just before frying so the crumb stays dry and fluffy.
Common mistakes
- Pressing the crumbs on firmly, which stops the characteristic wavy, puffed crust.
Serve with
- Serve with Austrian potato salad, parsley potatoes or cranberry/lingonberry jam.
Storage
- Best eaten fresh.
Reheating
- Reheat on a rack in a 200 °C oven to keep it crisp.
Variations
- Schnitzel Wiener Art (Germany): The same method with pork escalopes — the everyday version in Austria and Germany.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
Main ingredient
- Veal cutlet, 4 escalopes from the leg, pounded to 4–5 mm600 g
- All-purpose flour60 g
- Egg2 piece · 100 g
- Breadcrumbs120 g
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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