Austrian Wiener Schnitzel
Austria's most iconic dish — veal pounded impossibly thin, breaded, and fried in clarified butter until golden and puffy.
About This Recipe
Wiener Schnitzel is Austria's national dish and one of the world's great preparations of meat. Veal escalopes are pounded to just a few millimeters thick, coated in a thin flour-egg-breadcrumb crust, and fried in plenty of hot clarified butter until the coating puffs away from the meat and achieves a distinctive 'soufflé' effect. The result is a crust that is simultaneously crispy and somehow light, surrounding the most tender veal. Served with lemon and parsley.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 4 piecesveal escalopes (about 150g each)
- 1/2 cupall-purpose flour
- 2 largeeggs, beaten
- 1.5 cupsfine fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tspsalt
- 1/4 tspwhite pepper
- 200 gclarified butter (Butterschmalz) or a mix of butter and oil
- 1 lemoncut into wedges
- fresh parsleychopped, to garnish
Instructions
- 1
Pound the veal
Place each escalope between plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until 3–4mm thin. Season with salt and pepper.
- 2
Set up the breading station
Prepare three shallow dishes: flour in one, beaten eggs in the second, breadcrumbs in the third.
- 3
Bread the schnitzel
Dredge each piece in flour (shake off excess). Dip in egg (let excess drip). Place in breadcrumbs and press very gently — the crumbs should stick but not be compressed.
- 4
Fry
Heat clarified butter in a wide pan to medium-high. The oil should be at least 1cm deep. Fry schnitzel for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Swirl the pan during frying — the moving oil helps the crust puff away from the meat.
- 5
Drain and serve
Drain on paper towels for 30 seconds. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, parsley, and potato salad.
Did you make this?
Rate it and help other cooks find the recipes that actually work.
One tap to sign in, and we'll save the rating you just picked.
Everything you need to plan your week — free
- Meal calendar
- Grocery list
- AI recipe ideas
Cook this hands-free
Get AI meal plans, step-by-step cooking mode, and your saved recipes in the free Bento app.
Pro Tips
- →
The crust must not be pressed hard — loose crumbs puff better.
- →
Swirling the pan during frying creates the iconic 'soufflé' effect.
- →
Never serve it sitting — the crust loses its texture immediately.
- →
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Variations
- •
Chicken or pork escalopes are popular but not 'Wiener Schnitzel' by law
- •
Serve with lingonberry jam for a Swedish-Austrian fusion
- •
Top with anchovies, capers, and egg yolk for Schnitzel à la Holstein
- •
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Storage
Best eaten immediately. Leftover schnitzel becomes soggy — reheat in a hot oven briefly.
History & Origin
Wiener Schnitzel is protected by Austrian law — only veal may be called Wiener Schnitzel. The recipe was codified in Austrian cookbooks in the late 19th century and is believed to have evolved from the Milanese cotoletta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must it be veal?
Authentic Wiener Schnitzel must be veal. Pork versions are labeled 'Wiener Art' (Vienna style) in Austria and are also delicious.
Why clarified butter?
Regular butter burns at frying temperatures. Clarified butter (ghee) has a higher smoke point while still giving the unique buttery flavor essential to the dish.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
What can I substitute if I don't have all the ingredients?
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · 4 servings total
Time Summary
Have Questions?
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Featured in Guides
This recipe is featured in the following curated guides:
More Austrian Recipes
You Might Also Like
Similar dishes from other cuisines around the world.
Browse by Ingredient
More recipes built around the same core ingredients.
Free Kitchen Tools
Calculators and converters that pair with this page — no signup needed.
Put This Into a Plan
Schedule it, shop for it, and track what you already have.
Read Next
Longer reads that go deeper on the ideas behind this dish.
Community
Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes