Fried German schnitzel with brown mushroom gravy is a favorite easy 30-minute weeknight dinner in our house. We even love to order it in from our favorite restaurant. It’s one of Germany’s most popular dishes. It’s so versatile and it pairs well with egg noodles, späetzle, green beans, potato salad, and/or french fries. Kids even love this!
What is Schnitzel?
Schnitzel is a German term for pounded lean meat. There are many types of schnitzel such as pork schnitzel, chicken schnitzel, and beef schnitzel. Schnitzel originated in Europe and is a staple of German and Austria. In preparation, the cutlets are dredged in flour, egg washed, and covered in bread crumbs. It’s then fried in oil or butter until golden brown.
Ingredients
Pork Tenderloin: I use these to make smaller schnitzels and because it’s already tender. I usually trim and cut flattened. You can also use boneless pork chops and flatten them.
Unseasoned Panko Breadcrumbs: These are a great base to lay out your own seasonings and have ultimate crunch.You can substitute with plain breadcrumbs instead.
All Purpose Flour: We dredge the cutlets in this first in order to get a nice dry base for our egg wash and crunchy breadcrumbs.
Eggs: Holds everything together.
Paprika, Mustard Powder, Nutmeg, Salt & Pepper: Adds seasoning and flavor to the cutlets.
Oil for Frying: Canola and vegetable oil are good inexpensive options. Olive oil works too but may be pricer.
Lemon Wedges: Adds acidity and brightness to your cutlets.
Portobello Mushrooms: The star of the sauce. Super meaty earthy mushrooms. Button mushrooms work well too.
Onion: Chopped finely and adds flavor to sauce.
Beef or Vegetable Better than Bouillon Base: My favorite and preferred stock in recipes. Flavorful and saltiness. You may also use a chicken stock, beef broth, or your preferred bouillon cube.
Vermouth: Secret weapon for an indulgent sauce. Can be substituted with white wine.
Water: Stretches the sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds potent flavor and saltiness.
Dried Thyme & Tarragon: Herbal earthy flavor.
Cornstarch: Thickening agent for the sauce.
Variations
This recipe can be low carb and keto by swapping out the flour and panko for almond flour or crushed pecans.
There are several variations of schnitzel:
Jägerschnitzel: Also known as “hunters schnitzel” which is served with a rich mushroom gravy. The recipe below is this schnitzel! A pork schnitzel without the sauce is called “schweinschnitzel.”
Zigeunerschnitzel: Also known as “gypsy schnitzel” which is served with a zesty bell pepper sauce
Rahmschnitzel: Also known as “cream schnitzel” which is served with a rich cream sauce.
If a schnitzel is made with veal cutlet, it’s called a “wiener schnitzel” and is generally served with a lemon slice and no sauce.
Pork Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy (Jägerschnitzel)
Equipment
- Large Frying Pan or Cast Iron Skillet
- Rolling Pin or Meat Hammer
- Large Cutting Board
- Large Knife
- 3 Medium Bowls
- Medium Skillet
Ingredients
Pork Schnitzel
- 1 lb Pork Tenderloin trimmed and cut flattened
- 1 cup Unseasoned Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour (50g)
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Mustard Powder
- Pinch Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Pepper
- 2 Eggs
- Oil for Frying such as canola, vegetable oil
- Lemon Wedges For Serving
Mushroom Gravy
- 8 oz Portobello Mushrooms Sliced
- 1 Medium Onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Beef or Vegetable Better than Bouillon Base
- 1/4 cup Vermouth
- 1 Cup Water plus 2 tablespoons separate
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme dried
- 1/8 tsp Dried Tarragon dried
- Cracked Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Cornstarch
- Chopped Fresh or Dried Parsley for garnish
- Optional: for extra creaminess, add a small amount of heavy cream, half & half, or sour cream at the very end
Instructions
Schnitzel
- On a large cutting board, prepare pork tenderloin by removing silver skin and fatty deposits. Carefully with a knife insert in and rotate pork as you slice, creating a flattened long piece of pork.
- Once the pork is flat, use parchment paper or sheets of plastic wrap to cover. Using a meat hammer or rolling pin, pound the pork uniformal. Slice cutlets. Set aside.
- In one medium bowl mix flour, paprika, mustard powder, nutmeg, salt & pepper. In another bowl, scramble two eggs together well. In the last bowl, place your panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat a large skillet or cast iron skillet on medium-high heat with layer of oil.
- Coat pork cutlets in flour mixture, making sure to shake off any excess. Coat the cutlet in an egg wash followed by coating in panko bread crumbs. Place into hot oil. Cook 3-4 cutlets at a time until both sides are golden brown, roughly 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer cooked schnitzel on a paper towel lined lipped baking sheet.
Mushroom Gravy
- While you are in between cooking your schnitzel, begin to prepare your gravy. Slice mushrooms and dice onion.
- In a medium saucepan on medium heat, add a teaspoon of oil. Sautee onions for 2-3 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until reduced and browned.
- Add in vermouth. Stir and cook until reduced. Add in water, Worcestershire Sauce, herbs, and pepper. Stir well.
- In a small bowl or ramekin, combine cornstarch and water into a slurry. Add into the saucepan and mix well. Sauce will thicken when ready. Season to taste. Serve with schnitzel and top with fresh or dried parsley and a side of lemon wedges.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
