You’ll love this easy pork schnitzel recipe, which only needs 4 things and an hour to make.
Leftovers can be sliced over a salad for the next day, making easy meal prep a breeze.
If you like how to bread pork, you’ll love how easy it is to make keto fried fish. the keto breading can be used on pork, chicken, and even fish fingers.
Pork is an incredibly versatile meat for lunch, dinner, or snacks. Pork is high -protein and can be low in fat (depending on the cut you buy).
Different cuts of pork have different amounts of fat and protein. Ground pork, pork chops, pork steak, and pork ribs all have different amounts of these. The higher the fat content, the lower the protein.
Pork schnitzel is a popular German dish made from thin breaded and fried pork cutlets. With its crispy exterior and tender interior it’s easy to see why this recipe is a crowd-pleaser. However, the breading and frying raises questions about its healthiness. As a nutritionist, here is a detailed look at whether pork schnitzel is a nutritious choice.
A Lean Cut of Meat
The first thing to consider is the type of pork used. Pork schnitzel is traditionally made from pork chops or cutlets These are lean cuts from the loin section and contain less fat compared to other cuts like pork belly or ribs
A 3 ounce serving of pork loin provides around 25 grams of protein with only 3 grams of saturated fat. It is also packed with important nutrients like thiamin, selenium, zinc, vitamin B6 and more. Overall, pork loin is a nutritious, high-quality protein source.
The Breading Boosts Calories
While the pork itself is lean, the breading adds a significant amount of calories and refined carbs. A typical breading contains white flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs or panko.
A 1/2 cup serving of panko breadcrumbs contains about 200 calories and 36 grams of refined carbs. The flour and egg mixture also contributes extra calories and carbs. Altogether, the breading can double the calories per serving compared to a plain pork chop.
Frying Adds Fat
The final preparation method – frying – further increases the fat and calorie content. Frying causes the pork and breading to absorb oil, adding mostly saturated fat. The amount absorbed will depend on factors like temperature, cooking time and oil used.
Frying in just 1 tablespoon of oil can add around 120 calories, mostly from fat. Deep frying adds even more. This combinations of protein, carbs and fat makes pork schnitzel a high calorie dish.
Nutrition Facts for Pork Schnitzel
A 3 ounce serving of breaded pork schnitzel contains approximately:
- Calories: 330
- Total Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Protein: 25g
This is based on using a lean pork loin chop fried in olive oil with a standard breading. Homemade versions may have slightly different nutrition depending on ingredients and cooking method.
Potential Health Benefits
While high in calories, pork schnitzel does provide some potential health benefits:
- High-quality, muscle-building protein
- Vitamins and minerals like thiamin, zinc, vitamin B6
- Monounsaturated fats from olive oil may improve cholesterol
- Protein and fat enhances satiety compared to carbs alone
Overall, consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, pork schnitzel can be a nutritious choice.
Tips for a Healthier Schnitzel
Here are some simple tips to lighten up this classic recipe:
- Use pork tenderloin instead of chops for a leaner cut
- Substitute whole wheat flour in the breading
- Use Panko breadcrumbs versus higher-carb breadcrumbs
- Choose olive, avocado or peanut oil for frying
- Bake instead of frying to reduce fat intake
- Serve with veggies instead of starchy sides like pasta or potatoes
With some minor tweaks, you can still enjoy the delicious taste of schnitzel without all of the excess calories or fat!
The Bottom Line
Pork schnitzel is high in protein, vitamins and minerals. However, the breading and frying significantly increases the carbohydrate, fat, and calorie content. Consumed in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet, pork schnitzel can be a tasty and nutritious choice. Limit portions and pair it with non-starchy vegetables or salad to balance out the meal. With a few adjustments, schnitzel can also be prepared in a healthier manner while keeping all the crunchy, savory flavors you love.
How to make a low-carb crumb coating
Instead of reaching for seasoned flour or Panko bread crumbs, just use ground almonds or almond flour.
Using almond meal, or ground almonds is a great substitute for bread crumbs, panko crumbs, or wheat flour. It coats easily, fries well is naturally gluten-free, nutritious, absolutely delicious, and is extremely low in carbs.
If you are allergic to almonds, why not try seed flours (such as sunflower or pumpkin) that are becoming available. They are a fantastic replacement for panko breadcrumbs.
For more low-carb hacks, take a look at my Low-Carb Hacks Infographic. It makes the switch to low carb just that little easier.
Any leftover almond flour crusted schnitzel is great for lunch boxes or chopped on a salad.
If you need a quick and easy low-carb or keto lunch idea, throw any leftover schnitzel with an almond and herb crust over a salad with your own homemade mayonnaise.
When it comes to lunch, you don’t have to break your low-carb diet; just eat what you already have. Cook once, serve twice.
If you want to serve your favorite sides with this German pork schnitzel, all you have to do is use low-carb ingredients.
Along with low-carb vegetables, serve your pork chops. If you don’t want mashed potatoes, serve them with mashed cauliflower.
Instead of French fries, serve some baked zucchini chips.
You can still make German potato salad, just use turnips or cauliflower instead of potatoes.
What is pork schnitzel?
Traditional schnitzel is a thin-sliced boneless pork chops that are crumbed and fried in fat. It is very similar to escalope, a thin fried crumbed meat dish in Europe. Schnitzel generally refers to a thin breaded slice of cooked meat across the globe.
A lot of people can eat pork schnitzel for dinner, which is often served with mashed potatoes, sour cream, and lemon wedges.
- Wiener schnitzel is made from veal (Austria).
- German pork schnitzel is made from pork.
- “Hunter’s schnitzel,” or “Jägerschnitzel,” is a type of schnitzel that is served with mushroom sauce in Germany and Austria.
- Skinkeschnitzel is made of pork (Denmark).
- It is filled with ham and cheese and made from veal or pork (Spain).
This German pork schnitzel recipe is another delicious way to enjoy pan-fried pork chops. This recipe doesn’t use breadcrumbs or vegetable oil to fry. Instead, it uses almond flour and olive or avocado oil.
The most common meat is pork, chicken, veal, beef, or turkey. The meat is often pounded with a meat mallet to tenderize before breading and frying.
The thin pork cutlets in this easy pork schnitzel recipe are fried until they are golden brown. It is based on the traditional recipe.
All quantities, ingredients, and instructions are in the recipe card below.
Only 4 simple ingredients are needed for German pork schnitzel (Wiener schnitzel). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and pan fried in olive oil or coconut oil.
Pork – you can often buy a special cut of pork called schnitzel, but you can also use tenderised pork steak, pork chops, boneless pork, or loin steak.
Almond flour – for our keto breaded pork, we are using a herbed almond flour mix.
Dried sage – use dried sage or fresh sage for a lovely herbed pork schnitzel.
Eggs – the egg wash mixture helps hold the herbed almond flour to the pork schnitzels.
Season with salt and pepper. You’ll love schnitzel served with fresh lemon slices for supper tonight.
Pork chops without bones work best for this dish, but pork steak or loin steak will also work. To make a real German pork schnitzel, you’ll need to pound the meat thin with a meat mallet or meat tenderizer, no matter what cut you choose.
Step 1: Make the egg wash and almond flour coating.
In a shallow dish, beat together two eggs, then set them aside.
For the second dish, mix the almond meal or flour with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried sage.
Step 2: Crumb the pork schnitzel.
Dip each pork schnitzel into the egg wash, making sure to coat both sides. Allow the excess egg to drain.
Dip the egg-washed pork schnitzel into the herbed and seasoned almond meal coating. Turn it over a few times to ensure you have an even coating of breadcrumbs.
Step 3: Fry until golden brown.
To cook, heat olive oil or coconut oil and add the breaded cutlets to a frying pan or cast-iron skillet. Cook over medium heat on both sides until the schnitzel is golden brown (or you may prefer a deep golden brown).
Place each pork schnitzel on a plate lined with paper towels or a baking sheet in a warm oven to keep warm while you cook the rest of the ones. You can even put the pork in a slow cooker to keep it warm until it’s time to serve.
This simple pork schnitzel recipe can be changed in a lot of ways to make it taste different each time. If you make any changes, please let me know in the comments.
- Use any choice of dried or fresh herb e. g. fresh basil, crushed garlic, dried rosemary, dried thyme, or garlic powder
- Try chicken, turkey, or beef schnitzel instead of the meat.
- You can make fish nibbles or chicken nuggets with the almond and herb crust.
- Put some lemon wedges on top to give it a nice sour taste.
- Make a gravy without grains by adding chicken stock to it. Then, pour it over the pork cutlets.
- Cut your own pork chops out of pork tenderloin.
- Season your own sour cream mixture with garlic powder and put a dollop on top.
Best & Easy PORK SCHNITZEL in 10 Minutes. German PORK SCHNITZEL. Recipe by Always Yummy!
FAQ
Is schnitzel healthy?
How many calories are in a pork schnitzel?
Is pork healthy or unhealthy?
What is pork schnitzel made from?
Is pork schnitzel good?
Classic pork schnitzel is perfect in its simplicity. Nothing fancy here, just pork pounded really thin, breaded in a seasoned dried breadcrumb mixture and pan fried to golden, delicious perfection. I’m sharing all my best tips for absolutely perfect schnitzel at home, every time! What type of pork should you use for schnitzel?
Are pork chops good for schnitzel?
Boneless pork chops are the best cut to use for pork schnitzel. They’re easy to pound into thin cutlets, they’re tender when pan-fried (since they don’t require a low-and-slow cooking method like other tougher cuts of pork), and they’re the perfect size. This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pork chop schnitzel recipe.
Are pork cutlets good for schnitzel?
Because they are marbled with fine fat veins, pork cutlets from the leg of the pig make particularly juicy schnitzel. The loin meat, on the other hand, is ideal for creating uniform escalopes. However, when fried, such cutlets can dry out more quickly. Make sure to not overcook them.
Can you eat boneless pork schnitzel?
Use boneless pork steaks or chops (sometimes they’re called “boneless loin chops”). You could even use veal if you prefer! Here’s how to get restaurant-quality pork schnitzel in just 35 minutes from start to finish! The perfect dinner switch-up that the whole family will love.