Where does Zürcher Geschnetzeltes come from?

Zürcher Geschnetzeltes — country of origin: Switzerland.

What is Zürcher Geschnetzeltes made of?

Veal, cream, white wine, button mushroom, onion, butter.

Which allergens does Zürcher Geschnetzeltes contain?

Contains milk and milk products (including lactose). Contains sulphur dioxide and sulphites.

Zürcher Geschnetzeltes

Thin strips of veal sautéed and finished in a cream and white wine sauce with mushrooms and onion, the classic dish of Zürich.

Also known as: Zuercher Geschnetzeltes · Geschnetzeltes Kalbfleisch · Zurich veal strips

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Milk (including Lactose)

Contains milk and milk products (including lactose)

Sulfur Dioxide and Sulfites

Contains sulphur dioxide and sulphites

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Zürcher Geschnetzeltes is thin strips of veal, pan-fried and finished in a cream and white wine sauce. It is a classic dish of Zürich, and the name comes from schnetzeln, a German verb for cutting meat into small pieces. Guests usually eat it with rösti, the Swiss potato dish, which soaks up the sauce.

What it really is

The veal is cut into thin strips and seared quickly in butter in a very hot pan, so the outside browns while the inside stays tender. The strips come out of the pan, and sliced onion and button mushrooms cook in the same fat. White wine goes in to lift the browned bits from the pan, then cream, which is reduced until the sauce coats a spoon. The veal goes back in only to heat through, because a long simmer toughens it.

The dish is defined by the veal and the cream sauce. A version made with pork or chicken may also be called geschnetzeltes, but it is not the Zürich dish.

How it's served

Hot, on a warm plate, with the sauce spooned over the meat.
With rösti, the grated and pan-fried potato cake, as the usual side.
Eaten with a fork, with a spoon for the sauce.

Write "veal" in the name or description. The meat is what defines the dish, so a guest who expects veal should never receive another meat.
Flag milk, from the cream and butter, and sulphites, from the white wine in the sauce.
Name the standard ingredients in the sauce: onion and button mushrooms. State whether rösti comes with it or is extra.
State that the sauce contains white wine, since some guests avoid alcohol.

Typical ingredients

Put it on your menu with Menuella

Frequently asked questions

What is Zürcher Geschnetzeltes?: Thin strips of veal sautéed and finished in a cream and white wine sauce with mushrooms and onion, the classic dish of Zürich.
Where does Zürcher Geschnetzeltes come from?: Zürcher Geschnetzeltes — country of origin: Switzerland.
What is Zürcher Geschnetzeltes made of?: Veal, cream, white wine, button mushroom, onion, butter.
Which allergens does Zürcher Geschnetzeltes contain?: Contains milk and milk products (including lactose). Contains sulphur dioxide and sulphites.
What is Zürcher Geschnetzeltes also known as?: Zuercher Geschnetzeltes, Geschnetzeltes Kalbfleisch, Zurich veal strips.