Where does Schnitzel come from?

Schnitzel — country of origin: Austria.

What is Schnitzel made of?

Veal cutlet, flour, egg, breadcrumbs, lemon.

Which allergens does Schnitzel contain?

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains eggs and egg products. Contains milk and milk products (including lactose).

How do you pronounce Schnitzel?

Schnitzel (Austrian German) is pronounced /ˈʃnɪt͡sl̩/.

Schnitzel

Pronunciation (IPA) /ˈʃnɪt͡sl̩/

A thin cutlet, breaded and fried until golden and crisp — veal for the classic Wiener Schnitzel, pork for the everyday Schnitzel Wiener Art.

Also known as: Wiener Schnitzel · escalope · breaded cutlet

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Cereals (gluten)

Wheat

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products

Egg

Contains eggs and egg products

Milk (including Lactose)

Contains milk and milk products (including lactose)

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

Schnitzel is a thin cutlet of meat, breaded and fried until golden. The classic — Wiener Schnitzel — is made with veal; Austrian food rules define it as a breaded veal cutlet, though the dish is cooked far beyond Austria. The pork version, an everyday staple of German menus, is a different dish: Schnitzel Wiener Art ("Viennese style") or simply Schnitzel, not Wiener Schnitzel.

What it actually is

This page describes the classic Wiener Schnitzel: a veal cutlet pounded thin, dredged in flour, dipped in beaten egg and coated in breadcrumbs, then fried in plenty of hot fat — traditionally clarified butter (Butterschmalz), though lard or oil are also used — until the crumb is crisp and puffed away from the meat. The pork version is made the same way with a pork cutlet and is a different dish.

How it's served

Plain with a wedge of lemon — the classic.
With a side — fries, potato salad or Spätzle.
With a sauce — Jägerschnitzel (mushroom) or Rahmschnitzel (cream). Note: a sauced schnitzel is traditionally not called "Wiener Schnitzel".

State the meat: veal (Kalb) is Wiener Schnitzel; pork (Schwein) is a different dish, usually called Schnitzel Wiener Art, and should never be sold as veal.
If a sauce comes with it, name it — and remember a real Wiener Schnitzel is served without sauce.
Flag that it contains gluten (breadcrumbs) and egg, and milk if it is fried in butter or clarified butter — check which frying fat your kitchen uses.

Typical ingredients

Menuella Taste: taste the world with friends

Menuella Taste

Your food passport. Mark every dish you have tried, collect a stamp for each country and share it with friends.

Mark it as tasted in Menuella Taste

Frequently asked questions

What is Schnitzel?: A thin cutlet, breaded and fried until golden and crisp — veal for the classic Wiener Schnitzel, pork for the everyday Schnitzel Wiener Art.
Where does Schnitzel come from?: Schnitzel — country of origin: Austria.
What is Schnitzel made of?: Veal cutlet, flour, egg, breadcrumbs, lemon.
Which allergens does Schnitzel contain?: Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains eggs and egg products. Contains milk and milk products (including lactose).
What is Schnitzel also known as?: Wiener Schnitzel, escalope, breaded cutlet.
How do you pronounce Schnitzel?: Schnitzel (Austrian German) is pronounced /ˈʃnɪt͡sl̩/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.