If you miss schnitzel, this easy gluten free schnitzel recipe will make you happy. This German classic is crispy on the outside, with tender, moist pork (or chicken!) on the inside; this easy dinner will quickly become a family favorite.
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Mr. Fearless Dining doesn’t ask for much. He even ate the chia pudding I made for him for breakfast on Father’s Day morning :-). When he asked for an authentic pork schnitzel dinner for Father’s Day dinner, I knew I needed to deliver a great gluten free version of his favorite schnitzel dish.
His mother often cooked this dish when he was younger, so a lot was riding on this recipe. I haven’t seen many gluten free pork schnitzel recipes like my husband’s mother used to make, so I decided to recreate this German dish for him.
You can use pork or chicken cutlets; they are so good when fried with this schnitzel coating! Everyone loves this recipe, even my picky child! For more dinner inspiration, check out my delicious gluten free dinner recipes.
What is schnitzel?
Schnitzel is like a breaded pork chop, but the meat is very thin. German schnitzel is considered authentic. You can also use thinly cut chicken breasts if you prefer chicken to pork.
This gluten free schnitzel recipe will also work for chicken if you prefer chicken to pork schnitzel.
Allergen Information:
This homemade German schnitzel recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, oat-free, and soy-free. Make it dairy-free by using dairy-free butter.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I used Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose (red bag) gluten-free flour blend for this recipe. This flour is a bean flour blend, making it perfect for savory dishes like this.
- Gluten Free Panko or Bread Crumbs – There are several brands of gluten free panko, or you can make my homemade gluten free bread crumbs recipe. They all work the same in this recipe, so pick up the least expensive brand.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, it is a personal preference.
- Garlic – Freshly minced or jarred.
Fun ways to vary the flavor:
- Parmesan Cheese – Add 1 – 2 Tbsp. of parmesan to the panko mixture. This adds a nice flavor to the dish.
- Dried Oregano – Add around 1 tsp of oregano. This will make the dish taste more Italian than German, but this is a great idea if you eat it a lot and want a bit of change!
- Fresh Lemon – Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on the cooked German Schnitzel for a zesty flavor.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: After pounding the pork cutlets flat, dredge them in the gluten-free flour. You want the pork coated evenly on both sides.
Step 2: Dip it into the egg mixture. The egg will seal in the gluten free flour, keeping the meat juicy while cooking. You will want three bowls so you can easily dip the pork between them. This will make it easier to drop it into the hot oil quickly.
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Step 3: Coat both sides in the gluten free panko crumbs. The crumbs will stick easily since the pork cutlet is sticky from the raw egg. Believe it or not, I have made this gluten free matzo meal with great success, too!
Step 4: Heat oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the cutlets and fry on both sides when the oil is hot until the coating is crisp and golden. Serve hot. I include some great German side dishes to serve with this recipe below.
How thin should pork be sliced to make schnitzel?
Whether you use pork or chicken, you need your meat to be thin to make schnitzel. You can buy thinly sliced pork cutlets, or you can pound your meat with a meat mallet.
To get your meat thin, you will need to:
- Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter.
- Add your pork or chicken and cover with more plastic wrap.
- Use your meat mallet to pound the meat thinner, to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
You are looking for this golden color on each side.
I keep a plate lined with paper towels on hand so that when I remove the schnitzel from the hot oil, the paper towel can absorb the excess oil.
Serve With These German Sides:
I found the recipe for the authentic German potato salad recipe on Bon Appetite’s site. You may also like this delicious Gluten Free Potato Salad recipe (it is a loaded baked potato salad!!)
Here is the recipe for the Rotkohi, or red cabbage in wine. I found it on this helpful German forum.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of red wine
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add cabbage and sauté until coated. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or longer, occasionally stirring, until the sauce reduces and the cabbage is tender.
For dessert, serve this delicious Gluten Free Kuchen, one of my popular German cake recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Oil really does matter when frying foods. You want to use an oil that can tolerate high heat. I use avocado oil because that is one of the healthier oils.
Coconut oil is also good for frying, but unfortunately, it leaves a coconut taste, so it is better for chicken tenders. You can also use peanut oil if nobody has a peanut allergy.
Yes, you can bake German Schnitzel. It just might not have as crispy of a crust as when you pan-fried it. Follow the directions in the recipe, but place breaded meat into a baking dish.
To bake the schnitzel, preheat oven to 400º F and cook for 16-18 minutes. Turn once in the middle of baking. If the gluten free panko is golden brown and the internal temperature of the pork is 145º F, then it is done.
Yes, you can prepare gluten free schnitzel ahead of time. That is okay if you want to have all the schnitzel ready and breaded but don’t want to fry it until later. Follow the directions and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to fry.
Before you begin frying the German schnitzel, let it sit at room temperature for a bit. The schnitzel will last 1-2 days in the fridge.
If German Schnitzel is uncooked, it will last 1-2 days in the fridge. If you have cooked the schnitzel, it will last 3-4 days. Additionally, you can freeze cooked or uncooked German Schnitzel for 2-6 months.
Whenever you store schnitzel, it needs to be in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn and to keep it fresh longer.
More Delicious Pork Recipes to Try:
- Easy Gluten-Free Pork Fried Rice recipe.
- If you like to grill, this Grilled Pork Chops recipe is really good.
- My Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is perfect for making tacos, burritos, and enchiladas.
- These BBQ Gluten-Free Pork Ribs fall off the bone well.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Pork Schnitzel with German Potato Salad
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless pork loin chops I purchased them cut thin and then used a meat tenderizer to them to 1/4 inch thickness.
- ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup gluten free panko
- ¼ cup Light cooking oil to fill your frying pan 1/2 deep of oil
- 1 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Take a large plate and line it with paper towels.
- Take three bowls and put gluten free flour in one, the beaten egg in another, and lastly the gluten free panko in the third.
- Heat oil and butter in a frying pan.
- Take a piece of port loin. Press it into the gluten free flour to coat both sides.
- Next, take the floured pork loin and dip it into the egg to coat.
- Lastly, dip the egg coated pork loin into the panko crumbs. Set on a dish.
- When all pork loins have been dredged, sprinkle salt and pepper on them.
- Let sit for 10 minutes so that the crumbs adhere well to the meat.
- Drop a tiny bit of water into the oil. When the oil is ready, the water drip will sizzle.
- Add pork loin to the pan.
- Let cook until the bottom is golden and turn it over to cook the other side.
- When both sides are cooked, remove from the pan and put onto the plate.
- Serve while hot and crispy.
Notes
- When frying the schnitzel, make sure you use an oil that can tolerate high heat. Olive oil and other more sensitive oils can not and are not recommended for frying. Use canola or avocado oil to fry this pork recipe.
- Can you make it ahead? If the German Schnitzel is uncooked it will last 1-2 days in the fridge. If you have cooked the schnitzel, it will last 3-4 days. Additionally, you can freeze cooked or uncooked German Schnitzel for 2-6 months.
- You can bake German Schnitzel but note it might not have as crispy of a crust as when you pan fry it.
- To bake the schnitzel, preheat the oven to 400º F and cook for 16-18 minutes. Turn once in the middle of baking. If the gluten free panko is golden brown and the internal temperature of the pork is 145º F then it is done.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Note that this post was updated from an older post in June 2014 with better instructions and photos.
Hi Sandy,
I have a 2 pound pork tenderloin. Could I butterfly it and cut it into portions, then pound it thin?
Thanks, I love your blog.
Nancy
Hi Nancy, I would think that would work fine. Enjoy :-).
My Step Father was from Germany and he used to make these all the time only with pork butterfly chops. He pounded them and spiced them with majoram, garlic and salt & pepper then dipped them in egg, flour and then back in egg before bread crumbs and then fried them. He used to fry them in bacon grease tho LOL something to try I promise you won’t be disappointed even if you don’t fry in bacon grease they are still a family favorite.
OMG those sound so good with the garlic and marjoram. I am so glad you shared your memory with me.
a 1/4cup of oil wouldn’t come close to ‘halfway up pan?
making soon for dinner. how many minutes andtemo on stive would have been helpful.
Thank you, Trish. The amount of oil used depends on how large the pan is so it is hard to give a specific amount. I am happy to talk about cooking time in the post, but again how long will depend on how thin people get their pork or chicken.
I made the Schnitzel and potato salad. Used the Rice Chex Panko crumbs. Even dared to feed them to my Swiss neighbor and they were fantastic. Thanks Sandi!
I am so glad you liked it Krishna, I keep kicking myself. I need to remake this recipe and take better pictures :-). Thank you for your kind note. Sandi
We used the Ian’s Italian flavoured panko bread crumbs and the recipe was fantastic!
I am so glad you liked this recipe Chris. Did you make the potato salad too?