Gluten Free German Schnitzel with Potato Salad

If you miss schnitzel, this easy gluten free German schnitzel recipe will make you happy. Crispy on the outside, with tender, moist pork (or chicken!) on the inside, this easy dinner will quickly become a family favorite.

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.

For more dinner inspiration, check out all of my delicious gluten free dinner recipes.

What is schnitzel?

Schnitzel is like a breaded pork chop, but the cut of meat is very thin. German schnitzel is considered an authentic schnitzel. 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.

Why This Recipe is Great:

1. This recipe is easy to make, but if you like crispy, it doesn't get any better.
2. You can use pork or chicken cutlets; when fried with this schnitzel coating, they are so good!
3. Everyone loves this recipe, even my picky child!

Ingredient Notes:

• Gluten-free flour blend - I used Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for this recipe. This flour is a blend of bean flour, 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 you can find.

Fun Swaps:

• 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 teaspoon 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.

Tips For Sucess:

Use a 12-inch cast iron pan or Dutch oven for frying. They both distribute heat evenly and clean up very easily.

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Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Step 1: After pounding the pork cutlets flat, dredge the pork cutlet in the gluten free flour. You want the pork to be 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 the bowls. This makes it easier to drop it into the hot oil quickly.

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 with 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?

To make schnitzel, whether you use pork or chicken, you need your meat to be thin. 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  ¼ to ½ 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 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
• ½ head red cabbage, shredded
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ 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.

Recipe FAQ:

More Delicious Pork Recipes to Try:

• Everyone loves this simple Grilled Pork Street Tacos 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.

📖 Recipe

Gluten Free Pork Schnitzel with German Potato Salad

Sandi Gaertner

Easy gluten free pork schnitzel recipe.

4.91 from 21 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Gluten Free Dinner Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 312 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 ½ pounds boneless pork loin chops I purchased them cut thin and then used a meat tenderizer to them to ¼ 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 ½ deep of oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoons butter
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

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

1. 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.
2. 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.

Baking instructions:

1. You can bake German Schnitzel but note it might not have as crispy of a crust as when you pan fry it. 
2. 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

Serving: 1gCalories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 11gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 160mgPotassium: 145mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 138IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

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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, this post was updated from an older post in June 2014 with better instructions and photos.

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