There’s a lot to love about a good pan-fried pork schnitzel. It’s crispy on the outside, tender in the middle and endlessly easy to dress up with whatever salad or side you have on hand. I pair mine with an apple and fennel slaw for fresh flavors, with a maple dijon dressing to tie it all together. You could serve this traditional German recipe with some lemon wedges on the side, too!
If slaw is your thing, my Simple Summery Citrus Slaw and Zesty Orange and Fennel Salad are both great swaps here too. Or serve with mashed potatoes for a more traditional German pork schnitzel.
Everything You Need to Make Pork Schnitzel with Apple Fennel Slaw
You only need a handful of everyday ingredients to make this pork schnitzel with apple fennel slaw. I’ve listed everything below along with any substitution notes. You can find the full ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- pork medallions – you will need 4 pork medallions or pork steaks. If you can’t find medallions, pork loin steaks, pork cutlets, or boneless pork chops work just as well, just make sure to tenderise the cut of pork to an even thickness. Alternatively, you can use thin cutlets of veal, chicken or beef if you don’t like pork.
- corn flour – this is used for the first coating step and helps the egg mixture stick to the pork. You can swap for plain all-purpose flour if you don’t need this recipe to be gluten free.
- large eggs – used to help the breadcrumbs adhere to the pork.
- gluten free breadcrumbs – I’ve used gluten free breadcrumbs but you can use regular panko or plain breadcrumbs if you don’t need this recipe to be gluten free.
- spices – I’ve used a combination of finely ground sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder and dried tarragon to season the crumb mixture. The tarragon adds a lovely subtle herby flavour. But you can swap it for dried thyme or parsley if that’s what you have on hand. Season with cracked black pepper if desired.
- extra virgin olive oil – I prefer using olive oil for frying over another neutral oil like canola oil as it is much better for you, less processed and filled with polyphenols and healthy fats.
For the apple fennel slaw
- extra virgin olive oil – whisked through at the end to bring the dressing together.
- apple – any crisp variety works well here, like a pink lady or granny smith. I like to slice it thinly so it stays crunchy in the slaw.
- fennel bulbs – shaved thinly so it softens slightly once dressed. Don’t throw away the green fronds, they add a lovely fresh herby flavour to the slaw.
- flaked almonds – toasted for extra crunch and flavour. If you have a nut allergy, you can leave these out or swap for toasted sunflower seeds.
- white wine vinegar and lemon juice – these form the tangy base of the dressing. You could swap the white wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar if that’s what you have.
- Dijon mustard – adds a lovely sharpness to the dressing.
- pure maple syrup – balances out the acidity in the dressing with a touch of sweetness. Honey would work as a swap if you don’t need this recipe to be vegan.
- sea salt – to season the dressing to taste.
Tips for Making the Best Pork Schnitzel
I will say that once you have your crumbing station set up, this recipe for pork schnitzel really is very simple to make. Most of the prep time goes into crumbing the pork, and the rest moves quickly. Here are a few of my top tips to help you get the best results every time.
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- Tenderise the pork to an even thickness – place each piece between two sheets of baking paper and use a mallet to pound it out to around 0.5cm thick. This not only tenderises the meat but means it cooks quickly and evenly.
- Set up a proper breading station – use three separate shallow bowls or trays, one for the corn flour, one for the whisked egg, and one for the seasoned breadcrumbs. Coat, dip, then crumb, keeping one hand for the wet ingredients and one for the dry makes the whole process much less messy.
- Shake off the excess at each step – whether it’s the corn flour or the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess before moving to the next step helps the coating stay light and crisp rather than clumpy.
- Make the slaw before you fry the pork – the slaw actually benefits from sitting for a few minutes so the dressing can soften the fennel slightly, and it means you’re not trying to do everything at once while the pork is frying.
- Use enough oil in the pan – This is technically a shallow fry rather than a pan fry, and it’s what gives you that golden, crispy, restaurant style crumb. Reduce the heat if the crumb is cooking too quickly.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan – use a large skillet or large frying pan and fry 2 schnitzels at a time. Overcrowding will drop the oil temperature and steam the crumb instead of crisping it up.
Storage
This easy pork schnitzel recipe is best served fresh and crispy straight away, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat this dish in the oven or air fryer to help bring back some of the crispiness (the microwave will make the crumb go soft). The cooked schnitzel can also be frozen for up to 2 months, just thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
The apple fennel slaw will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Because the apple and fennel are raw, they will soften over time, so it’s best to only dress the amount of slaw you plan to eat straight away, if you’re planning ahead.
Crispy Pork Schnitzel with Apple Slaw
Ingredients
- 4 pork medallions
- 1/3 cup corn flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
Apple fennel slaw
- 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 fennel bulbs, shaved, green ends reserved
- 1/3 cup flaked almonds, toasted
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
- 60 mL extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Set out 3 medium shallow bowls or deep trays. To one bowl add the corn flour. Crack the eggs into the second and whisk. To the third add the breadcrumbs, salt, onion powder garlic powder and dried tarragon and stir to combine.
- To tenderize the pork, place each steak between two pieces of baking paper and use a mallet to tenderize until they are around 0.5cm thick.
- Take one pork steak and coat it in the corn flour. Coat evenly and shake off the excess. Dip into the egg mix and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Turn to coat evenly and gently press the breadcrumbs into the pork. Repeat this step with crumb the remaining pork.
- To make the slaw, add the thinly sliced apple, shaved fennel and toasted flaked almonds to a large bowl. Add a small handful of the green tops of the fennel, using your hands to pull them apart before adding them to the bowl.
- Make the dressing by adding the white wine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup and salt to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly pour in the olive oil as you whisk and continue whisking until you have a smooth, well combined dressing. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Set aside.
- Bring a large frying pan or skillet to a medium heat. Once the pan is hot add enough olive oil so that it is about 0.5cm deep. Add 2 of the pork fillets, depending on the size of your pan. Fry on each side for around 3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through (the internal temperature needs to be 63°C/143°F). Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm while frying the remaining pork steaks.
- To serve, add a pork schnitzel to each plate and top with the slaw. Serve straight away.
Notes
- Make sure to tenderise the pork to an even thickness so it cooks evenly and stays juicy.
- The slaw can be dressed just before serving to keep the fennel and apple nice and crisp or before frying the pork to soften the fennel slightly.
- To make this recipe fully gluten free, double check your gluten free breadcrumbs and corn flour are certified gluten free.
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