Frankfurter Schnitzel
Frankfurter Schnitzel Say it: FRAHNK-foor-ter SHNIT-sel
Frankfurter Schnitzel is a beloved specialty from Frankfurt, Germany: a thin, crispy breaded veal cutlet served with the city's famous Grüne Soße, a cool, creamy sauce made from seven fresh herbs. Traditionally eaten in spring when the herbs are young, it balances rich, golden crunch with a tangy, green, almost grassy creaminess. It is often served on Maundy Thursday and throughout the herb season, turning a simple schnitzel into a fresh, aromatic plate.
Frankfurter Schnitzel
Frankfurter Schnitzel
Pronounced FRAHNK-foor-ter SHNIT-sel
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the green sauce
For the schnitzel
Method
Make the green sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, yogurt, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and white pepper. Stir in the chopped herbs, onion and hard-boiled egg until well combined. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the schnitzel, at least 15 minutes.
Place a veal cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently to an even 1/4 in (6 mm) thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Set up a breading station. Put the flour in one shallow dish. In a second dish, beat the eggs with the water. Put the breadcrumbs in a third dish.
Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shake off the excess, dip it into the egg, then press it into the breadcrumbs to coat evenly. Place the breaded cutlets on a wire rack or plate.
Heat the oil or clarified butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry two cutlets at a time until golden brown and crisp, 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Serve the schnitzel hot, topped generously with the green sauce, with boiled potatoes on the side.
Regional variants
In many Frankfurt homes, the same green sauce is spooned over plain boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs; some cooks also use pork escalopes instead of veal.
Cook's notes
- If you cannot find all seven herbs, use a mix of parsley, chives, dill, watercress, arugula, sorrel and baby spinach—do not use only parsley.
- Keep cooked schnitzel warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while frying the rest, but serve immediately for the best crispness.
- For a lighter sauce, replace half of the sour cream with quark or buttermilk.
Serve with
Serve with boiled new potatoes or parsley potatoes and a crisp green salad; in Frankfurt it is often paired with apple wine (Apfelwein) or a dry Riesling.
Make ahead and storage
The green sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept chilled. Fry the schnitzel just before serving; leftover schnitzel reheats best in a hot oven to re-crisp.
