Crispy Veal Cutlets with Creamy Dijon Sauce are panko-crusted, then quickly fried in a hot skillet. To finish, drizzle with a dijon pan sauce and top them off with crispy fried shallots for an easy, delicious weeknight dinner that is on your table in under 30 minutes!
This veal cutlet has quickly become a favorite in my kitchen. It takes only minutes to get that perfect, golden-brown crust, but the meat stays incredibly tender and juicy inside. It's fast enough for a busy weeknight, yet looks and tastes so elegant you'll want to serve it to company.
What is Veal?
If you haven't cooked with veal before, don't let it intimidate you. Veal cutlets come from the leg of young cattle and are cut thin - usually around ¼ inch thick, which is exactly why they cook so fast and stay tender.
Look for them at your grocery store meat counter, a butcher shop, or specialty markets. You want a pale pink color with a smooth, fine texture. If you can only find thicker cuts, just give them a few whacks with a mallet.
A Huge Hit with My Family
My family's reaction to this particular recipe was that it was delicious and they would definitely eat it again. Some of their comments were "I didn't know I would like veal so much." and "You can definitely make this more often." A good thing because I love feeding my family nutritious and delicious food that is not hard to prepare!
Easy Prep
This recipe is also easy to begin the prep a few hours ahead of time. When I tested the recipe out, I refrigerated the breaded veal cutlets until I was ready to actually cook them. It worked out perfectly because I didn't have to worry about doing the dipping and dish dirtying when we were hungry and wanting to eat as soon as possible!
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the meat: If you don't have veal, thin chicken cutlets or pork cutlets work great here. Just keep an eye on the clock since cooking times might change a bit depending on how thick they are.
- Breading options: Coarse panko gives the best crispy crunch, but fine dry breadcrumbs will work if that's what you have on hand. The crust will just be a little softer.
- Tweak the sauce: If you want a sharper sauce, increase the Dijon slightly; for a milder version, use a little less and add a splash more cream.
- Want to change it up? A side of sautéed mushrooms or a squeeze of lemon at the end would pair nicely with the creamy pan sauce.
My Best Tips For Crispy Cutlets and Shallots
- Don't simmer the shallots. Fry them over medium-high heat so they actually crisp up. If they brown too fast, just pull the pan of the heat for a second and turn the burner down.
- Drain immediately. Move the fried shallots straight to a paper towel so the extra fat absorbs right away instead of making them soggy.
- Pound the cutlets thin. Start with thin veal and use a mallet if needed. This makes them cook in just a few minutes so they stay completely tender.
- Get the pan hot. Make sure your skillet is hot and well-coated with oil so the cutlets sizzle the second they hit the pan.
What To Serve with Veal Cutlets
Since these cutlets cook so quickly, I like to keep the sides simple. You definitely want something on the plate to catch that delicious cream sauce, and my Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes is the absolute best base for soaking it up. For a green side, my go-to is quick Air Fryer Broccolini with those crispy, charred edges matching the crunch of the panko perfectly. If you want to balance out the richness with some cold freshness instead, my Green Pea Salad is a great option.
Shelby's Final Thoughts
For me, true comfort food is all about the textures. I love how you get that loud, satisfying crunch from the panko crust, but the veal underneath stays incredibly tender. Then you get the richness from the creamy dijon sauce and those crispy fried shallots on top, and it completelly hits the spot.
📖 Recipe
Crispy Veal Cutlets with Creamy Dijon Sauce
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces veal cutlets
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup seasoned panko crumbs
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoon butter
- 2 large shallots , thinly sliced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh Parsley , chopped (optional)
Instructions
Breading your Veal:
- Season the veal cutlets the flour with salt and pepper.
- Set out the flour mixture, eggs, and panko crumbs on separate plates.
- Dip the veal cutlets as follows: First dip in the flour mixture, then dip in egg, and finally dip in the panko, making sure cutlet is covered well in the crumbs.
- Place veal cutlet on tray and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Prepare the Shallots:
- Melt the butter in the skillet until hot and bubbly.
- Add the thinly sliced shallots to hot butter and stir to coat.
- Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until shallots are golden brown and crispy.
- Drain the fried shallots on a paper towel and set aside until ready to assemble the plate.
Cook the Veal:
- Place cutlet in a hot skillet coated with olive oil. Veal Cutlets should sizzle as soon as it is placed in the skillet.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, until browned and crispy, then flip and cook 2nd side another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the veal from the heat and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Place fried veal cutlets in warm oven (200 degrees) to keep warm.
Prepare the pan sauce:
- Add the chicken broth, dijon mustard, heavy cream, and lemon juice to the same skillet veal cutlets were fried in.
- Whisk to combine ingredients and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 3 minutes, until sauce has begun to thicken.
Assemble the dinner plate:
- Place 2 crispy fried veal cutlets on a dinner plate.
- Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of pan sauce and top with crispy fried shallots. Garnish with parsley. (If using)
colleen says
This was so good! I usually stuff and grill my veal cutlets, so breading them with this sauce over arugula with some tomatoes was wonderfule!
Kristina says
My husband LOVES making this. It's simple and tastes incredible. The breading is so crispy and the dijon sauce is very tasty. We make it probably twice a month, if not more.
Lisa says
This is a great dinner to have date night at home! My husband loves veal and this sauce is super delicious!
Kristin says
This was so delicious I could hardly believe it was ready in a half hour! Everyone loved it and the sauce added so much flavor. I have never prepared veal before but now this will be a regular dish in my house.
Giangi Townsend says
What a fantastic recipe! Thank you. We love veal and never know how to fix it properly. This recipe is perfect and the sauce amazing. My family devoured it.
Kathy Berget says
These were the best!!! Easy to make and the crispy coating was perfect. These will be a regular in our house!
Sharon G Rigsby says
Oh my goodness, my husband and I both loved this dish. The veal is delicious, but that sauce and the fried shallots are the icing on the cake. So good! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sharon
Dee Dee says
I don’t have shallots, can I use yellow onion?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Yes, shallots are stronger in flavor, but yellow onion will work as well. Just be sure to thinly slice them. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
for my boys says
these were fantastic, just wondering your instructions include chicken broth but in the ingredients it does not indicate how much chicken broth
Shelby says
Oops, my bad! I am sorry! I used 2 cups chicken broth. I'll fix that right away! Thank you and glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Lucy says
Ingredients do not list egg(s) !!
How many ?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Lucy, my apologies for not seeing this sooner. It should be 2 eggs. I have updated the recipe card. Thank you!
Nikki says
These looks so juicy and perfect! I have a special dinner planned soon! These are going on the menu!
Shelby says
Hi Colleen! Yes, this sauce is pretty incredibly delicious!
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck says
These would be amazing on their own...but with that sauce...oh my, so stinkin' yummy!!!
Karen says
OMG these look so good. I finally tried making cutlets a few months ago and now wonder what took me so long. And those fried shallots look "to die for."
Shelby says
Yes, Karen, those shallots make this dish over the top incredible! 🙂
Ellen says
This is a dish my husband will love! Can't wait to make it for him.
Shelby says
Ellen, I hope your husband loves this recipe!
Rachel says
What a treat! Will make a great Anniversary dinner!