Traditional Schnitzel with Spaetzle & Rotkohl

Name: Traditional Schnitzel with Spaetzle & Rotkohl
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 4 thinly sliced veal, pork or chicken cutlets; 1/2 cup of all purpose flour; 2 large eggs; 1 tablespoon of milk; 3/4 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs; salt and black pepper; 3 tablespoons of butter; 3 tablespoons of olive oil; lemon wedges (for garnishing); 2 tablespoons of butter; 1 large clove of garlic, finely minced; 3/4 cup of heavy cream; 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice; chicken stock (optional); 1 small head of purple cabbage, sliced; 1 large apple, grated; 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar; 1/2 cup of water; 1/2 cup of granulated sugar; 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper; a pinch of cloves; 4 tablespoons of butter, browned and cooled; 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice; 2 cups of dried spaetzle; 2 tablespoons of butter; 1/2 cup of heavy cream; 1/2 cup of parmesan, shredded

October 11, 2025
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It’s officially October, so buckle up everyone, because we are going to cover a traditional German staple today and you are going to fall in love with this entire plate.

Schnitzel is a thinly pounded cutlet that is pan fried up nice and crispy and it is often served along side spaetzle (tender little egg dumplings) and rotkohl (sweet and sour braised cabbage). It is a super comforting, hearty meal with all of the notes a dinner should have – salty, buttery, sweet, tangy and crispy, saucy, chewy, creamy. It has everything you want and if you haven’t taken your pallet on a trip to Europe lately then let’s do it with this traditional schnitzel dinner.

Let’s get started…

Let’s talk about the schnitzel first…

The term schnitzel is sort of general. It refers to any thinly sliced cutlet breaded and pan fried nice and crispy, but have you ever wondered what the difference is between schnitzel and wienerschnitzel? Well here is a quick break down of all of the different variations of schnitzels…

- - Wienerschnitzel: This is the most common schnitzel worldwide. It is made with veal and originated in Veinna. The style of making schnitzel can be traced back many centuries, but the term wienerschnitzel was first developed in the mid 1800’s
  - Schweineschnitzel: This is the most common type in Germany and it is made using pork
  - Putenschnitzel: Is made with turkey cutlets
  - Hänchenschnitzel: Is schnitzel made using chicken cutlets
  - Rindsschnitzel: Is made with pounded beef

The cool thing is that while there are small variations between these versions, you can really use the same recipe regardless of the type of meat you end up choosing.

Working with 3 wide shallow bowls, add about 1/2 cup of all purpose flour into the first bowl, whisk 2 large eggs with a tablespoon of milk into the second bowl and add 3/4 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs into the third bowl.

Season all 3 bowls generously with salt and black pepper.

Step #1. Lightly coat each pounded cutlet in the seasoned flour

Step #2. Dip the flour coated cutlets into the egg mixture

Step #3. Press the cutlets into the breadcrumbs ensuring all sides are completely coated on all sides

Step#4. Set the coated cutlets onto a baking sheet or sheet of parchment paper to rest while you prepare the skillet

Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil into a large skillet over medium heat. As soon as the butter is melted, place the breaded cutlets into the skillet and cook them undisturbed for 2-3 minutes or until the underside is golden brown and crisp.

Flip the cutlets and cook until both sides are golden brown and crisp.

Transfer the cutlets onto a cutting board and season with salt.

Repeat the process with the remaining cutlets and add additional butter and oil, if necessary.

Once all of the cutlets have been pan fried, discard any breadcrumbs left behind in the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter and a finely minced garlic clove. Cook the garlic for about 60 second while consistently stirring.

Add 3/4 cup of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and bring everything to a simmer.

Simmer until the pan sauce thickens a bit. If the sauce becomes thicker than you prefer, add a splash of chicken stock to loosen things up a little.

Ideally, you will test your multi-tasking skills and make all 3 of these elements simultaneously, but if that is not your thing, I would recommend making the rotkohl first since it can be served at room temperature, making the spaetzle next and leaving it covered on the stovetop while you fry the schnitzel.

To make the rotkohl, simply bring a small sliced head of cabbage, a large grated apple, 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and a pinch of cloves up to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes, drain the liquid from the saucepan and add 4 tablespoons of browned butter and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Set aside for now.

To make the spaetzle, cook 2 cups of dried spaetzle according to the directions on the packaging. Once its cooked, drain the spaetzle and add 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan. Mix, transfer off of the heat and cover the saucepan until you are ready to serve.

Now that all of your elements are prepared, add a scoop of the creamy spaetzle, some greens and one of the crispy schnitzel cutlets. Add a little bit of rotkohl, some lemon wedges and some of your lemon cream pan sauce.

I like to add a little bit of a finely chopped herbs (today I used some dill, but parsley, tarragon and oregano works great here too!) and a few cracks of black pepper over the plate, but this is totally optional.

This meal is really quite special. Every element works together beautifully to create a hearty, satisfying meal and while it is a classic October recipe, it is the kind of special recipe that can be enjoyed year round.

Genießen everyone!

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