Crispy Veal Milanese With Arugula Recipe

Veal Milanese is a traditional tender-crispy Italian dish in which thin veal cutlets are lightly breaded and pan-fried. It's traditionally served with a peppery lemony arugula and tomato salad to cut through all the richness. Though veal Milanese and veal Parmesan are similar dishes, veal Milanese is an authentic Italian dish while veal Parmesan is one of those foods you won't find on a menu in Italy. Veal Milanese, on the other hand, may date back to ancient Rome. One of the main differences between the two dishes lies in the fact that veal Milanese doesn't call for marinara sauce, since tomatoes were unknown in Europe before the 16th century.

Developer Paterson Watkins pairs her crispy veal cutlets with an arugula salad, calling the combination "classic and delicious, well balanced, and well worth the labor involved." Her favorite thing about the dish, however, may actually be the leftovers. She calls veal Milanese a recipe that keeps on giving and says, "Since I had 4 cutlets to nosh on after making this recipe, I started crafting all sorts of leftover remixes. For cutlet number 2, I added a little cacio e pepe pasta action to the salad and cutlet combo. Cutlet number 3, I made a katsu-inspired sandwich. Cutlet number 4 was served a la chicken-fried steak with some breakfast gravy, cheesy eggs, and home fries." While this makes a special meal to serve to family and friends, if you happen to find yourself with leftovers, the possibilities are endless.

The main part of this dish consists of veal cutlets coated in flour, egg, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. The cutlets are accompanied by a salad made from arugula, basil, cherry tomatoes, and red onion and dressed with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. You'll also need a few lemon wedges for garnishing.

Pat the veal cutlets dry with paper towels.

Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, set up your breading station, placing the flour in a large shallow bowl or high-sided plate.

Place the eggs in another large shallow bowl or plate.

Lastly, place the breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl or high-sided plate, and season with the Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, stir to combine.

Once the cutlets have rested, coat in the flour, shaking off any excess.

Dip the floured cutlets into the egg, coating completely, and letting any excess drip off before transferring to the seasoned breadcrumbs.

Coat the cutlets in the breadcrumbs, using your hands to press and adhere the crumbs to the cutlets.

Fill a large skillet ¼ -full with olive oil and heat over medium-high.

Once hot, and while working in batches, add a breaded cutlet to the skillet, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.

Set the fried cutlet on a wire rack-lined baking sheet to drain while you cook the remainder.

Once all the cutlets have been fried and drained, transfer them to serving plates.

Divide the arugula between the plates, either placing the arugula on top of the cutlets or on the side.

Tear the basil leaves into small pieces and sprinkle over the arugula.

Top the greens with tomatoes and onions.

Drizzle the salad with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.

Sprinkle the salad with shaved Parmesan before serving. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

If you're unable to find veal to make these cutlets, that's no problem. All kinds of meats, tofu, or even eggplant can be cooked the same way. Steak Milanesa is an option that's very popular in Argentina, and chicken Milanese, pork Milanese, or even tilapia Milanese are also delicious options. Thicker cuts of meat will need to be pounded flat before you bread them, but don't do this with the more delicate fish fillets.

If you'd prefer a meatless alternative, you can use either eggplant or tofu. For tofu, press thin slices between plates and paper towels to flatten it and draw out the excess moisture prior to breading. To make eggplant Milanese, slice the eggplant lengthwise into thin cutlets, then salt them to draw out the moisture and pat them completely dry. As Patterson Watkins says, "That moisture combats our crispness, best to get it out of the way, lest we have soggy veggie cutlets." Then you can dredge them in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, and either pan-fry them or roast them at 400 F for about 10 minutes on each side (20 minutes in all). 

One of the most time-consuming parts of this recipe involves letting the veal rest before you bread and fry it. Don't skip this step, though, since the meat needs to warm up to room temperature in order to cook properly. If you fry chilled veal cutlets, the proteins will seize up and the meat will release its moisture once it hits the hot oil. If it's at room temperature, though, the protein fibers will relax and the meat, once fried, will be tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

If you're looking to save time with this recipe, the best thing you can do is rest, bread, and fry the veal cutlets ahead of time. Cool them on a wire rack, then store them in an airtight container in either the refrigerator or the freezer. Whenever you're ready to eat a cutlet or two (or all four), all you need to do is warm them up in the oven or the air fryer. 

As for the salad, you can combine the lettuce, basil, tomatoes, and onions ahead of time. It's also okay to mix up the salad dressing but don't pour it over the greens until you're ready to eat since pre-dressed salad tends to get soggy.