Pairing Perfection: 8 Best Side Dishes for Schnitzel Lovers

Schnitzel is a well-known dish in traditional German cuisine and typical Austrian.

It has a lot of history, and it’s beloved comfort food.

Schnitzel is a cutlet, traditionally from veal, but beef, chicken, or pork can be used.

The meat is thinned out using a meat tenderizer or something heavy to get an even thickness throughout the whole piece of meat.

Then they are covered in flour, egg, and bread crumbs.

Veal is the traditional meat used for Schnitzel, but it can be made of other meats like beef or chicken.

A tip is to skin the meat before you pound it out because fat tends to splatter when frying.

Then comes the frying part; pan-fried in oil if not deep-fried and served with a lemon wedge and sauce such as mushroom, lemon or to make it Austrian: with a clear gravy made out of the pan-juices called ‘Fritz’.

Schnitzel is usually eaten with potatoes or rice and a side salad. You can also serve it with pasta or pizza.

In this article, we will list you the 8 BEST side dishes to serve with your Schnitzel.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Schnitzel?

Many schnitzel cravings are fleeting.

One minute, you’re craving the great flavor of a traditional breaded pork cutlet, but then suddenly, your taste buds are ready to try something new.

If this is the case for you, here are a couple of suggestions for dealing with this situation.

First of all, let’s examine why schnitzel cravings come and go.

Because they’re usually fried in some oil and then covered in some sauce or gravy, schnitzels don’t stay crispy for very long.

However, with suitable side dishes, you can create a complete meal that is satisfying and delicious.

Just like anything in life, the flavors you choose should be balanced to create something truly perfect.

Schnitzel is typically served with potatoes, rice, or salad (without sauce) that help round out the meal.

There are also many different types of side dishes that will work well with schnitzels.

There are indeed some flavors that go well together and others that don’t.

If you think about it, schnitzels and fries go great together (even in a sandwich), and so do schnitzels and rice.

What to Serve with Schnitzel – 8 BEST Side Dishes

Below you’ll find a list of the eight best schnitzel side dishes.

These are all delicious, easy to make, and will complement your main course perfectly.

1 – Potato Wedges

This is an excellent option because it’s easy, well known, and satisfying to everyone’s taste buds.

Opt for two or three layers of potato wedges if you want to make your schnitzels extra crispy.

You can also use sweet potatoes if that sounds better to you.

To make potato wedges, you need about fifteen minutes of prep + cooking time.

While the potatoes are baking in your oven, you can fry or grill your schnitzels.

Baking your wedges for about 35 minutes instead of 15 makes them crispier if you have the time.

Potato wedges are great if they’re crispy because they offer a perfect contrast to the Schnitzel itself.

That being said, it’s important not to serve these with a sauce that’s too thick because it could overpower the crispiness.

2 – Rice Pilaf

This side dish is a really easy way to round out your meal.

The ingredients are well known and could even be made ahead of time.

To make rice pilaf, you need about 20 minutes of prep + cooking time.

Another side goes excellent with schnitzels because it’s not too heavy or rich in flavor.

When paired with the perfect Schnitzel, this side dish will be a real winner.

The best part about this side is that you can be as creative as you like with the flavor and ingredients.

It’s not uncommon to see rice pilaf with spinach, parsley, and onion; or rice pilaf with sesame seeds, lemon juice, and soy sauce (this one is perfect).

If you’re looking for a unique flavor, try rice pilaf with cardamom and saffron.

3 – Bratkartoffeln

This side dish is one of the most popular ways to serve potatoes in Germany, but it’s also delicious.

Bratkartoffeln are fried potatoes, often done in bacon fat or oil to add flavor.

Of course, you can use any oil if you don’t eat pork.

This side dish is trendy to serve with any Schnitzel, not only the one with pork.

However, you will need a lot of patience to chop your potatoes and fry them.

Again, the best pairings with bratkartoffeln are crispy schnitzels (like the ones with pork).

It goes even better with a sauce that isn’t too heavy or overpowering.

You can find plenty of recipes online if you’re looking for some inspiration, but bratkartoffeln always goes well with schnitzels.

4 – Kartoffelsalat

This is a trendy German potato salad that’s full of flavor and has an unbeatable taste.

This side dish is also straightforward to make, but it does require some ingredients.

To make Kartoffelsalat, you need about 25 minutes of prep + cooking time.

It doesn’t matter if the cured pork in your Schnitzel is smoked or not; this side dish goes well with all kinds.

It’s a bit more time-consuming than some other options on the list, but it’s well worth it if you’re trying to impress someone.

You can also serve Kartoffelsalat as homey comfort food that reminds you of your childhood or a more traditional German dinner.

This side dish goes great with schnitzels that aren’t too heavy or overpowering.

It’s best to serve this with a lighter sauce like mayonnaise, oil, vinegar, or yogurt (dill sauce).

5 – Klösse

This is another one of those homey side dishes that’s great for nights with guests.

Klösse is like egg dumplings (sort of) and goes well with schnitzels because they soak up any sauce perfectly.

You can put klösse on the table next to the Schnitzel, or combine them both in a large bowl and mix well before serving.

Klösse is easy to make because you only need five ingredients: all-purpose flour, milk, egg yolk, salt, and pepper (to taste).

You can also use spices like nutmeg or even grated cheese if you want.

Just be sure not to overdo it on the cheese if you’re using it.

Again, you want to go for something simple like oil and vinegar or other lightweight sauce.

You can also serve klösse next to the Schnitzel without mixing them.

6 – Gurkensalat

This is a unique side dish that’s more on the refreshing and summery side.

Gurkensalat is essentially cabbage salad but goes excellent with schnitzels because it doesn’t overpower them.

It’s perfect for meals on hot days, so this would go very well at any cookout or barbecue.

Gurkensalat is also really easy to make.

You need about 20 minutes of prep + cooking time, and it goes well with just oil, vinegar, spices, and maybe some chopped onion.

You want a simple sauce here so that a heavy dressing doesn’t overpower the flavor of your Schnitzel.

If you’re looking for an alternative to this side dish, you might also want to try macaroni salad.

7 – Spätzle

Spätzle are German egg noodles that go great with schnitzels because they soak up any sauce perfectly.

They’re very similar to Italian pasta but usually come in more significant pieces.

Again, this side dish is straightforward to make and doesn’t take any unique ingredients.

All you need is a few eggs, flour, milk or water, and salt (to taste).

This time the best pairings are spicy like mustard sauce, horseradish cream sauce, or nice currywurst.

You can serve spätzle with schnitzels that are not too heavy or overpowering.

8 – Knödel

Knödel is pretty much anything that you would usually have mashed potatoes with.

They go great with Schnitzel because they soak up any sauce perfectly.

You can find plenty of recipes online to get some inspiration, but this side dish is also really simple to make, mainly if you use instant potato flakes.

All you need are eggs, salt (to taste), milk, and flour (or instant potato flakes).

Knödel is also pretty versatile, especially if you make them in advance.

You can serve these with meatballs, sauerbraten, or even gravy.

Letting knödel sit for a few hours before serving will give it more of an oomph.

You can serve knödel with anything you like, but if you’re going for Schnitzel, we recommend something simple like your favorite mayonnaise.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Schnitzel goes excellent with any of the above side dishes, but you can also pair it up with something straightforward like your favorite mayonnaise or ketchup.

If you’re having guests over, keep it simple and don’t overdo it on the number of side dishes you put on the table.

Most importantly, be sure to pick out a good sauce for your Schnitzel.

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