Kotlet Schabowy — Polish Breaded Pork Cutlet
Poland's Sunday-dinner classic and schnitzel cousin: pork loin pounded thin, dredged in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, and fried golden and crisp. Traditionally served with potatoes and either mizeria (a creamy cucumber salad) or braised cabbage. Simple, beloved and on every Polish home table — the smell of one frying is the smell of a Polish kitchen.
Slice pork loin into cutlets and pound them thin between sheets of plastic. Season, then dredge each in flour, beaten egg and fine breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs on well. Fry in a generous layer of hot fat (oil, or oil with a little butter/lard) until deep golden and crisp on both sides and just cooked through. Drain briefly and serve with boiled potatoes and mizeria or cabbage.
- Pound the pork thin and even so it cooks quickly and stays tender.
- Press the breadcrumbs on firmly and fry in enough hot fat so the coating crisps and puffs.
- Don't overcook — thin pork needs only a few minutes a side to stay juicy.
Equipment
- Meat mallet
- 3 shallow bowls (for breading)
- Frying pan
Ingredients
Pork
- 600 g boneless pork loin, in 4 slices
- Salt and pepper
Breading & frying
- Plain flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Fine breadcrumbs (bułka tarta)
- Oil (with a little butter or lard), for frying
Method
- STEP01
Slice the loin into cutlets and pound each thin (about 1 cm) between sheets of plastic or in a bag, so they're even. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- STEP02
Set up flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in three bowls. Coat each cutlet in flour (shake off excess), then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs on firmly.
- STEP03
Heat a generous layer of oil (with a knob of butter or lard for flavour) in a pan over medium-high until shimmering.
- STEP04
Fry the cutlets until deep golden and crisp underneath, 3–4 minutes, then flip and fry the other side until golden and just cooked through. Don't overcrowd.
- STEP05
Drain briefly on paper. Serve hot with boiled potatoes (often with dill) and mizeria (creamy cucumber salad) or braised cabbage.
Make ahead
Pound and bread the cutlets ahead and refrigerate, then fry to serve fresh. They're quick enough that last-minute frying is easy. Leftovers make excellent sandwiches.
Storage
Best fresh and crisp. Leftovers keep 2 days and re-crisp in a hot oven or air-fryer (not the microwave). Cold schabowy is a classic next-day sandwich filling in Poland. Breaded uncooked cutlets can be frozen and fried from frozen.
Variations
Kotlet z kością
Use bone-in pork chops for a kotlet with the bone left in.
Chicken (kotlet z kurczaka)
Use pounded chicken breast for a chicken version.
Panko-crisp
Use panko instead of fine breadcrumbs for an extra-crunchy coating (less traditional but very crisp).
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Frequently asked
How is kotlet schabowy different from schnitzel?
They're very close cousins. Kotlet schabowy is the Polish version, almost always made from pork loin, and is a centrepiece of Sunday dinners with potatoes and cabbage or mizeria. Wiener Schnitzel is traditionally veal; many other 'schnitzels' are pork (Schnitzel Wiener Art). The breading and frying are essentially the same.
How do I keep the cutlet juicy?
Pound it to an even thickness so it cooks quickly and evenly, and don't overcook — thin pork needs only a few minutes per side. Frying in enough hot fat sets the crust fast so the inside stays moist. Pull it as soon as it's just cooked through.
Why pound the pork thin?
Pounding tenderises the meat and makes it an even thickness, so it cooks through quickly before the breadcrumb coating burns and stays tender rather than tough. It also gives the classic wide, thin schabowy shape.
What breadcrumbs should I use?
Traditional Polish kotlet uses fine dry breadcrumbs (bułka tarta) for a smooth, even golden crust. Panko gives a coarser, extra-crunchy coating if you prefer. Either way, press the crumbs on well so the coating adheres and crisps.
What do Poles serve with schabowy?
The classic plate is kotlet schabowy with boiled potatoes (often sprinkled with dill) and either mizeria — a creamy soured-cream cucumber salad — or braised/stewed cabbage (kapusta zasmażana or young cabbage). It's the quintessential Polish Sunday dinner.
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