Milanesa (Milanesa De Res)

This milanesa recipe combines simple ingredients to make tender, juicy steaks coated in a savory and crisp fried exterior. I love how quick and easy they are to make.

Love easy beef recipes? Try beef katsu, air fryer steak, reverse sear ribeye, and beef shanks.

You’ve heard of crispy breaded chicken but have you ever tried it with beef? My family LOVES the Argentinian twist on it, Milanesa, which is a twist on fried steak.

Table of Contents

1. What is milanesa?
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make milanesa
4. Recipe tips and variations
5. What to serve with this
6. Storage instructions
7. More delicious recipes using beef
8. Milanesa (Milanesa De Res) (Recipe Card)

What is milanesa?

Also known as milanesa de res, Milanesa is essentially thinly cut slices of beef steak dredged in an egg and breadcrumb mixture and fried until golden brown and crispy.

Not to be confused with chicken Milanese, it’s often referred to as Argentina’s unofficial dish. It has a texture similar to schnitzel or chicken fried steak.

Here are some reasons why I LOVE this recipe:

• It’s affordable. As most cuts of beef work, you can use whichever is cheapest.
• Freezer-friendly. They reheat great, so you can fry them now and store them in the freezer to whip out at a moment’s notice. 
• Easy to customize. Switch up the breading mixture, or serve them with all sorts of side dishes.
• Quick to cook. As these beef steaks are very thin, they fry up super quickly. 

Ingredients needed

• Steak. 4 thinly-cut steaks, also known as minute steaks or cube steaks. Either 4-6 oz. steaks or 4 small steaks pounded to schnitzel-like thickness.
• Flour. Dredging the steaks in flour before frying will help get a crisp exterior and help the egg mixture adhere to the beef. To make this recipe gluten free, use a gluten-free flour blend or almond flour.
• Salt and pepper. Can be adjusted to taste.
• Eggs. This will be the first layer of dredging and will help the breadcrumbs stick to the beef before frying. 
• Bread crumbs. For the extra crispy coating. 
• Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated is best.
• Parsley. Fresh and finely chopped. This will be added to the breadcrumb mixture. 
• Lemon wedges. For serving alongside the finished steaks.
• Oil. Enough for frying the steaks. Any neutral-flavored cooking oil will work. When frying foods, always choose an oil with a high smoke point. Good oils to use include peanut, avocado, and safflower oil.

How to make milanesa

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1—Pound the steaks. If using thicker steaks, wrap them in saran wrap and pound them until they are about ½ inch thick. 

Step 2- Make the coating. Get three small bowls. In one bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. In the second bowl, add the eggs and whisk together and in the third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and finely chopped parsley.

Step 3- Bread the steaks. Dip each steak in the flour, eggs, and breadcrumb mixtures, stopping in between to shake off any excess. When dipping in the breadcrumb mixture, press firmly to ensure they stick to the beef. 

Step 4- Fry the milanesa. Fill a pan with two inches of oil and place it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 1-2 steaks and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. Place the fried steaks on a paper-towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil and repeat the process until all of the steaks are cooked.

Recipe tips and variations

• Add seasonings to the flour mixture. Cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder are all great add-on ingredients that will add tons of flavor. 
• Don’t skimp on the salt and pepper. Season the steaks liberally with salt and pepper to avoid a bland dish.
• Make milanesa a la napolitana. Or “milanesa Neopolitan style.” To make it this way, all you have to do is top your fried steaks with pomodoro sauce, mozzarella cheese, and ham, then broil it for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 
• Use other meat. Lamb backstrap, veal steaks, and pork steaks are all fantastic options to replace cube steak.

Storage instructions

To store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat: No thawing is necessary; reheat refrigerated or frozen milanesa by using the oven. Transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them at 400°F/204°C for 10-15 minutes, stopping halfway through to flip them. Frozen steaks will take a few minutes longer.

To freeze: Allow the steaks to cool completely and transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Freeze them for up to 6 months. 

More delicious recipes using beef

• Beef Wellington– Pastry-wrapped beef tenderloin… enough said!
• Carne Picada– This Mexican-style beef stew is cozy, flavorful, and delicious.
• Sirloin tip roast– A budget cut of beef roasted to perfection.
• Chimichurri steak– An elegant yet easy steak dinner idea.
• Reverse sear ribeye– My favorite way to cook ribeye steaks.
• Tomahawk steak– A VERY impressive cut of beef that feeds a crowd.

Originally published March 2023, updated March 2024