Veal Scallopini
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The best veal scallopini recipe that is quick, easy, and authentic. This dish is a perfect weeknight meal, served with a lemony, creamy sauce and pasta.
Italian American dishes have always had a special place in my heart, but veal scallopini is one I come back to time and time again. I first learned to make it in culinary school back when I was still discovering how delicate and flavorful veal could be. I wanted to recreate that same restaurant-quality dish at home, but with one massive caveat: it had to be easy and approachable enough to be a weeknight dinner.
What started as a class assignment has since become one of my family’s most requested meals, especially my partner: this was one of the first dishes I ever made for him!
What is veal scallopini?
Veal scallopini is a popular Italian American dish made with thinly sliced pieces of veal that are typically pounded to an even thickness and simmered in a creamy lemon butter sauce. The acidity from the lemon cuts through the richness of the cream and butter, so each bite stays balanced instead of heavy- definitely not what this dish is about.
The term “scallopini” (or scallopine) refers to the thin, quick-cooking cuts of meat (like chicken breast, lean steak, or veal) that are coated with flour and cooked rapidly.
Table of Contents
Veal scallopini recipe highlights
- Incredible texture and flavor. The texture of the veal is tender and juicy, and the sauce is perfectly creamy. It has a rich, savory, and slightly tangy flavor.
- Quick. Veal is naturally a lean cut of meat, so the cooking process is minimal, and you’ll have this impressive dish in under 20 minutes.
- An underrated cut. Veal fillets are a severely underrated cut of protein that balances flavors well. Like a simple chicken breast or pork fillet, they absorb flavors well and act as a blank canvas.
What readers are saying
★★★★★ – “Great recipe, easy to follow, and tasted delicious!”– Sue
Key Ingredients
These are the main players in this veal scallopini. The full list and measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Veal cutlets. More and more grocery stores are stocking packages of veal cutlets (usually 4 to 6 per pack) and almost all butchers. They should all be of a similar size and thickness.
- Flour. Lightly dusting the meat in flour forms a thin crust, which not only makes it extra tender but also traps the juices inside. It’s a neat trick I picked up in culinary school and swear by it for any time I need to pan-fry breaded protein!
- Olive oil and butter. I’m using both fats with different purposes: the oil sears the meat, whereas the butter adds flavor and richness to the meat and sauce.
- Chicken stock. I prefer using a stock with no added salt because there is already ample salt in this dish (the salt and the capers!).
- Lemons. For the acidity. I tested a batch with limes successfully.
- Heavy cream. For that rich and creamy sauce. Opt for full-fat cream, please: This is not the kind of dish to use low-fat or light varieties.
- Capers. These salty, zingy bits balance out the richness of the sauce and complement the veal so well.
How to make veal scallopini
Step 1- Sear the veal: Season the veal with salt and pepper, coat it with flour, and pan-sear it in olive oil and butter in a skillet.
Step 2- Make the sauce: Remove the cooked veal and add chicken broth to the skillet. Collect the meat scrapings and browned bits, and add heavy cream, lemon juice, and capers.
Step 3- Combine and serve: After simmering the sauce for 3-5 minutes, place the veal in it. Cook your favorite pasta al dente and serve the veal over it.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use a meat thermometer: Veal scallopini is a thin cut and easy to overcook. When overdone, it leads to an unpleasant, tough structure. Aim for an internal temperature of 145°F for a perfectly cooked piece of meat (as per the FDA).
- Get the perfect crispy top: Sear the veal immediately after coating it with the flour to get a crisp surface. Don’t let them sit around before cooking.
- Dry the veal with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. This step is crucial to achieving the perfect exterior. It’s a tiny step, but my chef instructor used to preach that moisture is the enemy of a good sear. And he was right!
- Let the veal rest in the sauce: After combining seared veal with gravy, allow it to soak up the flavors for a few minutes before serving.
Frequently asked questions
If your veal fillets have a uniform thickness of ⅛-¼ inches, you don’t need to pound them. But if they are uneven, I suggest gently beating them to even out the thickness. To do this, place the fillets in a ziplock bag and pound using a rolling pin or meat mallet.
For this particular recipe, you can use chicken breast fillets or lean steak instead of veal. I’ve had success making this recipe with other proteins, including chicken cutlets (similar to my panko chicken) and lean steak fillets (like my beef Milanesa). I’m linking those two recipes because they work best using those cooking methods.
This dish pairs well with almost anything, including vegetables, potatoes, salads, and starches. Because of the creamy sauce, I find it’s best served over a bed of mashed potatoes (or cauliflower mashed potatoes), egg noodles, rice, or with some crusty bread.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
Nutrition information has been reviewed by registered dietitian Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Easiest Veal Scallopini
Video
Ingredients
- 4 veal cutlets 4-6 ounces each
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup capers rinsed and drained
Instructions
- If the veal fillets are too thick, pound them until they are around 1/4 of an inch in thickness. Pat each piece of veal completely dry using a paper towel.
- Season veal fillets with salt and pepper. Add flour to a bowl, and coat the veal with the flour.
- Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet. Once melted, add the veal. Cook the veal for 5 minutes per side. Remove the veal from the skillet and set aside.
- Add broth to the skillet and scrape any browned bits. Add heavy cream, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer the sauce for 3-5 minutes, until it thickens.
- Place the veal back in the skillet and simmer until the veal reaches around 145°F. Serve warm over cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Leftovers. This dish keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days.
- Freezing. If you want to keep scallopini longer, freeze the leftovers in airtight containers for 2-3 months.
- Reheating. Heat it in the pan or the oven until hot.
Nutrition
More simple veal recipes
Originally published July 2023
YUMMMM!!!! Made this for my Parents tonight and they LOVED it and so did I! Omg! Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe.
Yum! But didn’t use cream, just thickened the sauce with the leftover flour
Excellent and easy
Perfect recipe. And exactly how I have been doing it. ( although I pound the cutlets a bit thinner ) thankfully I’ve got the capers tonight. One of my all time favorites!
Easy, yummy, fast, and I skipped the capers. Delicious and well loved by the whole family. Dipped our broccoli in the sauce, served on the side.
My partner wanted Veal scallopini for his birthday dinner, but I had no veal.
Such a great recipe! Had 4 x rump rounds that I smashed to 1/2 inch thick and doubled the sauce.. served with potato and pumpkin mash as I’d near run out of potato and steamed broccoli and cauliflower.
A very happy 46 year old!
Oh, ommitted the capers.. not a fan
Haha that is okay! 🙂
Great recipe, easy to follow and tasted declicious!
Thanks, Sue!
I ALL WAYS THOUGHT THE SCALLOPINI WAS MADE WITH PEPPERS, MUSHROOM,ONIONS, CAN THESE ITEMS BE INCORPARATED IN THIS RECIPE? THANK YOU
Hi David- I’m sure you can saute them first, cook the veal, then add them back to the pan to simmer at the end.
When I was twenty years old I lived in little Italy in the city I grew up in. There was this Italian meat market that my girlfriend and I would shop at and every time we would get veal, there were always two men there, and the one guy would comment on how thin his partner could slice veal. You can see right through it he would say. What can I say? That veal was like crack. When that meat market closed we never ever had veal like that again. You can pound it but it’s not the same, she tried many times and never came close. I know you can’t call veal tough, but in comparison to the paper thin stuff. So what I’m sayin’ is, if you are lucky enough to get blessed with a talented butcher, don’t take it for granted like we did.
Very very tasty the best
Very very tasty. The best