Italian Breaded Veal Cutlets topped with crispy prosciutto and the simplest parmesan cream sauce. This recipe is out of this world delicious and is so easy to make. Perfect served with a side salad and roast potatoes.
Breaded veal cutlets are such an easy and delicious thing to make. Traditionally the simplest way to serve them is with a squeeze of lemon juice and an arugula salad on the side.
This recipe, however, is a little extra special. The veal cutlets are dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs for that classic, crispy golden coating then they are topped with a slice of prosciutto and a spoonful of parmesan cream.
It's out of this world delicious and perfect for weekends or special occasions. We often serve our veal with some arugula on the side and that's it but roasted potatoes or veggies would also work really well.
See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below
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Ingredients - what you need
See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make this recipe plus some important tips on ingredients!
- Veal - one cutlet per person pounded to ¼ inch thick (details on how to do this below)
- Flour - regular all-purpose flour is all you need.
- Eggs - you'll need 1-2 beaten eggs depending on the size.
- Breadcrumbs - use fine breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs will also work.
- Prosciutto - you need 1 slice per cutlet.
- Cream - use heavy cream (double cream in the UK).
- Garlic - fresh garlic is a must, don't use garlic powder.
- Parmesan - use Parmigiano Reggiano and grate it yourself, don't use pre-grated.
- Nutmeg (optional) - this is an optional ingredient that I often add to cream sauces for extra flavour.
Breaded veal cutlets step by step photos
Preparation Tips!
- Put the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates and beaten eggs in a shallow bowl. Season each with a pinch of salt.
- Finely chop the garlic.
- Get a plate lined with paper towels ready.
Step 1) Pound the veal in between some baking parchment to ¼ of an inch thick then season each cutlet with salt and pepper (photos 1 & 2).
Step 2) Dredge each cutlet in flour then dip in egg and breadcrumbs (photos 3-5).
Step 3) Fry the breaded veal cutlets in a little olive oil until crispy and golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels and set aside (photo 6).
Step 4) To make the sauce, saute the garlic in a small saucepan until fragrant then add the cream. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down low and add the parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted and thickened (photos 7-10).
Step 5) Lay the veal cutlets on a rack on top of a baking tray. Top each cutlet with a slice of prosciutto and spoon over a little parmesan cream. Bake for 10 minutes until golden and crispy (photos 11 & 12).
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Drain the veal on paper towels - do this after frying to soak up any excess oil before baking in the oven.
- The best breadcrumbs to use - buy breadcrumbs without any added seasoning (they're full of unecessary added ingredients and don't taste good). I like to add a pinch of salt to mine just before breading but that's it. Panko breadcrumbs will also work well.
- Breading (alternative method) - you can skip the dredging in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and simply press the veal cutlets in dry breadcrumbs (trust me it works) see how we do it in our Breaded Chicken Cutlets (No Flour No Egg) recipe. It gives you lighter end results and saves time.
Yes, you can bread the veal and keep it stored in the fridge. You can also prepare the parmesan cream sauce in advance too. You may need to warm it up to loosen it before using.
You can freeze the veal cutlets (raw or cooked) but don't freeze the parmesan cream.
Serving suggestions
A simple side salad of arugula (rocket) drizzled with a little olive oil and lemon juice makes an effortless and delicious side dish. For something a little more substantial, roasted potatoes or grilled vegetables are a great option.
See our collection of Italian side dishes for more inspiration.
More Italian veal recipes to try
- Veal Marsala (Scaloppine al Marsala)
- Ossobuco Milanese (Braised Veal Shanks)
- Veal Saltimbocca with Prosciutto and Sage
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📖 Full Recipe
Veal Cutlets with Prosciutto and Parmesan Cream
Ingredients
Equipment
- Baking parchment
- paper towels for draining
- baking tray with rack
Instructions
Prepare the cutlets
- Place the breadcrumbs and flour on two separate plates and season each with a little salt. Add the eggs to a bowl and whisk until beaten.
- Place the veal cutlets in between some baking parchment and pound them to ¼ inch thick (½cm) using a meat mallet or rolling pin then season each one with salt and pepper.
- Dredge each cutlet in flour then dip and egg and breadcrumbs until completely coated.
- Heat around 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a medium heat in a large pan and fry the veal cutlets on both sides until browned and crispy (you will need to add a little more oil as you go). Drain the cutlets on paper towels and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
To make the sauce
- Finely chop the garlic and fry in a small pan with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil for 1 minute until fragrant (don’t let it brown).
- Add the cream and bring it to a boil then turn the heat down low and add the parmesan, nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat.
Bake
- Lay the veal cutlets on a rack on top of a baking tray and top each cutlet with a slice of prosciutto.
- Spoon over a little parmesan cream (around 1-2 tablespoons on each) bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the prosciutto is crispy and golden, serve.
Nutrition
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Lettie
This was delicious! I used chicken instead of veal, and the cream sauce was perfect. I will definitely be making this again.
Emily
Chicken is a great alternative, so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Nathan
That Parmesan cream is to die for, absolutely delicious recipe!
Tina Dawson | Love is in my tummy
I absolutely adore cutlets and that is just delicious! And how have I never heard of Parmesan cream??? That sounds incredible!
Platter Talk
Oh my! That is one succulent looking veal dish. Beautifully photographed. I'll bet the Prosciutto adds just the right taste to meld the cream and veal.
Lucy @ Supergoldenbakes
Pure heaven. Your parmesan cream sounds particularly tasty. i can see why you like it so much.