Pork Cutlet Parmesan Recipe (With Video)

Prep Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

4

Pork parmesan might not be as well known as the veal or chicken version, but it’s just as cheesy, saucy, crispy, and delicious. Our recipe starts with pork tenderloin, which is sliced into medallions and pounded thin so it cooks in a flash. Next up, a triple-dip into flour, egg, and panko. This trio creates a coating that stays crisp, essential for the tasty textural contrast we all love about this dish. After being browned on the stovetop, the cutlets are topped with Parmigiano, marinara sauce, and mozzarella before they get a quick turn under the broiler until the cheese melts. Serve with more sauce and more Parmesan and listen for sighs from satisfied diners.

pork cutlet parmesan — Credit:
Chris Simpson

Swap the homemade tomato sauce for your favorite store-bought brand to speed up weeknight dinner prep.

Directions

Pound pork flat:

Pound pork with the flat side of a meat mallet into 1/4-inch-thick cutlets. Pat dry with paper towels; lightly season with salt and pepper.
Place flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs in seperate wide, shallow bowls:

Place flour in a pie dish or a wide, shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper. Whisk eggs in a second dish. Toss breadcrumbs and oregano in a third dish; season with salt and pepper.
Coat cutlets in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs:

Working one at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, shaking off excess, then eggs, allowing excess to drip back into dish. Press into breadcrumb mixture, flipping to fully and evenly coat. Transfer to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes.
Cook cutlets:

Heat a scant 1/2 inch of oil in a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high. When it shimmers and a breadcrumb dropped in immediately rises to surface and sizzles, carefully add a few cutlets in a single layer. Fry, flipping once, until golden brown all over and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total.

Cook cutlets in batches to avoid crowding pan.
Transfer cooked cutlets to wire rack: cook remaining cutlets:

Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Let stand until drained and crisp, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining cutlets.

Elevating the cutlets on a wire rack is essential to keep both sides of the cutlets crisp.
Preheat broiler and top cutlets with cheese and sauce:

Preheat broiler with a rack about 8 inches from heat element. Top cutlets evenly with Parmigiano, then tomato sauce and mozzarella.
Broil cutlets and serve:

Broil just until cheese melts, 2 to 4 minutes. Top with basil and serve warm, with more tomato sauce and Parmigiano alongside.