Simple ingredients are all you need to make this Italian Veal Piccata recipe. Lemon, wine, and capers bring transform a regular veal cutlet into a gourmet meal you never thought you could make.
Why veal for this recipe? Because in the 1930's, veal was much cheaper than chicken and that's why it was the chosen ingredient by Italian immigrants.
Like veal cutlets? Try my recipe for Veal Parmigiana for your next veal sandwich, Veal Marsala, or my Beef Involtini with Prosciutto.
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Here's Why You'll Love this Dish
This veal piccata will be on your dinner rotation because:
- quick to make meal ready in 30 minutes or less
- meat is tender and easy to chew, you might not even need a knife to cut into the veal cutlets
- classic Italian dish and a favorite in many homes
- customizable easy to tweak ingredients depending on what you have on hand
- balanced flavors of citrus and butter pair well with each other to create a rich flavor
- easy to make recipe that looks like you spent hours making
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Side Dishes that Pair Well with Veal Piccata
Here are a few side dishes on my site that will pair very well with this veal piccata recipe:
- asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto
- grilled brussel sprouts
- sauteed rapini
- smashed potatoes
- black olive and rosemary focaccia
- fried cauliflower Italian style
- polpette di riso (rice meatballs)
Ingredients
For this Italian Veal Piccata you'll need: veal cutlets, flour, butter, olive oil, garlic, sherry or white wine, vegetable broth, lemon, capers, parsley and seasoning.
For exact measurement details see recipe card...
How to Make Italian Veal Piccata
Get your veal ready by thawing it our in advance if it was previously frozen. Use a paper towel to dry off any moisture. Tenderizing veal is not necessary as it's not as tough as beef. But, ultimately that's a personal preference.
Season your veal cutlets. .
Dredge them in flour and set aside
Sauté garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Brown veal on one side, flip and brown on the other.
Remove veal and transfer to a plate.
Pour white sherry or wine in skillet and deglaze pan, scraping bits from bottom.
Return veal to the skillet. Add lemon juice, capers and broth.
Simmer veal in skillet covered for about 20 minutes on low.
Cut up remaining 1 tbsp of butter and place on top of veal. Allow the butter to melt.
Garnish with parsley and lemon slices and serve with your favorite side dish.
Storage:
Italian Veal Piccata stores very well. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Then heat up over the stovetop, toaster oven or in the microwave.
You can also freeze any leftovers in the freezer for up to 1 month. If you have a lot of leftovers, freeze in batches so that you don't need to defrost everything in order to have one slice.
Thaw out overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as usual.
Top Tip
Tenderizing veal is not necessary as it's not as tough as beef. But, ultimately that's a personal preference.
Add lemon zest to turn up the citrus flavor on this dish!
Simmering the veal for 20 minutes will allow any connective tissue to break down. However, if you don't have the time, you can skip it and serve immediately.
Baking Option
- After searing, place it in a baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Continue with deglazing using the sherry or wine. Add broth and lemon juice and lemon slices, top with sliced butter.
- Place in oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until veal is fork tender.
- Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, garnish with parsley and serve.
Substitutions and Variations
Want to make your veal piccata different or maybe you don't have an ingredient on hand? Here are some ideas:
- Chicken or Turkey - instead of using veal, use chicken or turkey cutlets
- Lemon Zest - add lemon zest for an extra citrus
- Anchovies or Sundried Tomatoes - swap out capers with anchovy fillets or sundried tomatoes
- Sherry - if you don't have sherry use a dry white wine or white vermouth
- Cream - add a touch of cream for a rich taste
- Gluten Free Flour - use gluten free flour to dredge the meat
The perfect recipe isn't that far away. I'd love to know how you substituted ingredients to fit your dietary needs. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
No. In fact it's a savory dish with lemon and butter creating a rich flavor paired with tender veal cutlets.
Amazingly, it originated from Italian immigrants in the United States in the 1930s. In that era veal was much cheaper than chicken.
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Recipe Details
Italian Veal Piccata
https://easyhomemaderecipes.caIngredients
- 1¼ lb Veal Cutlets 6 - 8 slices veal cutlets
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Butter divided
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup Sherry or White wine
- ½ cups Beef Broth or vegetable broth
- 1 medium lemon ½ juiced, ½ sliced
- 4 tbsp capers
- 2 sprigs parsley fresh, chopped or 1 tsp dry parsley
Instructions
- Dry off and season your veal cutlets. Dredge them in flour and set aside.1¼ lb Veal Cutlets, salt and pepper, ½ cup all purpose flour
- Sauté garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Brown veal on one side, flip and brown on the other.2 tbsp Butter, 3 tbsp Olive Oil, 1 clove garlic
- Remove veal and transfer to a plate.
- Pour white sherry or wine in skillet and deglaze pan, scraping bits from bottom.½ cup Sherry
- Return veal to the skillet. Add lemon juice, capers and broth.½ cups Beef Broth, 1 medium lemon, 4 tbsp capers
- Simmer veal in skillet covered for about 20 minutes on low.
- Cut remaining 1 tbsp of butter and place on top of veal. Allow the butter to melt.
- Garnish with parsley and lemon slices and serve with your favorite side dish.2 sprigs parsley
Notes
Top tip
The veal will be very tender so there is no need to pound the meat. Add lemon zest to turn up the citrus flavor on this dish! Simmering the veal for 20 minutes will allow any connective tissue to break down. However, if you don't have the time, you can skip it and serve immediately.Baking Option
- After searing, place it in a baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Continue with deglazing using the sherry or wine. Add broth and lemon juice and lemon slices, top with sliced butter.
- Place in oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until veal is fork tender.
- Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, garnish with parsley and serve.
Nutrition
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Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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