Milanesa de carne is one of the most beloved dishes in Argentine cooking: thin beef cutlets, breaded and fried until golden and crisp outside, juicy inside.
It’s an everyday dish, versatile enough to eat on its own, in a sandwich, or as the base for the classic milanesa a la napolitana, and it’s often one of the first recipes people learn to cook at home.
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Argentine Breaded Beef Cutlet
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
Nutrition
- Calories: 380
Ingredients
- 4 pieces of thin beef cutlets (top round or eye round) (4 thin cutlets)
- 2 of eggs
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley (optional)
- to taste of salt
- to taste of black pepper (optional)
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 2 cups of breadcrumbs
- as needed of neutral oil, for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the meat, cut the cutlets thin and even; if you want them more tender, gently pound them between two sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet.
- Season, place the cutlets in a bowl with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and parsley, and let them sit a few minutes to soak up the flavor.
- Coat in flour, dust each cutlet evenly with flour; this helps the egg stick better and gives a more even breading.
- Beat the eggs, in a shallow dish, beat the eggs with a little salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.
- Bread the cutlets, dip each floured cutlet in the beaten egg, then coat in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly so it sticks on both sides.
- Heat the oil, in a skillet, heat plenty of oil to about 170 to 175°C (340 to 345°F), without letting it smoke.
- Fry one at a time, cook the cutlets one at a time so the oil doesn’t lose temperature, browning both sides for 2 to 3 minutes each.
- Drain and serve, drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and serve hot.
Tips for getting them right
- Fry one cutlet at a time: adding several at once drops the oil temperature and makes the breading come out greasier.
- Press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the meat so the coating doesn’t come off during frying.
- Hot oil that isn’t smoking is key so the breading doesn’t fall apart.
- Pounding the meat before breading helps it turn out more tender and evenly thick.
Traditional variations
- Topped with cheese and tomato sauce, it becomes the classic milanesa a la napolitana.
- It’s also baked with a light drizzle of oil instead of fried, for a lighter version.
How to serve
Milanesa de carne is served hot, fresh out of the pan, as a main dish with simple sides.
It’s classically served with mashed potatoes, salad, or french fries, or made into a milanesa sandwich.
Recommended sides
- Mashed potatoes
- Salad
- French fries
- Sandwich bread
Did you know?
Milanesa arrived in Argentina through Italian immigration, inspired by cotoletta alla milanese, and became one of the most representative everyday dishes of Argentine cuisine.
Argentina even has a National Milanesa Day, celebrated every May 3rd in honor of this beloved dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Top round or eye round are commonly used, cut into thin, even cutlets, though other lean cuts are also used depending on availability.
The flour helps the beaten egg stick better to the surface of the meat, resulting in a more even and firmer breading.
Adding several pieces at once lowers the oil's temperature, which makes the breading absorb more oil and come out less crisp.
Yes, it's a common alternative: the breaded cutlets are placed on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil and baked until golden, for a lighter version.
