Need a quick dinner idea? Thin veal slices cook fast and come together as Scaloppine al Limone with a smooth lemon sauce and a fresh citrus finish.
My mom used to make this dish quite often, and I’ve always liked it. It’s quick to make and tastes delicious. It also has a refreshing quality from the lemon sauce. It’s a classic of Italian cuisine and quite popular outside of Italy.
If you’re not familiar with it, scaloppine is a simple Italian way of cooking thin slices of meat like veal, chicken, or pork.
The slices are lightly coated in flour, cooked quickly in a pan, then finished in a light sauce made in the same pan. Scaloppine (skah-loh-pee-neh) refers to this style of preparation.
It’s one of those comforting dishes where everything comes together quickly. The meat stays tender, and the sauce, often made with lemon, wine, butter, or capers, brings everything together.
Reasons to Make Lemon Scaloppine
- Good option when you want something warm without going into heavier meals.
- Keeps well in the fridge for a short time, making it practical for next-day meals.
- Fits easily into a normal week without needing extra planning or special ingredients.
Key Ingredients for Scaloppine al Limone
Veal Schnitzel
Veal gives the dish its delicate texture and mild flavour. Choose pale pink slices with very little connective tissue, and make sure they are thin or easy to flatten so they cook evenly.
Lemon Juice
Lemon brings brightness and balances the oil in the pan. Fresh juice works best, and unwaxed lemons are ideal since they tend to have a cleaner, more natural flavour.
Salt
Enhances the overall flavour and balances the acidity of the lemon. It should be adjusted carefully at the end once the sauce has reduced slightly.
Find the complete list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Scaloppine al Limone
Step 1: Flatten the veal schnitzels until they are approximately 0.5 cm – 0.2 inches thick.
Step 2: Coat the schnitzels evenly with flour.
Step 3: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the schnitzels, browning them well on both sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 4: Dissolve the cornstarch in 400 ml – 1 ¾ cups of water, then pour the mixture into the same pan. Add the lemon juice and cook, stirring, until the sauce starts to thicken. Season with salt.
Step 5: Return the schnitzels to the pan, coat them well with the lemon sauce, and cook for a few minutes.
Step 6: Serve warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh lemon juice is recommended for a cleaner flavour. Bottled juice can taste sharper and may affect the balance of the sauce.
You can use thin slices of chicken breast or pork as alternatives. Both work well with the same pan-frying method and lemon sauce, as long as the slices are kept thin so they cook quickly and stay tender.
Cook the slices quickly over medium heat and keep the cooking time short. This helps prevent the meat from becoming tough and keeps it tender.
It pairs well with roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables, or a simple green salad. These sides work well with the lemon sauce and don’t make the dish feel heavy.
Extra Help from the Kitchen
Pat the Meat Dry – Before coating with flour, lightly pat the veal dry with kitchen paper. This helps the flour stick evenly and prevents a pasty coating.
Rest the Meat Briefly – After pan-frying, let the veal rest for a minute before adding it back to the sauce. This helps it stay tender and keeps the juices from running out too quickly.
Strain the Lemon Juice – If your lemon has a lot of pulp or seeds, strain the juice before adding it to the pan. This keeps the sauce smooth and balanced.
Adjust Sauce Consistency Gradually – If the sauce thickens too quickly, add a small splash of water and stir gently. It should remain light enough to coat the meat without becoming dense.
Use a Wide Pan – A wider pan allows the sauce to reduce evenly and helps each piece of meat stay coated without overlapping.
Variations and Twists
Chicken Scaloppine – Swap the veal with thin chicken breast slices, flatten them if needed, then follow the same steps by coating in flour, pan-frying, and finishing in the lemon sauce.
Deglaze with White Wine – After removing the meat from the pan, add a splash of dry white wine and let it reduce slightly before adding the cornstarch mixture and lemon juice.
Stir in Butter – Once the sauce has thickened, add a small knob of butter and stir until melted before returning the meat to the pan.
Finish with Parsley – After coating the meat in the sauce, sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the top just before serving.
Pork Scaloppine – Substitute the veal with thin pork slices, keeping them evenly flattened, then cook the same way in the pan and coat with the lemon sauce at the end.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store the scaloppine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Freezing is possible, but the texture of the veal and sauce may change once thawed.
Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce and keep the meat tender.
Similar Italian Recipes to Explore
Scaloppine al Limone Recipe (Lemon Scaloppine)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 400 ml – 1 ¾ cups water
- 500 g – 1 lb veal schnitzel
- flour
- 1 lemon – juiced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Instructions
- Flatten the veal schnitzels until they are approximately 0.5 cm – 0.2 inches thick.
- Coat the schnitzels evenly with flour.
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the schnitzels, browning them well on both sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in 400 ml – 1 ¾ cups of water, then pour the mixture into the same pan. Add the lemon juice and cook, stirring, until the sauce starts to thicken. Season with salt.
- Return the schnitzels to the pan, coat them well with the lemon sauce, and cook for a few minutes.
- Serve warm.
this site is so lovely and appetizing. thank you so much!! can’t wait to try a few recipes!!
mmmmmMangia!
A casa mia facciamo poco vitello … ma con il pollo le faccio spesso … e le bimbe ne vanno matte!
Really mouth-watering recipe with the lemon sauce! And the picture is so appetizing, dear! Thanks for this delish recipe.
I’ve never made this with a nee or a nay but it looks too good not to try it.
I’ve got some nice veal for a veal veloute this week but maybe I should do this instead. 🙂
Veal scallopini was always a flavourite in our house too! I don’t eat veal (for ethical reasons in the way Canadian farmers deal with the animal) so my mom made pork scallopini for me. The lemon sauce sounds great, we used to just squeeze a fresh lemon over it. Than you for the lovely memory.