Have you ever had an intense craving for those breaded steaks you’ve tried once in an Argentinian or Mexican restaurant?
That particular dish is termed as “Milanesa”. The Milanesa, or “cotoletta alla milanese" in Italian, is the Latin American variation of the Italian dish. Milanesa recipes use generic types of breaded meat fillets.
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A Little Background
Milanesa was brought to South America by immigrants from the Italian diaspora from 1860s-1920s – Yes, the dish is as old as time.
As a matter of fact, the original Italian recipe bears a resemblance to the Austrian Wiener Schnitzel which also looks and somewhat tastes the same.
And so it seems like these dishes are just copycats of each other. Regardless of their origins, Milanesa sure tastes great. It is loved by people of all ages as much as their undying love for fried chicken.
How Is Milanesa Made?
Milanesa consists of thin slices of generic meats such as beef, chicken, veal, or sometimes pork.
The sliced meat is then dipped into beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper, and other condiments according to the recipe you’re following.
To achieve a crunchy texture, the egg-dipped meats are subsequently coated with breadcrumbs or flour. They are then shallow-fried in oil.
Food-conscious people prefer to use very little oil in frying the meat and then bake them in the oven for a healthier alternative. A similar dish is the chicken parmigiana.
Now, there are a lot of ways to cook Milanesa. It depends on your preference and if there’s a particular taste or texture you want to achieve.
You may also add some veggies if you like. The thing is, you can experiment a lot on this dish, but for some reference, listed below are the best Milanesa recipes.
The Best Milanesa Recipes You Should Try At Home
Milanesa Napolitana Recipe
Milanesa a la Napolitana is thought to have been invented in the 1940s at a Buenos Aires restaurant called “Nápoli”. It has the characteristic tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese ingredients of Italian recipes.
This dish is more sophisticated compared to the typical Milanesa. Cook this dish for your next dinner date or family gathering.
Prepare several batches of this dish because we’re sure everyone won’t be getting enough of its delicious taste!
If there’s any leftover left, pair it with a crusty roll for a hearty lunch.
What You’ll Need
- 5 skillet steaks (thinly sliced)
- 5 slices deli ham
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp oregano
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 bag fries
Procedure
Step 1. Whisk eggs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Also, add in oregano. Set aside.
Step 2. In a separate bowl, stir Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and bread crumbs. Mix well until evenly distributed.
Step 3. Prepare the steaks. First, dip each slice in the egg mixture then transfer it to the crumb-filled bowl. Make sure to coat each side of the meat thoroughly with the crumbs.
Step 4. Heat olive oil in two skillets over medium heat for two minutes. In one skillet, pour one cup olive oil then fry steaks for several minutes while flipping each side occasionally. Fry until golden brown and crispy.
In the other pre-heated skillet, use 2 cups olive oil for deep-frying the fries. Fry until semi-brown
Drain excess oil from the meats and fries by placing them on paper towels.
Step 5. Turn the oven on. Get a baking sheet then lay fried steaks on it. Top each steak with a slice of ham and 4-5 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.Broil until cheese melts.
Step 6. Serve warm Milanesa with fries as sides. Enjoy!
Milanesa De Res Recipe
This next recipe is the Mexican variant of Milanesa. This recipe is an excellent way of spicing up the thin round steaks sitting in your fridge.
This recipe serves Milanesa together with salad and fried potatoes, sometimes rice or beans. You can also opt for other meats – it can be beef, pork, or chicken. For this recipe, we’ll be using beef.
What You’ll Need
- 6 pcs thin round steaks
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup olive/vegetable oil
- 3 medium sized potatoes (wedged)
For The Salad:
- 4 ounces lettuce/mixed greens
- ½ finely shredded carrots
- 2 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (garnish)
Procedure
Step 1. Whisk eggs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Also, add in garlic. Set aside.
Step 2. Peel potatoes and slice them vertically – not too thick nor too thin.
Step 3. In a large and flat dish, spread bread crumbs, covering the entire plate.
Step 4. Dip each steak slice into the egg mixture then to the breading. Turn the slices to coat both sides.
Step 5. Proceed to fry the steaks. Heat olive oil in two skillets over medium heat for two minutes then cook the steaks for about 2-3 minutes each side until they turn golden brown.
Fry potatoes and steaks simultaneously. Drain excess oil by placing them on paper towels.
Step 6. For the salad, wash your greens first then tear it to bite-sized pieces. Blot them with a paper towel to dry them up.
Step 7. Put greens in a big salad bowl. Pour in shredded carrots. Add any other vegetables you like such as tomatoes, herbs, cucumber, and just about anything.
Step 8. Dress the salad with vinegar.
Step 9. Serve warm steaks with fried potatoes and salad as sumptuous sides. Enjoy!
Steak Milanesa Torta (Beef Cutlet Sandwich) Recipe
The steak Milanesa torta is a Mexican steak sandwich you’ll rarely find in Mexican restaurants, not even in Taco Bell.
A torta is a sandwich made from a bolillo roll and comes with lettuce, tomato, and crema Mexicana. Most tortas are also served with refried beans and avocado but they’re not really necessary.
This dish is one of the most delicious dishes ever created because it combines crunchy fried meat with bread, avocado, and sour cream.
It’s also quite a breeze to prepare too – don’t let the long recipe scare you off! It’s in fact very very easy.
What You’ll Need
- ½ cup olive oil
- 4 top-round steaks (1/4” thick)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 1 cup bread crumbs/1 cup flour
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp zest of lime
- 4 crusty hoagie rolls
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- ¼ cup sliced jalapenos
- 2 avocados (peeled and thinly sliced)
For The Roasted Salsa:
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 quartered tomatoes
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 sliced jalapeno
- ½ tbsp salt
- ½ tbsp pepper
- 1 quartered white onion
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 4 tbsp zest of lime
Procedure
Step 1. Whisk eggs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Step 2. In a separate bowl, pour in bread crumbs.
Step 3. Prepare the steaks. First, dip each slice in the egg mixture then transfer it to the crumb-filled bowl. Make sure to coat each side of the meat lightly with the crumbs.
Step 4. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat for two minutes. Fry steaks for three minutes each side. Fry until golden brown and crispy.
Drain excess oil by placing them on paper towels.
Step 5. In a small bowl, mix sour cream, lime zest, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Step 6. Cut hoagie rolls lengthwise. Lightly spread one side with the sour cream mixture. Set aside.
Roasted Salsa Preparation
Step 7. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, onions, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place mixed vegetables on a baking sheet and roast until soft for 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 9. Pour the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add in remaining olive oil, cilantro, vinegar, sugar, and lime juice. Use the Pulse mode and blend until chunky.
Putting It All Together
Step 10. Lay one steak each over the sour cream spread sides of the hoagie rolls. Top with lettuce, roasted salsa, jalapenos, and avocados. Enjoy!
Final Thoughts
There are definitely a lot of ways to cook milanesa.
Again, it depends on the taste and texture you want to achieve. You can also add sauces, cheeses, potatoes, and salads to make the dish more sophisticated.
You just have to retain the basic similarity in all Milanesa dishes which is breaded and shallow-fried meat.
Also, you can opt for chicken meat instead of beef or pork if you’re looking for a healthier alternative.
Hey there! Have you tried cooking Milanesa? What recipe did you use? Teach us, master! We’d love to hear how you made your Milanesa in the comment section below.
Did you find this article useful? Have you learned? Why not share this on your social media accounts so we can teach others too? Cheers!
Offtopic: A big percentage of the Mexican population is fluent in speaking and writing in English. If you’re struggling with the English language, you might want to enroll in English Tutor Singapore to master the language. Soon enough, you’ll find that it’s a great investment especially when you’re in the globetrotting business.