Veal Francaise
The Best Veal Francaise
Veal Francaise is a classic Italian-American dish with a light, flavorful twist to tender veal. With its golden-brown, crispy exterior and delicate buttery sauce, this dish is both comforting and sophisticated. The lightly battered and sautéed veal absorbs the bright flavors of a lemon-infused sauce, creating a perfect balance of savory and tangy. Whether served with a side of pasta or steamed vegetables, Veal Francaise stands out as an elegant main course for any occasion.
Dipping veal in flour and egg before pan-frying creates a crisp crust while keeping the meat moist and juicy. The sauce, a harmonious blend of lemon, white wine, and butter, finishes the dish with a richness that enhances the veal without overpowering it. This recipe is perfect for those who want to impress with a restaurant-quality meal that’s simple to prepare at home. It’s ideal for a special dinner but easy enough for any weeknight.
In this post, I’ll share my approach to Veal Francaise, offering step-by-step instructions and tips to ensure the veal turns out perfectly every time. Enjoy a delicious, flavorful dish that combines the best of Italian culinary tradition with a modern twist.
Veal Francaise at the Fellini Cafe
Last night, my wife and I enjoyed a marvelous dinner with our next-door neighbors. Bob and Barbara took us to their favorite local Italian restaurant, Frankie's Fellini Cafe, and promised it would offer the best Italian food in the area.
This BYOB spot sits in a mini strip mall with an all-glass front, giving you a clear view of the bustling inside. It’s cozy, with about 20 tables.
We were greeted by Frankie himself, who’s been in the restaurant business since 1978 and has run this Berwyn, PA location for 12 years. They make homemade pasta, fresh bread, and hand-filled cannoli from scratch.
The restaurant isn’t fancy or pretentious. The wait staff makes you feel right at home from the moment you sit down—my kind of place.
Frankie's Fellini Cafe
Veal Francaise
When my friend told me this would be the best Italian food ever, I felt the challenge of finding something on the menu to test his bravado. As soon as I saw veal Francaise, I thought back to my days in New York City when I used to go to a now-closed restaurant called Guido's in the back of Supreme Macaroni.
Supreme Macaroni Restaurant in NYC
I've written about Guido's in a post about the best chicken piccata and how it was where they shot the cover for Billy Joel's The Stranger Album. They also had the best veal Francaise ever, so now I had something to compare with, although it's been over 30 years since I've been to Guido's.
Veal Francaise History
Also spelled Vitello Francese, this popular Italian-American dish arrived in New York with the wave of Italian immigrants. While not an authentic Italian dish, it evolved from recipes brought to the United States by these immigrants.
You won’t find Vitello Francese or Veal Francaise on any menus in Italy. Instead, you’ll likely see "indorato," which means "encased in gold." This term refers to veal or chicken cutlets dredged in breading and fried.
I’ve read that veal Francaise became extremely popular in Rochester, N.Y., home to a large Italian-American population. Unfortunately, the cost of veal led many to substitute chicken, and the name was shortened to Chicken French.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the history of this classic dish, I recommend checking out the website A Food Obsession, which explores the origins of Chicken Francaise in much greater detail.
What is Veal Francaise?
Veal Francaise is a dish made with veal cutlets dipped in an egg batter and then sautéed in a sauce of white wine, butter, and lemon juice. The recipe has numerous variations depending on your location or the region of Italy from which it originates.
For Veal Francaise, also known as round steak, the cutlets should come from the leg of the calf. They should be thin and boneless. Avoid cutlets from the calf shoulder, as they are less tender due to the connective tissue.
Difference Between Veal Cutlets and Veal Scallopini
Both cutlets and scallopini come from the leg or top round, but scallopini refers to veal sliced very thin and then pounded even thinner. Cutlets are thicker, typically about ¼ inch thick.
What is the difference between veal piccata and Francaise?
Not much. If you want to compare, check out my recipe for Chicken Piccata, but the main difference is in the preparation. Both dishes use a lemon butter sauce, but Veal Francaise dips the cutlet in flour and an egg wash before frying, while veal piccata only dips the cutlet in flour.
Additionally, piccata adds capers to the sauce, while Francaise does not.
📖 Recipe
Veal Francaise
Ingredients
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 lemon slice thin for garnish
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 pound veal cutlets boneless - 8 cutlets
- salt and pepper to taste
- flour for dredging cutlets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup heavy cream optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients, including juicing one lemon and slicing the other.
- Flatten the veal cutlets to a uniform ¼ inch thickness by placing them between two sheets of wax paper and hitting them with a meat hammer, rolling pin, or saucepan.
- Season the cutlets with salt and pepper.
- If frying four cutlets at a time (see note below), dredge 4 in the flour, knocking off any excess flour, and then into the beaten egg.
- Heat your fry pan over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and when hot, add the four coated veal cutlets.
- Cook for 2 minutes on one side, flip, and another 2 minutes on the other.
- Transfer the four cutlets to a plate, cover them with foil and keep them warm.
- Repeat the same process with the other four cutlets.
- After removing the last four cutlets from the pan, reduce heat to medium, add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and wine, and stir to combine.
- After 3 minutes, whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time, and then the heavy cream if using.
- Return the reserved veal cutlets to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes to reheat and combine with the sauce.
- Add sauce to each plate, top with two cutlets, a little more sauce, and sprinkle with minced parsley.
- Serve.
Notes
On the Side
At Frankie's, my veal Francaise was served with a bowl of spaghetti with bolognese sauce, charred broccoli, and sweet Italian peppers. And red wine, of course.
Spaghetti Bolognese
Some of My Favorite Veal Recipes
- The Best Veal Marsala Recipe with Step-by-Step Instructions
- Classic Veal Saltimbocca Recipe: An Italian Favorite
- Pan Roasted Veal Chops Recipe
- How to Prepare A Tasty Veal Osso Buco Recipe
- Veal Madeira with Artichoke Hearts Recipe
- Veal Scallopini with Artichokes Recipe
- Veal Stew with Mushrooms Recipe
- How to Make Delicious Beef Shanks Osso Buco Recipe
Jeanne
Absolutely the Best!!!! I also sauteed mushrooms to add to sauce at end!!!
Jennifer
Absolutely delicious ... wish I could pin it ???
G. Stephen Jones
Thanks Jennifer.
Veronica Reidel
Where can I buy your book please?
G. Stephen Jones
Hi Veronica, no need to buy. I posted all the content on my website for you to go and check out.I decided I would rather post the content rather than sell the ebook.
Kevin Knox
Make this dish every holiday! Thanks for sharing your version
Dia Cummings
`Have always wanted to make veal and chicken francaise and found your recipe . Had veal ready to go today and I am so glad I tried your recipe!! It was absolutely delicious!!! Simple, easy and turned out amazing!! I love to cook and really surprised that I hadn't tried a franchise recipe before, guess just I thought it as more complicated. I have now bookmarked it so I'll always have it. Thanks so much for sharing.
G. Stephen Jones
You are very welcome and thanks for reaching out.
robert jannicelli
I have enjoyed Veal Franchaise my whole life!
This recipe is the prize winner of them all!!
Thank you so much for posting this great recipe!
Rob
G. Stephen Jones
Robert, you are very welcome and thanks for letting me know.
Stacey O'Connor
I’ve had many different versions of veal francais and I have to say that this was the best I’ve had. I’ve served it over the holidays and my children (who are very picky eaters) absolutely loved this. Thank you.
G. Stephen Jones
Stacey, thanks for letting me know. Much appreciated.
Kamilia
I tried this recipe for the first time, and made the sauce without adding cream. My children loved the taste of the veal, both with and without sauce. Thank you!
G. Stephen Jones
Hi Kamilia, you are welcome and thanks for letting me know.
Mary Anne
I want to make this but always use c
Sherry in chicken French. Is there a reason for white wine?
G. Stephen Jones
It's up to the individual's taste. If you like sherry, go for it. White wine is more traditional but go for what you like.
Professor
O!M!G! This recipe is amazing. It turned out as good as any I’ve had in 5-star restaurants in New York. This is my new favorite veal recipe. I can’t have cream, so I used whole milk and a little added flour to the sauce to thicken it up just a bit. And I adore the flavor of lemon, so I used 2 lemons- I may have had small lemons, IDK, but it tasted amazing. I will be making this again and again and again.
G. Stephen Jones
Thanks for letting me know, and love your substitution of whole milk.
John Reed
I had to make some significant modifications for diet reasons. Almond flour and non-dairy creamer. I also added mushrooms and capers. The almond flour didn’t really work but it was still really good! I hope my digestive system is ok with this. I need some real food!
G. Stephen Jones
Love the mushrooms and capers. Thanks for letting me know.
charrington
Overall, it was very good but needed help. Before the cream, the sauce was too thin and lemony. After the cream, it was bland. There was no seasoning in the sauce. I added thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic and brought it to a boil for a couple of minutes after I added the cutlets back in so the flour would help to thicken the sauce. With roasted asparagus and ziti, it was very good. Also - I used the whole sauce recipe with a half pound of veal, which was just enough. It does not need sliced lemon- that would be lemon overkill.
G. Stephen Jones
Thanks for the suggestions.
Denise
I am making this recipe for the first time tonight.
Q. Do you flour the veal before the egg then into the pan with oil ?
G. Stephen Jones
Yes, it is flour than egg. Happy Cooking!