Air Fryer Veal Parmesan

This delicious and easy veal parmesan is battered in a delicious crispy breading and then cooked to a perfect golden brown in the air fryer before being topped with mozzarella and marinara sauce! It’s a lighter version of the classic, with minimal cleanup! 

This post is sponsored by Veal – Discover Delicious, funded by the Beef Farmers and Ranchers, but all opinions are my own.

Veal Parmesan combines crispy delicious fried veal cutlets and traditional red sauce spooned over top. A meal influenced by Italian immigrants that has become a classic staple in variations around the world. This recipe is inspired by the combination of the classic Italian dish of parmigiana and Cotoletta alla parmigiana, and has been adapted to use the air fryer for a quick cooking easy meal that begs to be made with veal to accentuate the flavors! 

And, you can enjoy a restaurant-style five-star veal parm by following this easy recipe—except you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home (or spend a ton of money)! This hearty dish, just like our veal saltimbocca is perfect for dinner with friends or family. Pair with your favorite vegetables or preferred side dish.

What is Veal Parmesan

It’s similar to chicken parmesan, but instead of tenderized chicken, veal parmesana is made with veal cutlets. The tender meat is breaded, fried, and topped with melty mozzarella and marinara sauce. 

If you’re not too familiar with veal cutlets, they are thin slices of meat from a young cow—typically taken from the round hindquarters of the leg. Because they are thin, they are perfect for quick cooking recipes with bold flavors, like this or the favorite veal scallopini or veal piccata.

Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Veal Parmesan

You’ll love how delicious this easy veal parmesan is to make and how golden, crispy, and tender it is cooked in the air fryer. All you need are several simple ingredients from your local grocery store.  As far as timeless American-Italian recipes go, this veal parmigiana is easy to make, filling, flavorful, and satisfying. It’s packed with protein and plenty of delicious flavors and textures. 

This veal parmesan is the perfect meal to serve for a family gathering any night of the week. Guests will be impressed when you serve this perfectly cooked crispy veal covered in a flavorful marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese. I wouldn’t be surprised if they asked you for this veal parmesan recipe before they leave!

Air Fryer Veal Parmesan Ingredients

For the veal:

• Veal Cutlets 
• Eggs 
• Salt – we always use kosher salt
• Black Pepper
• Panko bread crumbs or pork panko (We use pork panko to keep things keto and love this kind!)  
• Grated Parmesan Cheese (fresh parmesan cheese, not the shaking kind)
• Girl Carnivore Over Easy (or Italian Seasoning blend)
• Marinara Sauce (or your favorite simple tomato sauce)
• Mozzarella Cheese

For serving:

• Zoodles (zucchini noodles or spaghetti noodles) 
• Marinara Sauce 
• Fresh Basil 
• Fresh Parsley 

How to Make Veal Parmesan

Prep the veal cutlets: 

Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.

Next, pat the veal dry and pound it into thin cutlets with a meat mallet, about ¼ inch thick. If you need to, cut your veal into manageable portions so that it will fit in the air fryer.

Then, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs gently. 

In a shallow dish, combine your bread crumb mixture for the coating. Mix the salt, pepper, panko (or pork panko if you’re keeping it keto), grated parmesan cheese, and Girl Carnivore Over Easy spice blend.

Dip the cutlets into the beaten egg mixture and shake off any excess before dipping them into your seasoned breadcrumb mixture. Gently pat the cutlets so that the coating sticks, making sure to coat both sides.

Air fry the veal cutlets: 

Spray the wire cooking rack with non-stick cooking spray. This helps the culets to not stick and lose any of the crispy coating.

Then place the veal cutlet in the wire basket in a single layer making sure no pieces overlap.

Cook for 7 to 8 minutes until the panko is a beautiful golden brown. 

Pro tip: if your air fryer has a crisp feature, now is the time to use it! It really helps the veal cutlets get that ‘fried’ crispy texture without deep frying them!

Once the veal is crisped to 140 degrees F,  carefully spoon the marinara over each cutlet, then top with mozzarella and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the cheese has melted and browned.

The veal should be 145 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer, according to the USDA , but they are thin and can be hard to test with the probe. When they are golden and crisp on both sides, it’s a good sign they are cooked through.

Serve: 

Serve the air fryer veal parmesan immediately over cooked zoodles tossed in marinara and garnish with freshly chopped basil or parsley. 

What to Serve with Veal Parmesan

The best way to serve veal parmesan recipe is with spaghetti or your favorite pasta (in this case, zoodles to keep things low carb)—topped with even more marinara sauce and fresh parmesan! Serving your parm with zoodles is a great way to squeeze in some extra veggies under the radar and cut out unnecessary carbs. It also pairs well with a side of green beans or your favorite veggies.

Reheating & Leftovers

For leftovers, store the veal parmesan in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. If stored properly, it should hold up well until then. 

Rehearing your leftovers the next day:  Place cutlets in the air fryer and crisp them until warm. The air fryer is the best option to keep your veal parm crisp and avoid any sogginess. Alternatively, you can arrange your leftovers on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 400 degrees f until warm.

FAQs

More DELICIOUS VEAL RECIPES

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Classic Veal Milanese

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Ground Veal Tacos

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Veal Piccata 

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Veal Meatballs

Next time you’re looking for a tasty meal to serve and impress guests with, give this veal parmesan recipe a try! It’s not only easy to make but incredibly scrumptious. Your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen bringing this Italian dish to life. Let us know how your veal parm turned out by leaving a comment below!

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