Easy Veal Piccata

Get ready to master one of Italy’s most elegant yet surprisingly simple dishes! This veal piccata transforms tender cutlets into a restaurant-worthy masterpiece with a luxurious lemon-caper sauce that’s pure gold in a pan.

The magic happens when butter meets white wine, creating a velvety sauce that’s bright with citrus and punctuated with briny capers. This is the kind of dish that makes random Tuesday nights feel like special occasions, and it takes just 25 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

For the Veal:

• 4 veal cutlets (150g/5 oz each)
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

For the Sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon (½ juiced and ½ sliced)
• 125ml/½ cup dry sherry or white wine
• 125ml/½ cup chicken stock
• 3 tbsp capers
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to its lowest setting (typically 170°F/75°C). Pat veal cutlets completely dry with paper towels – this ensures proper browning. Season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess. A thin, even coating is key.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook veal for 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Add 2 tbsp butter about 2 minutes into cooking. Work in batches if needed – overcrowding prevents proper browning. Transfer to warm oven.
3. Lower heat to medium-low. Add shallot and cook for 2 minutes until softened but not browned. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in 1 tbsp flour, stirring constantly to form a paste (1-2 minutes).
4. Pour in sherry or wine, scraping up browned bits (these contain flavor!). Let bubble for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced. Add stock, lemon juice, slices, capers, and parsley. Increase to medium-high until boiling, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer 3-4 minutes until sauce coats the back of a spoon.
5. Return veal to pan, spooning sauce over top. Sauce should be silky and coat the meat – if too thick, add stock 1 tbsp at a time. If too thin, simmer 1-2 minutes more. Serve immediately while sauce is hot and glossy.

Smart Swaps

• Use chicken cutlets instead of veal (cook 2-3 minutes per side)
• Substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock for vegetarian sauce
• Replace wine with additional stock plus 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Skip the flour dredging and use 2 tbsp almond flour instead (saves 12g carbs per serving)
• Replace wine with additional stock to reduce sugar content
• Serve with roasted vegetables instead of pasta (reduces meal glycemic load)

Pro Tips

• Room temperature meat browns better than cold
• Don’t move the cutlets while browning – let the crust develop
• Sauce should coat the back of a spoon but still flow freely