This 4-ingredient Sausage Schnitzel is made with sausage meat coated in crispy panko, then pan fried or air fried until golden and delicious!

This was one of those lightbulb ideas that I really wanted to work, and thankfully it absolutely does. The fat in the sausage keeps the centre really juicy, even when it’s pressed nice and thin, while the outside gets properly crisp and golden. Better still, the sausage already brings most of the seasoning and flavour, so there’s very little you actually need to do to it! Follow me…

close up shot of sausage schnitzel with chips and ketchup on white plate

Ingredient Notes

Okay, I promised 4 ingredients, and I stand by that. I’ve put the full quantities down in the recipe card, but I just wanted to quickly go over each one first:

Sausage Meat – I prefer a fairly lightly seasoned sausage meat here so the flavour doesn’t overpower the schnitzel; although you can absolutely experiment with different varieties.
Flour – This gives the egg something to cling to and helps the coating stay firmly attached.
Eggs – These act as the glue between the flour and panko. Make sure they’re thoroughly beaten so the schnitzels get an even coating.
Panko – Definitely my breadcrumb of choice here. It gives you a much lighter, crispier coating than regular breadcrumbs.

overhead shot of sausage schnitzel ingredients with text labels

Preparing the Schnitzels

The perfect thing about using sausage meat is that you don’t need to mix it with extra seasoning; it doesn’t need an egg or anything; it’s ready to rock and roll straight out of the package. Unlike chicken or pork, you also don’t need to pound it – just simply use your hands to form a patty.

I first tested this by just forming the patties with my hands, but found it stuck to whatever surface I was pressing them on. As such, I recommend pressing them onto parchment/baking paper, so you can easily peel them off.

From there, it’s a simple coating of flour, egg and Panko. Go easy on the seasoning, because sausage is (or at least should) be well-seasoned. You just need a pinch of salt and pepper in the flour and Panko to ensure the crumb itself isn’t bland.

Process shots: add sausage to baking paper (photo 1), form into patty (photo 2), remove paper (photo 3), coat in flour (photo 4), coat in egg (photo 5), coat in Panko (photo 6).

6 step by step photos showing how to prepare sausage schnitzels

Recipe Tip

I have tested this recipe multiple times, and the patty has never fallen apart. Just be careful when you’re dredging it; you want it fully coated, but don’t press the flour or Panko in too firmly, or it could tear. I typically use two hands to dredge the patty.

Cooking Methods

I offer two cooking methods for this recipe. Here’s what I found from the testing phase:

Pan Fry – this will produce the crispiest schnitzel. It’s also the quickest method of the two. The downsides are that it can turn out to be quite rich because of the oil the crumb absorbs, and it requires a little more attention.
Air Fry – this doesn’t come out quite as crispy as pan-frying, but it’s a great lighter option and less hands-on than frying.

I did test baking, but because the schnitzels are so thin, the sausage dries out a little more by the time the crumb is properly crisp. It is also the least crispy option.

2 photos showing how to cook sausage schnitzels

close up shot of sausage schnitzels on wire rack

Serving Suggestions

The awesome thing about this schnitzel is it pairs with so many different things. Here are my favourites:

Chips and Ketchup – keeping it retro. Especially good with Air Fryer Chips. Heck, add some baked beans if you fancy!
Mash and Gravy – awesome with Mustard Mashed Potatoes and Red Wine Onion Gravy (or even All Purpose Gravy).
Sandwich – stuff into a soft roll with shredded lettuce, pickles and mustard mayo. A little apple slaw would also work really nicely.
Curry – either go Chip Shop Curry Sauce with chips, or serve it katsu-style with Japanese curry and rice.
Slaw & Salad – pile on some Crisp Apple Slaw and serve with a Simple Side Salad.

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this sausage schnitzel shall we?!

sausage schnitzel with onion gravy and mash on small white plate

How to make Sausage Schnitzels (Full Recipe & Video)

sausage schnitzel on white plate with onion gravy and mash

Sausage Schnitzels

By: Chris Collins

This 4-ingredient Sausage Schnitzel is made with sausage meat coated in crispy panko, then pan fried or air fried until golden and delicious!

Prep: 20

Cook: 15

Total: 35

Servings: schnitzels

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Equipment

Baking/Parchment Paper
3 Large Shallow Dishes (for dredging patties)
Large Pan & Tongs or Air Fryer
Wire Rack

Ingredients

▢ 1lb / 450g Sausage Meat (see notes)
▢ 1/4 cup / 40g All Purpose/Plain Flour
▢ 2 Eggs, beaten
▢ 1 1/2 cups / 100g Panko Breadcrumbs
▢ 1/2 tsp EACH: Salt, Black Pepper (see notes)
▢ Vegetable Oil, as needed (if pan frying)
▢ Oil Spray, as needed (if air frying)

Instructions

Divide the sausage meat into 4 portions. One by one, take a portion and place it on a sheet of baking/parchment paper. Use your hands to press down and shape it into a 6" x 4" patty.
Line up 3 large shallow dishes: the first with flour and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper, the second with beaten eggs and the third with Panko and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. One by one, take a patty and carefully dredge it through the flour, then in the egg, then finish in the Panko. Make sure the patty is completely coated at each stage; just don't be too firm, otherwise the patties could break apart. Keep in mind that firmly pressing the flour/Panko into the meat too hard will cause it to expand and get thinner.
Pan fry: add enough oil to comfortably coat the base of a large (preferably heavy-based) pan, then place it over medium-high heat. You want the oil hot enough that a crumb rapidly sizzles (350F/180C to be precise if you have a thermometer). Once hot, add 2 schnitzels and fry both sides for 3 minutes until golden and crisp on the outside and piping hot right through the centre. Remove and place on a wire rack with a tray or paper towels underneath to catch excess oil, then repeat with the remaining schnitzels. You can gently pat the schnitzels with paper towel to remove a little oil if you'd like.
Air fry: space out the schnitzels in the air fryer and liberally spray the top side with oil. Cook at 400F/200C for 7 minutes. After, carefully flip them over, liberally spray again, then cook again for 5-7 minutes, or until golden and crisp and piping hot right through the centre. You will likely need to do this in two batches.
Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Sausage meat – In the US, look for bulk or ground pork sausage; mild breakfast sausage would work nicely, or you can use mild Italian sausage if you don’t mind the extra seasoning. My folks in the UK, I typically use ready-ground sausage meat, but you can also squeeze the meat from regular sausages. I prefer something fairly lightly seasoned here, but you can absolutely experiment with different flavours.

b) Seasoning – Sausage is already well-seasoned, so you don’t need much in the crumb. I just add a little salt and pepper to make sure it’s not bland. I wouldn’t add more salt than stated in the recipe; if you feel it needs more, just sprinkle some more over at the end. In terms of other seasonings (paprika, garlic powder etc.) I did test this, but found they were just distracting, as again, the sausage adds plenty of flavour.

c) Cooked sausage – USDA guidelines recommend 160°F/71°C for pork sausage. Since sausage brands and schnitzel thicknesses can vary, this is the safest temperature to aim for if you’ve got a thermometer.

d) Calories – per schnitzel assuming it has been air fried.