Air Fryer Beef Schnitzel

This recipe for homemade air fryer beef schnitzel will be a hit with your entire family. Quick to prepare, and quick to cook. The herb crumb delicious and crisp, and goes beautifully with the tender schnitzel.

How to make crumbed beef schnitzel in an air fryer

I often cook crumbed beef schnitzel in my air fryer. What a quick and easy way to cook a delicious beef steak! The meat is tender, the herb crumb is crisp and flavorful, and it cooks in no time in the air fryer.

An air fryer does a great job of making sure that the outside of the meat is crispy and crunchy without adding any excess oil like you often get when you pan fry schnitzel.

Some of my other favorite air fried beef recipes are: air fryer steak, air fryer beef roast, air fryer jerky, and air fryer meatballs. 

Scroll down for the free printable recipe card for this air fryer schnitzel, or read on for all the details.

Ingredient list and substitutions

• Beef schnitzel. I buy ready-prepared beef schnitzel from my butcher. Thinly sliced minute steaks, cube steak, or Rouladen style beef all will work for this recipe. Alternatively you can prepare your own beef schnitzel by pounding a cut of steak with a meat mallet or rolling it with a rolling pin between two sheets of parchment until it is ¼ inch thick.
• Breadcrumbs. This recipe calls for panko crumbs for the breading. I like to use these as they tend to come out crisper, and have a more satisfying crunch, but you can use whatever type of bread crumbs you like.
• Flour. Use all-purpose flour. 
• Herb mix. I use a dried herb mix such as herbes de Provence, or an Italian herb mix. You can use a store-bought mix, or mix your own, but you need around 2 tablespoons in total. If you prefer spices schnitzel, you can try using a mix of spices like paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and black pepper.  
• Egg. This helps to bind the crumb to the beef. If you don’t have any eggs you could use mayonnaise instead.

Variations

For a low-carb beef schnitzel/ keto beef schnitzel:

• Substitute flax meal or ground hemp hearts instead of breadcrumbs
• Use low carb flour in place of the all-purpose flour (try coconut flour or almond flour)

You can make a gluten-free version of this beef schnitzel by substituting flour and breadcrumbs for a gluten free alternative.

Directions

• Step 1: Pat beef schnitzel dry, and cut any large pieces in half.
• Step 2: Mix bread crumbs and herbs de Provence in a shallow bowl.
• Step 3: Add flour to a separate bowl, place beef in flour and toss to coat. Add egg to the bowl with the beef, split the yolk, and toss to coat. This is a good time to preheat the air fryer. 
• Place each piece of beef into the bowl with breadcrumbs, and turn to coat thoroughly. Transfer to a plate, and press the panko crumbs onto the beef to help them stick.
• Place beef schnitzels in air fryer basket. Ensure they are not touching. You may need to cook the schnitzels in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Note: If your air fryer basket is prone to food sticking, you can give it a spritz of olive oil before placing the schnitzels in it. 
• Air fry beef schnitzel until golden brown and cooked through. This will take approximately 7-10 minutes. The exact cook time will depend on how thick the schnitzels are and how powerful your air fryer is. Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer to ensure that it has reached the safe temperature of 145°F/ 63°C, and air fryer for additional 1-2 minutes if required. 

Note: If you don’t have an air fryer you can also pan fry these schnitzels, or cook them in a regular oven (place on a lined baking tray, and bake for 10-12 minutes at 430°F/220°C).

How to serve beef schnitzels

One of the things I love about beef schnitzel is how versatile it is. It makes an excellent beef dinner for the family, and can be served a number of ways: 

• Pair with a side of slaw and fries for a tasty family dinner,
• Serve in a bun with salad and ranch dressing,
• Pile on slices of bread with slaw or salad for the most delicious crispy beef sandwiches

Recipe Card

You may also like:

• Air fryer pork schnitzel
• Air fryer lamb steaks
• Air fryer chicken poppers
• Air fryer chicken breast
• Air fryer beef recipes