If you’re wondering what to serve with your wiener schnitzel, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 13 of the most popular side dishes for wiener schnitzel.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best side dishes to serve with wiener schnitzel are German potato salad, spaetzle, rotkohl, and pasta pomodoro. You can also include hasselback potatoes, rice pilaf, Tuscan mushrooms, and couscous. Try serving veggie gratin, mushy peas, green beans, gurkensalat, and arugula salad for healthier options.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
German potato salad
One of the most traditional side dishes to serve with wiener schnitzel is a German potato salad.
Unlike your usual American potato salad, it has no mayonnaise.
Instead, the potatoes are tossed in a vinegar-based dressing.
You get a tangy salad with a smoky and spicy kick from the bacon and mustard.
It’s traditionally served warm, but you can also serve it after being chilled.
Sounds like something you’d like to try?
Check out Closet Cooking for this delicious warm German potato salad recipe.
Spaetzle
Spaetzle is a little German dumpling made from a simple egg batter.
It’s a traditional German dish that is usually served with wiener schnitzel.
To cook them, you parboil the dumplings then toast them until they start to brown a little.
You can serve them as is, with just a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of cheese on top.
But I like to toss them in a cheese sauce when I serve them with schnitzel.
They’re super easy to make, and you can improvise with your kitchen tools to form these tiny dumplings.
Jo Cooks’ homemade spaetzle recipe will guide you through making these step-by-step.
Wild rice pilaf
Wiener schnitzel on its own can get boring.
So why not jazz it up with a wild rice pilaf side dish?
This pilaf is packed to the brim with delicious flavors and add-ins that’ll knock your socks off.
It’s also a dish that’s guaranteed to satisfy you.
If you can’t find wild rice, you can substitute it with brown rice instead.
You can easily make a triple batch of this delicious pilaf with Simply Whisked’s recipe.
Rotkohl
Rotkohl is another famous German dish.
It features red cabbage and green apples braised in red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar.
Despite being cooked for an hour, rotkohl is not mushy.
Instead, it has a lovely, tender texture.
It also has a sweet and sour flavor combination that works nicely with fried food like wiener schnitzel.
I like eating rotkohl fresh off the stove, but letting it sit overnight in the fridge really helps to bring out its depth of flavor.
Get a taste of this delicious dish with the help of the recipe from House of Nash Eats.
Veggie gratin
Want to wow your friends with your Michelin-level cooking skills?
Serve a tray of veggie gratin alongside your schnitzel at your next dinner party.
They’ll think you’re some kind of master chef with how gorgeous this veggie gratin is.
And the best part? It’s really easy to make.
Roasting the zucchini, eggplant, and tomato slices bring out their natural sweetness, making them an excellent side dish for a meaty main like schnitzel.
I like to sprinkle some parmesan and provolone on top before baking.
Ready to impress your friends?
Try it out with this recipe from Simply Recipes.
Pasta pomodoro
Place your freshly cooked schnitzel on top of your pasta pomodoro, and you’ve got a tasty meal worth posting on your Instagram feed.
Pasta pomodoro is an easy dish to make – just make sure you use quality ingredients to get the best dish.
You can even skip making a sauce for your schnitzel with this pasta dish.
Just smother your schnitzel with the pomodoro sauce – Yum!.
Head on to Two Peas and Their Pod to get the recipe.
Mushy peas
Take your schnitzel to the next level by serving it with a side of mushy peas.
They are sweet and creamy, the perfect accompaniment to a freshly fried wiener schnitzel.
I like mine to have bits and pieces of whole peas intact, but you can mash them until smooth.
Mushy peas are traditionally made with dried marrowfat peas.
But Great British Recipes has come up with a recipe that uses frozen peas.
This significantly cuts your prep time, but don’t worry – you’re still getting that delicious, creamy taste.
Gurkensalat
Gurkensalat is also known as a German cucumber salad.
It’s a low-carb, healthy side dish to serve alongside fried food like schnitzel.
Gurkensalat has a sour cream-based dressing.
This makes gurkensalat a creamy but light and refreshing dish.
I like to add a dash of sugar to the dressing for a hint of sweetness, but you can skip it if you’re monitoring your sugar intake.
Make this simple and delicious dish with the recipe from That Lowcarb Life.
Mediterranean couscous
To make schnitzel a complete meal, you need a filling side dish to go with it.
Make this Mediterranean couscous if you want to skip the potato dishes.
This couscous recipe has the starch and the veggies needed for a well-rounded meal.
Just pop your wiener schnitzel beside a serving of your couscous, and you’re good to go.
Jessica Gavin has a fantastic recipe to help you make the best Mediterranean couscous ever.
It features a delicious lemon herb dressing that’ll leave your tastebuds tingling.
Sauteed green beans
Sauteing green beans is my favorite way of cooking them.
They get so crisp and tender in just 15 minutes.
I also like to sprinkle in some almonds for extra crunch.
Not only is this healthy, but it also looks great on a plate alongside a crispy schnitzel.
This dish is addictive, so you better make a big batch.
Check out this sauteed green beans with garlic and almonds recipe on Le Creme de la Crumb.
Tuscan mushrooms
Serve wiener schnitzel with a side of Tuscan mushrooms, and you’ve got a surefire crowd-pleaser on your hands.
These Tuscan mushrooms are coated with a rich, garlicky cream sauce.
It’s a low-carb side dish that’s also vegetarian-friendly (just in case you’re making vegan schnitzels – yes, they’re a thing!).
I like to use brown mushrooms when I make this dish.
Get on cooking this dish with Cafe Delites’ creamy garlic butter Tuscan mushroom recipe.
Hasselback potatoes
Hasselback potatoes are an upgrade from your traditional baked potatoes.
Since they’ve been sliced, it allows the interior of the potatoes to crisp up and get flavored too.
You can flavor these crispy spuds with anything you have to hand: herbs, cheese, bacon sprinkles – you name it!
But I like to go simple when I serve these with a wiener schnitzel and just use some dried herbs.
You can also drizzle these potatoes with the same sauce you use for your schnitzel.
If you want to try this dish, this classic hasselback potatoes recipe from ElaVegan will help you out.
Arugula salad
Arugula salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette is an excellent dish to pair with your wiener schnitzel.
It has a crisp texture and a bright acidity that will give you freshness in every bite.
This salad is best consumed right after it’s prepared, but you can make the dressing ahead of time.
Want a taste? Make it with Rachel Cooks’ 10-minute arugula salad recipe.
The best side dishes for wiener schnitzel
- German potato salad
- Spaetzle
- Wild rice pilaf
- Rotkohl
- Veggie gratin
- Pasta pomodoro
- Mushy peas
- Gurkensalat
- Mediterranean couscous
- Sauteed green beans
- Tuscan mushrooms
- Hasselback potatoes
- Arugula salad

What To Serve With Wiener Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 1 portion wiener schnitzel
Instructions
- Prepare your wiener schnitzel according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: German potato salad, spaetzle, wild rice pilaf, rotkohl, veggie gratin, pasta pomodoro, mushy peas, gurkensalat, Mediterranean couscous, sauteed green beans, Tuscan mushrooms, hasselback potatoes, and arugula salad.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.