This article was updated on the 8th of August 2023 for clarity and to improve text readability.
If you’re wondering what to serve with your wiener schnitzel, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I list 39 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 version, this potato salad has no mayonnaise. Instead, the spuds are tossed in a vinegar-based dressing, which infuses them with a tangier and more savory kick from the bacon and mustard.
Psst… this is traditionally served warm, but you can also serve it chilled if you prefer.
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Warm German potato salad
Keep it simple
Buttery parsley potatoes
Preheat the oven
Baked potato
Spaetzle
Spaetzle are little dumplings made from a simple egg batter. It’s a traditional German dish usually served with wiener schnitzel.
To cook the dumplings, they’re first parboiled and then toasted until they start to brown slightly. You can then drizzle them with a splash of lemon juice and grated cheese, as Jo Cooks does in her recipe. But I like taking it a step further and mixing them in a cheese sauce for maximum indulgence.
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Homemade spaetzle
Go Italian
Mozzarella baked gnocchi bolognese
Make it basic
Buttered noodles
Wild rice pilaf
Wiener schnitzel on its own can get boring, so why not jazz it up with a serving of wild rice pilaf?
This pilaf is brimming with a deep, savory flavor because the rice is first toasted with a mirepoix base and then cooked in vegetable broth. I also like adding dried cranberries and pistachios to the mix for extra flavor and texture.
Psst… if you can’t find wild rice, you can substitute it with brown rice instead.
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Wild rice pilaf
Preheat the oven
Baked mushroom rice
Keep it low-carb
Garlic parmesan cauliflower rice
Rotkohl
Stick to wiener schnitzel’s German roots and serve it with a side of Rotkohl.
This classic German dish is made with red cabbage and green apples that have been braised in red wine and apple cider vinegar. This tenderizes the cabbage and infuses it with a sweet and sour flavor that works nicely with fried main dishes like wiener schnitzel.
I like eating rotkohl fresh off the stove, but I’ve found that letting it sit overnight in the fridge really helps bring out its depth of flavor.
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Rotkohl
Make it quick
Fried cabbage and mushrooms
Keep it fresh
Red cabbage coleslaw
Veggie gratin
Want to wow your friends with your 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.
Roasting the zucchini, eggplant, and tomato slices brings out their natural sweetness, making them tastier. And they’re finished off with a generous sprinkling of parmesan and provolone on top, giving them a salty, nutty touch.
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Veggie gratin
Make it French-inspired
Homemade ratatouille
Fire up the grill
Chopped grilled vegetables
Pasta pomodoro
Pasta pomodoro is an easy Italian dish to make if you want to switch things up. The ingredients needed are simple and most are already in your pantry.
But an ingredient you’ll need to specifically find is a can of whole and peeled San Marzano tomatoes. They have the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, making them the ideal base for the pomodoro sauce.
Place your freshly cooked schnitzel on top of your pasta pomodoro, and you’ve got a tasty meal that’s worth posting on your Instagram feed.
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Pasta pomodoro
Another Italian classic
Cacio e pepe
Skip the pasta
Zoodles aglio e olio
Mushy peas
Take inspiration from British cuisine and serve your wiener schnitzel with a side of mushy peas.
They’re lightly sweet and creamy, with a refreshing twist from the added mint that helps cut through your wiener schnitzel’s greasiness.
This dish is traditionally made with dried marrow-fat peas. But Great British Recipes uses regular frozen peas, which cuts down the prep time because you don’t have to pre-soak them before using.
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Minted mushy peas
Make it indulgent
Cheesy peas
Make it zesty
Artichokes, green peas, and preserved lemon salad
Gurkensalat
Gurkensalat is also known as German cucumber salad, a low-carb, healthy side dish to serve alongside fried food like schnitzel.
It features a sour cream-based dressing that gives the cukes a tangy but refreshing bite. I like to add a dash of sugar to the dressing for a hint of sweetness, but you can skip this if you’re monitoring your sugar intake.
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Gurkensalat
Add more veg
Shirazi salad
Make it Mediterranean-style
Greek salad
Mediterranean couscous
You need a filling side dish to go with your wiener schnitzel to complete the meal, and this Mediterranean couscous fits the bill.
The colorful veggies bring a burst of freshness, while the lemon dressing adds a bright, citrusy flavor that helps cut through your schnitzel’s greasiness.
Jessica Gavin uses instant couscous for this recipe, which takes only five minutes to cook over the stovetop.
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Mediterranean couscous
Make it warm
Moroccan couscous with roast vegetables
Make it simple
Lemon couscous salad
Sauteed green beans
Sauteing is my go-to method of cooking green beans. It’s quick and easy, plus it gives the green beans the perfect crisp-tender texture.
I typically use olive oil because it’s what I have, but Creme De La Crumb’s recipe suggests adding toasted sesame oil to give the green beans an extra nutty flavor. And the almonds aren’t a deal-breaker here. You can use walnuts or pepitas if they’re all you have.
Not only are these green beans healthy, but they also look great on a plate alongside a crispy wiener schnitzel.
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Sauteed green beans with garlic and almonds
Make it healthier
Steamed green beans
Make it decadent
Green bean casserole
Tuscan mushrooms
These Tuscan mushrooms are a low-carb side dish that’s also vegetarian-friendly (just in case you’re making vegan schnitzels – yes, they’re a thing!).
The mushrooms are first seared in flavored butter to infuse them with flavor and are then cooked with white wine and cream to create a luscious sauce.
Cafe Delites uses brown mushrooms like cremini and portobello for this recipe, but I like using porcinis when they’re in season.
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Garlic butter Tuscan mushrooms
Make it cozy
Cream of mushroom soup
Add more veg
Pan-fried zucchini and mushrooms
Hasselback potatoes
Hasselback potatoes are an upgrade from your traditional baked potatoes. They involve slicing the spuds almost all the way through, which exposes their interiors and allows them to crisp up just as well as the exteriors.
The great thing about this recipe is you can flavor the spuds with anything you have on 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 an Italian seasoning blend.
Psst… you can also drizzle these potatoes with the same sauce you use for your schnitzel.
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Hasselback potatoes
Make a classic
Garlic herb mashed potatoes
Make it fancy
Fondant potatoes
Arugula salad
Arugula salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette is an excellent dish to pair with fried food. The combination of crisp peppery arugula and the bright, citrusy dressing is an excellent contrast to the crispy fried schnitzel.
This salad is best consumed after it’s prepared to maintain the arugula’s bite, but you can make the dressing ahead of time. Simply toss the arugula leaves when you’re ready to serve.
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Arugula salad
Add a fruity twist
Rocket, pear, and parmesan salad
Make it summer-themed
Summer watermelon salad
What To Serve With Wiener Schnitzel [39 ideas]
Ingredients
- 1 portion Tuscan mushrooms
- 1 portion gurkensalat
- 1 portion German potato salad
- 1 portion pasta pomodoro
- 1 portion veggie gratin
- 1 portion wild rice pilaf
- … and more
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.
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