Textual Chef Textual Chef

Milanesa Napolitana

A beloved Argentinian dish featuring thin breaded beef cutlets topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted cheese. This hearty comfort food showcases the Italian influence on Argentinian cuisine and is typically served with French fries or mashed potatoes.

50 minMediumServes 4580 cal/serving

ArgentinianDinnerStovetop and OvenStandardHigh ProteinAlcohol-Free

Ingredients

  • 4 beef top round steaks, thinly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 cups plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
  • 2 cups tomato sauce (marinara)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 slices sliced ham
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • as needed French fries or mashed potatoes (for serving)
  • 2 lemon wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

  2. 2

    If needed, place each 4 thinly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick) beef top round steaks between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to about 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet.

  3. 3

    Season the beef cutlets on both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

  4. 4

    In a shallow dish, beat the 3 beaten large eggs with the 2 minced garlic cloves and 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley.

  5. 5

    Place the 2 cups plain breadcrumbs in another shallow dish.

  6. 6

    Dip each beef cutlet into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.

  7. 7

    Heat 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. The oil should be about 1/4 inch deep.

  8. 8

    Fry the breaded cutlets for about 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.

  9. 9

    Transfer the fried cutlets to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

  10. 10

    In a small bowl, mix the 2 cups tomato sauce (marinara) with 1 tsp dried oregano.

  11. 11

    Spread a thin layer of the seasoned tomato sauce over each cutlet.

  12. 12

    Place a slice of 4 slices sliced ham on top of the sauce on each cutlet.

  13. 13

    Distribute the 2 cups sliced or grated mozzarella cheese evenly over the ham, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese.

  14. 14

    Transfer the cutlets to a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

  15. 15

    If desired, switch the oven to broil for the last 1-2 minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

  16. 16

    Serve hot with as needed French fries or mashed potatoes (for serving) and 2 lemon wedges (for serving) on the side.

Questions

Can I make Milanesa Napolitana dairy-free?

Not cleanly. Here the dairy (2 cups mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated) is the backbone of the dish, and plant-based substitutes change both its texture and its flavor. If you need strictly dairy-free, start from the dairy-free dinner collection instead.

Can I make Milanesa Napolitana gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 2 cups plain breadcrumbs. Swap the bread or crumbs for a gluten-free loaf or gluten-free panko. Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Milanesa Napolitana keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through.

Can I halve or double Milanesa Napolitana?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,512 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Argentinian entries

All Argentinian recipes · All Dinner recipes · All Beef recipes