Need a quick weeknight dinner? Thin cut pork is coated in panko and fried till crispy, then topped with a vibrant salad that comes together in under 20 minutes! A perfect use for canned white beans!
I recently came across a fantastic sale on pork scallopini. So I stocked up and stashed a few packages in the freezer for later use.
I just knew they’d come in handy when I needed a simple dinner and was short on time.
These thin cuts of pork are beautifully tender and cook up very quickly. They’re great simply coated with flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs, then fried till golden brown.
For this meal, I decided to use a few items that I had in my kitchen to make a simple topping to go on top of these crispy cutlets.
I love a fresh, cool salad on top of meat that’s fried like this. It adds a really nice textural contrast, and it’s a great way to use canned goods from your pantry alongside any fresh herbs and veggies that you happen to have on hand.
The cannellini beans here add a nice creaminess as well as a good boost of fiber and protein.
My family goes through a lot of tomatoes, so I almost always have them on hand. In the winter, it’s easiest to keep a pint of grape tomatoes in the kitchen. Their flavor is pretty consistent year-round, and they’re a great way to brighten up dishes even in the colder months.
You could use any fresh herb that you like in this recipe. I had some basil, so that’s what I used. Parsley would be good here, or a mix of the two.
Fresh thyme, oregano, tarragon or rosemary would be nice as well, but don’t use quite as much, since they’re significantly more potent than basil. Maybe a teaspoon or so would do.
I like using brined non-pareil capers in so many dishes, as they’re smaller and add just the right amount of saltiness. Often, like in this recipe, I’ll also include a bit of the caper brine to really drive the flavor home without needing to include any additional salt.
This recipe was so simple to make and it was a hit with my whole family. My 5-year-old even had seconds!
I really like that you can make the white bean-tomato salad while the pork is frying. And it all comes together in under 20 minutes!
What are your go-to quick weeknight meals? I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below!
Print
Prep Time:
Yield:
Print
PinDescription
Need a quick weeknight dinner? Thin cut pork is coated in panko and fried till crispy, then topped with a vibrant salad that comes together in under 20 minutes! A perfect use for canned white beans!
Ingredients
For Pork:
- Peanut oil, to coat the bottom of the pan
- 4 pork cutlets (about 3/4 pound total)
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup panko
For White Bean-Tomato Salad:
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered (I used a mix of red and yellow)
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots (about 1/2 of a medium shallot)
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons drained non-pareil capers, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons caper brine
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the pork cutlets dry with a paper towel on both sides.
- Add flour to a large, shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. In another dish, beat the egg with a splash of water. Place panko on a third dish.
- One piece at a time, coat both sides of the pork in the flour, then egg, then panko, shaking off excess between each step. Place pork in the pan and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 2-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and immediately sprinkle with a little salt while still hot.
- While the pork is cooking, in a large bowl, stir together salad ingredients (beans through black pepper).
- Serve pork with salad over top.
Keywords: pork, scallopini, Italian
