Schnitzel is delicious anytime of year, but particularly popular in the fall around Oktoberfest. Usually, you’ll find chicken, pork, veal, and sometimes beef varieties. If you don’t want to do all the pounding and breading, I love Aldi pork schnitzel in the air fryer as an easy alternative!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Aldi does all the hard work for you with frozen schnitzel, which can be found in the Aldi Finds section for a few weeks a year (typically during Oktoberfest). I’ve seen them in chicken, pork, and beef varieties, and they come with a pre breaded exterior for convenience!
While the preparation directions call for deep frying or pan frying in oil to get that classic crispy exterior, I love using my air fryer as the cooking method instead! That high heat circulating air creates a good golden brown crust and tender schnitzel inside with far less oil needed than the fried version.
Even though I’m preparing the pork schnitzel, this works for the other varieties (like Aldi’s chicken schnitzel) as well so you can make your favorites – they all taste great!
Katie’s tip
If you are interested at making your own homemade version, make sure to check out my crispy Air Fryer Chicken Schnitzel recipe to get started!
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Ingredients
- 24 ounce box of Aldi Deutsche Küche pork schnitzel (found in the frozen section)
- Olive oil spray
Ingredient Notes and Tips
- A box contains 6 servings. You can cook as many or as few as you like at a time, so long as they fit in a single layer in your air fryer’s basket (which will vary by the size and type of air fryer basket you have). Cook in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding, as overlap can cause wet spots in your breading due to trapped moisture
How to Cook Aldi Pork Schnitzel in an Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (or the closest setting your air fryer has)
- Remove desired number of frozen schnitzels from all packaging and place into the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer
- Spritz the tops of the schnitzel with a bit of olive oil spray (just a fine mist to barely wet them)
- Cook on the air fry setting for 6 minutes, then flip, reapply oil, and cook for an additional 6 minutes, until golden brown and the temperature inside reaches at least 145°F (or 165°F if you have the chicken variety)
- Serve hot with lemon wedges, a pinch of salt and pepper if desired, and your favorite German-inspired sides!
What to Serve With Pork Schnitzel
- Green salad
- German potato salad
- Spaetzle
- Hasselback potatoes
- Mashed potatoes
- French fries
- Red cabbage
- Sauerkraut
- Green beans
- Asparagus
- Roasted root vegetables
- Mushroom gravy
- Creamy dill sauce
- Applesauce
- Sour cream
- Oktoberfest beers
- Wiesen beers
- Riesling
- Gewürztraminer
- Pinot gris
There are lots of great sides and beverages to pair with Aldi’s pork schnitzel for a combination of delightful flavors! Potatoes and vegetables are always a great option to balance out your meal, and there are many flavors that compliment the pork.
Try air fryer pork schnitzel with my Air Fryer Aldi Spaetzle, Air Fryer German Potato Salad, Microwave Red Cabbage, Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes, Microwave Applesauce, and some Air Fryer Apple Cake for dessert!
Recipe FAQs
Can I Use Frozen Aldi Pork Schnitzel in the Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use frozen Aldi pork schnitzel in the air fryer. It does not require advance defrosting, and may be cooked directly from frozen.
Make sure not to overcrowd to allow for air flow, and flip halfway through cooking to get the best crunch on the breading.
How Do I Prevent the Schnitzel From Becoming Dry?
To prevent your pork schnitzel from becoming dry in the air fryer, avoid overcooking by following recommended time and temperature settings and check in regularly near the end of the time.
If you notice your schnitzel drying out during cooking, you can brush it with a small amount of oil to help retain moisture.
What’s the Recommended Internal Temperature for Pork Schnitzel?
The recommended safe internal temperature for pork schnitzel is 145°F (63°C). It’s crucial to use a meat thermometer to check the temperature to ensure that the schnitzel is thoroughly cooked without overcooking it.
This is the same for beef, but chicken schnitzel should be cooked to 165°F instead.
Are There Any Gluten-Free Options Available?
Aldi currently does not offer pork schnitzel in a gluten free option. However, they often add new items to their rotation, so it could appear in the future.
If you have specific dietary requirements, make sure to read product labels for allergen information.
Tips For the Best Schnitzel in the Air Fryer
- My Aldi pork schnitzel was perfectly cooked with a crispy outside and juicy interior after 12 minutes total in a Ninja Dual Zone air fryer, and verified via instant read thermometer. Other brands and models may vary
- If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, I’ve noticed that the meat juice will pool on top of the schnitzels. Make sure that they are clear instead of pink!
- I can fit 4 frozen schnitzels at a time in my 8-qt Ninja air fryer. Other sizes of air fryer will vary
- While I’ve noted in a lot of other frozen food recipes that oil isn’t needed, that isn’t the case here. Aldi pork schnitzels are not pre-cooked, but rather breaded and frozen raw. Thus, the oil usually found in pre-cooked items is not present here, and needs to be added to give you the crisping and browning
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover pork schnitzel in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Do not refreeze once it has been cooked from the frozen state once
- To reheat leftover schnitzel, air fry at 350°F for 3-5 minutes, or until warmed through and re-crisped outside. Note that this method also works for leftovers from a restaurant, as well as homemade!
More Aldi Favorites in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Aldi Donut Sticks
Final Thoughts
I love schnitzel, but what I don’t love is the time it takes to pound it, bread it, and then still have to cook it. So, why not make things easier thanks to Aldi pork schnitzel in the air fryer?
This frozen option eliminates all that pesky prep work and allows you to cook directly from frozen, with your perfectly crispy schnitzel ready in less than 15 minutes. I mean, how can you go wrong?
That gives you plenty of time to work on your side dishes to complete your meal, while your air fryer schnitzel gets crisped to perfection! Plus, it’s a great alternative to deep frying too, with less oil and less mess, meaning cleanup is a breeze as well.
Aldi Frozen Pork Schnitzel Air Fryer Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 ounce box frozen Aldi Deutsche Küche pork schnitzel (or another flavor of your choosing)
- Olive oil spray (or similar)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (or the closest setting your air fryer has)
- Remove desired number of frozen schnitzels from all packaging and place into the preheated air fryer basket or rack in a single layer24 ounce box frozen Aldi Deutsche Küche pork schnitzel
- Spritz the tops of the schnitzel with a fine mist of olive oil sprayOlive oil spray
- Cook on the air fry setting for 6 minutes, then flip, reapply oil, and cook for an additional 6 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145°F (or 165°F if you have the chicken variety)
- Serve hot with lemon wedges and your favorite German-inspired sides
Notes
- A box contains 6 servings. You can cook as many or as few as you like at a time, so long as they fit in a single layer in your air fryer’s basket. I can fit 4 at a time in my 8-qt air fryer. Cook in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding
- My Aldi pork schnitzel was perfectly cooked with a crispy outside and juicy interior after 12 minutes total in a Ninja Dual Zone air fryer, and verified via instant read thermometer. Other brands and models may vary
- If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, I’ve noticed that the meat juice will pool on top of the schnitzels. Make sure that they are clear instead of pink!
- While I’ve noted in a lot of other frozen food recipes that oil isn’t needed, that isn’t the case here. Aldi pork schnitzels are not pre-cooked, but rather breaded and frozen raw. Thus, the oil usually found in pre-cooked items is not present here, and needs to be added to give you the crisping and browning
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any sauces or sides added, and actual quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
THX for this recipe
I’m so glad you found it helpful! Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your schnitzel!