Veal Scaloppine Marsala
Many who follow along with my blog know that I created this as a means to share my recipes with my daughter. She follows hundreds of fashion blogs so I knew this was the way I could “fit” into her world of social networking. It began with a simple request for homemade hummus and vinaigrette and grew into recipes she missed from home. As I continued to add in family recipes I wanted to make sure she had the “classics”.
The classic dishes I’m referring to are my personal list of basic dishes that I know I can always fall back on in a moment’s notice and create a delicious dinner. These are the dishes that I notice so many people order out in Italian restaurants; ala Francese, Piccata, or Marsala! Made just right, they are tender and flavorful dishes. Each one is perfect for a comforting week night dinner or impressive for entertaining guests. Doubled and tripled these are great party entrées as well.
I’ve already posted my Chicken Piccata and Chicken Francese recipe (ugh,I must replace that awful pic!) and now my Veal Scaloppini Marsala recipe. There really are a lot of variations to the recipe. Sometimes broth is added to the Marsala sauce, which I will do when I’m preparing for larger quantities, but when making it just for a small group, I like using dry Marsala only.
My daughter loves mushrooms and for many years I’ve had to avoid them as way back in my 20’s I was allergic to them. Did you notice “was”??? I am really happy to find that I’ve been adding in mushrooms lately and finding no reaction! I’ve heard people will grow out of some allergies; guess that’s one good thing about the years passing!
Also, the choice of meat can vary, which is another reason I love these dishes. Instead of veal, pork or chicken cutlets work beautifully. Whatever is used, the meat should be pounded to about ¼ inch thick. For veal I like to ask the butcher to slice it thinly across the grain (which they should know!) But if it is sliced incorrectly, the veal will curl and bubble as the muscles/grains tighten and your veal will not be fork tender!!
Veal Scaloppini Marsala
Serves 4
8 veal scaloppini or thin sliced cutlets (I like to present 2 scaloppini with each serving as they are so thin; however use your judgment as to the size and serving amount)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 – 8 0z mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin
1 scallion thinly sliced (optional)
½ cup dry Marsala (Marsala wine is sold either sweet or dry; I prefer to use dry)
Between two sheets of plastic wrap, pound the slices to about ¼ inch thick. On a sheet of wax paper or using a pie plate, mix the salt and pepper into the flour and set aside.
Heat a large skillet with ½ of the butter and oil. Add in the mushrooms and scallion if using and cook about 10 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Transfer to plate and set aside. Add in the remaining tablespoon of butter and oil to the pan and return to medium high heat. Dip the veal into the flour on both sides and place in skillet. Do not crowd the veal in the skillet, cook in batches if necessary. Saute for 1 minute on each side until just lightly browned; remove to plate with mushroom.
Pour in the Marsala wine allowing it to simmer into a rich sauce. Add in the mushrooms and veal simmering until heated. If the sauce is too thick add in additional Marsala. For an additional touch of richness and shine, add in an additional pat of butter. Serve immediately.
spicegirlfla
I love being in the kitchen. Early mornings, soft music, a hot espresso. Easing into the preparation of delicious meals. Glancing through cookbooks, gathering inspiration and planning my day. I look forward to the cycles of the seasons, the pleasures of tasting and savoring and sharing this with those dear to me. Weekends are special to me as my week days are often rushed, but still I create the ambiance, light the candles, set the table and uncork the wine.
Engagement Chicken
Mardi Gras Kings Cake
You May Also Like

Falling Fall Fruit Platter
October 5, 2010
My Mother’s Recipes
August 11, 2010
60 Comments
Maureen
I love this veal! I think the reason behind your blog is great. Real foodie love between a mother and daughter.
spicegirlfla
Thanks Maureen. When my daughter was little she wanted nothing to do with cooking – now that she’s on her own, well things have changed!!
Kristy
I’m so glad you posted the tip on how the veal should be cut. I’m going to remember that! This looks fabulous Linda. I for one am happy you decided to start this blog for your daughter. You’ve provided us with so many delicious treats. And what great news about not being allergic to mushrooms anymore! I just love mushrooms. I too outgrew a childhood allergy. You’re right, getting older isn’t so bad. 😉
spicegirlfla
Thank you Kristy. Your kids will be able to look back on so many fun memories cooking with you; they will both become fabulous cooks from all their culinary explorations so early on!
thecompletecookbook
So cool that you started your blog for your daughter! This veal looks incredible!
🙂 Mandy
spicegirlfla
Thank you Mandy!
Lisa {Smart Food and Fit}
I love this recipe but have shied away from veal for personal reasons. I love the mushroom sauce.Glad that you outgrew your mushroom allergies too. Looks like I’m going to have to make a mushroom reicipe soon, that’s all I’ve been seing this morning catching up reading other food blogger’s posts.
Thanks for the food science tip on cutting against the grain. Have a great weekend Linda! 🙂
spicegirlfla
You can use this recipe for pork or chicken; its the sauce that makes it and its soo simple!
Judy
I’m with you, I prefer dry over sweet Marsala wine — sweet sauce is a definite turn-off for me. I love how quickly this dish comes together, can’t wait to try your recipe. I’m sure your daughter appreciates you passing along great food.
spicegirlfla
Thank you Judy. I once by accident used the sweet Marsala and it just wasnt right for me at all – a turn off indeed!
yummychunklet
This looks so delicious! I love the slices of mushrooms and that tasty looking sauce!
Bam's Kitchen
This dish looks like it would melt in your mouth. I can’t get my teenagers to be friends with me on facebook but they both follow mom’s cooking website. I guess they don’t want to miss whats for dinner… Take care, BAM
spicegirlfla
Lol…my daughter will be friends with me on Facebook, but not my son!
ChgoJohn
That picture looks so tantalizing, Linda! I’ve not had veal marsala in ages and I’m so glad you posted this recipe. This is one of those that I found in Mom’s notebook that is nothing more than a title and a couple ingredients. Now, I can make it and say it’s from the Florida branch of the family. I can’t thank you enough. 🙂
spicegirlfla
So funny how our mom’s kept their recipes!! Mine too had this with very few notes and just these few ingredients. I know I’ve seen recipes with other ingredients added, but I like to keep it really simple as she did. I’m proud to be a branch on your family tree!!
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide
This is a classic for a reason. Looks just wonderful and I’m glad now that you’re 30 you can eat mushrooms.
spicegirlfla
Aww…Greg you are officially now my favorite!!! 🙂
bitsandbreadcrumbs
Your daughter is so lucky, Linda, to have such a thoughtful and loving mother! Chicken Marsala is one of my favorites and, like you mentioned, I’ve only had it in restaurants. I’m so excited to have this recipe so I can make it at home, and your veal marsala looks amazing so I know it tastes it, too! Great post and thank you. 🙂
spicegirlfla
Thank you! I think I have to have my daughter read all these comments so she can see how lucky she is!!
gardenfreshtomatoes
Hubby’s been ordering veal scallops from an online butcher (no good local place to buy them – sad face) to make a veal with morel cream sauce. We branched-out to a saltimboca a few months ago, and THIS gives me a third option – THANKS!
By the way, I’m not entirely thrilled with my saltimboca recipe…do you have one that’s “for real?”
spicegirlfla
Mmmm…that cream sauce sounds delicious. I’ll have to see if you’ve posted that one! I have made saltimboca…and “for real” makes me smile! I guess I let you be the judge of that but it will be from my family’s though Italian recipes vary a bit throughout Italy. I’ll definitely add this to my list for a future post!!
gardenfreshtomatoes
I haven’t posted the recipe, but I’ll put it on the list!
Can’t wait to see your saltimboca…
sportsglutton
Hi Linda….I’m finally home and have the time to catch up with my friends in the blog-o-sphere.
Seeing the veal topped with all those mushrooms looks like a perfect plate to me and I’m so happy to hear that you are able to enjoy mushrooms now. They’re oh so good. 🙂
Hope you have been well and have a great weekend!
spicegirlfla
Glad to have you back! Just in day to day life it gets hard to keep in touch, then taking off time gets you really behind!! I think I’ll be going on a mushroom cooking marathon catching up on all these years of no mushrooms!!
Chica Andaluza
Wow – good news about the mushrooms! I love this recipe, haven´t eaten it for years but funnily enough found myself craving it the other day and thinking “I´ll have to use pork as I can´t get veal”…will have to try and find some though next time I go to a Big Town!!
spicegirlfla
Pork is just as good and mostly my mother would use pork. She always told us the story of her pet lamb that went missing around Easter….need I same any more!
Gian Banchero
Thanks for the recipe, and thanks for stipulating which type of Marsala to use, more often than not recipes don’t state whether sweet or dry is to be used which can ruin a recipe… In 1981 it was found that I was highly allergic to corn products and chicken so I had to go off them which was difficult because I grew up on polenta and being a native of California other than Italian my second cuisine was Mexican. In 2005 I read an article that stated that if one is away long enough from a food one is allergic to that an allergy can sometimes disappear, luckily I found corn products–which are in almost everything–no longer give me a rash. Though I can now eat chicken it is a once a week treat or else I get reactions to it.
spicegirlfla
Good for you!! and I did read something like that too, but I was always nervous to try it. Mushrooms weren’t so bad to avoid, but corn definitely would have been difficult. Glad to hear all is good!!
Ginger
I’ve just recently starting eating mushrooms, and boy oh boy, do I love them! This looks like a great recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
spicegirlfla
There you go, Ginger, we have even more in common!!
Caroline
Family recipes are really the best. I need to start copying ours from my mom’s cookbooks so I have them on hand. I have made a few on my blog though, and now my mom just goes there when she wants to make something, rather than rifling through pages and pages of recipes, ha! This meal sounds absolutely fabulous, Linda!!
spicegirlfla
That’s so funny Caroline. I actually will flip thru my own blog when I don’t know what to make and get inspired by my own pics and recipes!!
Karen
You prepared it just the way I like it. Why is it that it is hard to find properly cut meat these days unless you go to a small shop that cares.
spicegirlfla
I agree…never buy it sliced already in the package!!
Sissi
What a lovely typically home recipe! (Even though I have never had it at home – or anywhere actually – it has a kind of universal homely touch 🙂 I buy Marsala only for tiramisù so I would be happy to use it in a savoury dish too.
spicegirlfla
So now you can make this for dinner and Tiramisu for dessert and won’t feel like you wasted a bottle of Marsala!!
Liz
What a lovely way to share with your daughter…and maybe your son as well :)! And I, like others, am grateful you chose to share in a way that lets me in on the recipes as well.
I have 2 engagement chickens in my oven as I type…one for my neighbors and one for me. My neighbors have a tractor. I have a driveway that is 175 yards long. We live in Montana. I LOVE to cook, they do not love to cook. It is a “match made in heaven” :)!
spicegirlfla
Liz, that is a perfect match of neighborly love!! I hope they turn out good for you and I’m thankful you stop by to visit and check out my recipes!!
Liz
Not only were the chickens outstanding but I also have somewhere in the vicinity of 10 cups of wonderful, lightly lemon chicken broth in my freezer!
Now to find Marsala!
Liz
Oh, a special thanks for instruction to give re the veal.
ceciliag
fantastic, i love a dish i can work with! you know that is not too regimented, and i so understand getting the recipes out to your daughter.. I love that idea!! Love love honey.. c
spicegirlfla
Those are my favorite type of recipes..basic ingredients you can keep in your head and whip up however you like!!
Purely.. Kay
I must have lost my mind momentarily.. because I haven’t had veal in years! You helped me remember veal. I can’t believe I haven’t had it in so long. I gotta go get some tomorrow.. that’s it. I love this recipe
spicegirlfla
Thanks Kay! Gotta have a change from chicken every now and then!
hotlyspiced
I have an Italian friend and she cooks dishes like this with Masala all the time. I always love going there for dinner because you know you’re going to get an amazing, comforting, tasty meal. Great recipe Linda xx
spicegirlfla
I love using Marsala in other dishes as well. Once its opened, I’ll add a touch of its smokey, rich flavor even to my salad dressings!
JasmyneTea
That’s a lovely reason to start a blog 🙂 Mine was out of a need to be creative, lol. Great post!
spicegirlfla
There was a need for creativity in there too!!
Kathy
Social media really has opened up the world…I also post recipes that my children have asked for. This dish looks wonderful! I make a chicken marsala but have never tried veal. Sounds delicious!
spicegirlfla
Chicken really is good, pounded thin and tender. It is so nice to be able to share our family recipes with our children, friends and extended family!
David
So lovely, there’s a reason it’s a classic! Your daughter is fortunate to have you building this repository!
spicegirlfla
Thanks David! Your daughters will enjoy yours as well!!
Kat_L
Thank you Linda for sharing you family recipe to the networking mums. I enjoy cooking & due to work hours my stay at home hubby now rules the kitchen. However, I claim the weekends for a family treat. Well, the extended family comes over for visits, of course. I’m greatful I stop by ur blog & found these amazing treasures. This will be the meal I prepare for dinner tonight 🙂
Kat-
spicegirlfla
Thanks Kat – I hope they enjoy it!! How nice to have your hubby cooking for you after work!! I’m so glad you stopped by!
thebigfatnoodle
Great recipe! I’m kicking myself because I keep telling myself I need to buy a bottle of marsala but always forget when I’m out shopping. That’s it! It’s going on the shopping list asap as I’m heading out tomorrow…I was reading your recipe and imaging all the lovely smells!
spicegirlfla
Don’t forget the Marsala!! I always keep one on hand just in case!!
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles
This looks gorgeous Linda with the glistening mushrooms and Marsala… how great that you outgrew your mushroom allergy – they are so delicious and versatile (and, there’s nothing quite like butter mushrooms :)).
spicegirlfla
Thanks Kelly, I’m ready now to try all the different types of mushrooms!! I’ll have to check out other blogs for ideas!!
The Hook
This looks awesome!
spicegirlfla
Thank you Hook!