This pork mornay features panko-breaded pork cutlets topped with a creamy Gruyère sauce. This impressive pork scallopini recipe with a creamy cheese sauce will always feel special, but without a lot of work or time!
If you are looking for an easy special occasion dinner recipe that is also wonderfully delicious, look no further than this pork scallopini recipe with mornay sauce (pork mornay).
The pork is pounded thin and panko-breaded, then shallow-fried in a skillet to golden goodness. Serve topped with an easy, make-ahead-friendly Gruyère cheese-based mornay sauce.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Pork – you’ll want to start with thin, centre-cut, boneless pork loin chops, sometimes called cutlets, Fast Fry or scallopini pork. If you only have regular centre-cut, boneless pork chops on hand, you can cut them in half lengthwise into two thin pieces (most easily done if they are partially frozen).
Panko – If seasoned panko crumbs are available, they would be my first choice. (For Canadians, President’s Choice has a great seasoned Panko!) Plain panko is also fine with some added seasoning done before breading. Dried bread crumbs, either plain or seasoned would also work here.
Gruyère Cheese – It is hard to beat the nutty flavour of Gruyère cheese, so I recommend it if possible. Substitutions would be Emmental, Jarlsberg or Swiss Cheese.
How to make pork scallopini with mornay sauce
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Always refer to the complete instructions in the Recipe Card below when making the recipe.
- Start preparing the pork by placing it on a cutting board.
- Trim off and discard the fat.
- Use a mallet to pound the pork quite thin.
- Set up a breading station with the flour, egg and panko.
- Dip the pork first in the flour, then the egg and finally in the panko. Set breaded pork onto a plate.
- Repeat with all the pork, then place into the refrigerator, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- While the pork is chilling, start the mornay sauce by melting the butter, then stirring in the flour.
- Gradually add the milk to the pot and stir together until smooth.
- Add the seasonings to the sauce.
- Cook the sauce until thickened, then stir in the Gruyère cheese and butter to finish the sauce.
- When the pork is ready, add to a skillet with butter and olive oil.
- Cook until golden underneath, then flip over. Serve warm, topped with warm mornay sauce.
Recipe tips!
- Don’t skip chilling the breaded pork, as it is crucial to ensure that the breading stays on the pork when it is cooked.
- A good timeline to make this recipe is to bread the pork first, pop it in the refrigerator, then make the mornay sauce while the pork chills.
- Adding the cheese to the mornay sauce should be done off-heat, and if reheating the sauce, be sure to do so over low heat so the sauce doesn’t boil. This will ensure the sauce is always smooth and never grainy.
- Pork mornay can also be broiled before serving. If you’d like to try that, arrange the cutlets with sauce on a baking sheet, sprinkle a bit more Gruyère cheese on top of the mornay sauce and place under the broiler for a minute or two until golden and bubbly.
What to serve with pork mornay
I enjoy this pork mornay with a simple green vegetable on the side. Green beans, broccoli or broccolini are all good options. A green salad on the side is also nice.
Making ahead and storing
The mornay sauce can be made ahead and re-warmed later. Rewarm the mornay sauce in a saucepan over low heat.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The breaded pork can be rewarmed on a baking sheet in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Reheated pork will not be quite as crispy as freshly fried.
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Get the Recipe: Pork Scallopini with Mornay Sauce
Ingredients
For the breaded pork:
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) thin pork loin cutlets, boneless, about 6 thin cutlets
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (500 ml) seasoned Panko, *see Note 1 below
- 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) cooking oil, or enough to create a thin layer that covers the bottom of the pan
Mornay sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons (45 g) butter
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) milk, 3% whole milk recommended
- 2 oz (56 g) Gruyère cheese, *see Note 2 below
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon butter
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste, as needed to season the sauce
For serving:
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the pork by trimming off and discarding any fat on the pork. Using a mallet (or a rolling pin) pound the pork cutlets to 1/4-inch thick. Cut a couple of 1/2-inch slits along the long side of the pork (Tip! The cuts in the side help to keep the pork from cupping when fried, so it lays flat in the pan and cooks more evenly).
- Set up a breading station by placing the flour on one plate, the beaten eggs on a 2nd plate and the seasoned Panko on a 3rd plate. Have another clean plate to place the breaded pork on.
- Bread the pork by first dusting it with the flour and shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg and coat well, letting any excess drip back onto the plate. Finally, place the pork onto the Panko and press down to coat evenly on both sides. Place the breaded pork onto the clean plate. Repeat with the remaining pork cutlets. Place the plate into the refrigerator, uncovered, to chill for 1 hour. Tip! Don't skip the trip to the refrigerator after breading the pork, as it ensures that the breading will stick to the pork well! If time is short, even a 15-20 minute chill would be beneficial.
- While the pork is chilling, make the mornay sauce. Start by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Gradually add the milk to the pan and stir vigorously until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce, stirring constantly, until it thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the nutmeg, mustard powder, salt and pepper and stir in. Sprinkle in the Gruyère cheese, stirring continuously until it is all melted and the sauce is smooth. Let the sauce stand until the pork is ready, then set it to rewarm over low heat.
- When the pork has chilled, heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 3 of the breaded pork cutlets to the pan or as many as will comfortably fit with a couple of inches between pieces. Avoid over-crowding the pan. Lower the heat under the pan slightly and cook the pork until the underside is golden. Flip and cook until the other side is golden. Flip again twice, until the pork is deep golden and the pork is cooked to 145F internal temperature. Remove to a plate and cook the remaining cutlets in the same way.
- Serve immediately, topped with warm mornay sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and freshly ground pepper.
- Refrigerate leftovers for 2-3 days. Leftover pork can be rewarmed on a baking sheet in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Reheat sauce over low heat, thinning with milk, if needed. Tip! Leftover mornay sauce is also fabulous warmed and spooned over broccoli or cauliflower.
Notes
More breaded pork recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
I cooked this dish last night for my wife’s birthday. The results were fantastic, very tasty and the sauce was spot on.
So glad to hear Pat! Thanks so much :)
What is “4 flip frying.”?
Hi David, now that I think of it, it’s actually 3 flip frying :) It’s simply frying each side twice.