Polish ground-meat patties bound with bread soaked in milk and onion, shaped flat, coated in breadcrumbs, and pan-fried until golden and juicy. They are everyday home cooking, a staple of the Polish midday dinner. Classically served with mashed potatoes and a cucumber or cabbage salad.
A staple Polish home dish; a classic among Polish ground-meat 'kotlety'. Distinct from the breaded pork cutlet kotlet schabowy and from raw tatar.
Crisp golden crumb gives way to a soft, steamy interior that is juicy and gently oniony. They are tender rather than dense, thanks to the milk-soaked bread, and savory through and through. Served with mash, they are the taste of a Polish weekday dinner.
The milk-soaked bread (panada) traps moisture and interrupts the protein matrix, keeping the patties tender rather than tough. A breadcrumb coating browns via the Maillard reaction, sealing in juices and adding crunch.
Variations
Pork-and-beef mix, kotlety mielone z pieczarkami (with mushroom sauce), poultry versions, dill or garlic seasoning
On the Palate
Where Kotlety Mielone sits in the Polish flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 20 min
- 15 min
Soak a bread roll in milk until soft, then squeeze out excess.
Watch outSqueeze the soaked roll until it stops dripping but stays moist — too wet and the patties fall apart, too dry and they turn tough.
- 26 min
Finely chop the onion and lightly soften it in a pan.
- 34 min
Mix the ground meat with the soaked bread, onion, and egg.
- 44 min
Season well with salt and pepper and knead until cohesive.
- 54 min
Shape the mixture into oval patties with wet hands.
- 64 min
Coat each patty thoroughly in breadcrumbs.
- 710 min
Pan-fry in hot fat until deeply golden on both sides.
Watch outFry over hot fat until a deep golden crust forms before you move them — a good crust seals the juices in; poke too early and they leak.
- 86 min
Lower the heat to cook through, then serve hot.
Watch outCut into the thickest one to check — the juices should run clear and the center be evenly grey-brown, no pink.
