Milanesa
Breaded and fried cutlet, a staple of Argentine home cooking
Milanesa is a breaded cutlet, most often made from beef, that is fried and widely eaten in Argentina. It can also be made with chicken, pork, fish, eggplant, or legumes. Closely tied to Argentine food culture, milanesa is served as a main dish or in sandwiches, and is celebrated annually on National Milanesa Day.
- Argentines eat milanesa about three times a week on average
- National Milanesa Day is celebrated every May 3 in Argentina
- Milanesa napolitana is topped with tomato sauce, ham, and cheese
- The sánguche de milanesa is a specialty in Tucumán
- Vegetarian versions use eggplant or legumes
What is Milanesa?
Milanesa is a thin slice of meat, usually beef but sometimes chicken, pork, fish, eggplant, or legumes, coated in beaten egg and seasoned bread crumbs, then fried until golden. The result is a crisp, savory cutlet with a tender inside. It is often served with lemon slices and French fries, or tucked into a sandwich. Vegetarian versions use eggplant or legumes like soybeans and chickpeas.
Where does Milanesa come from?
The dish traces its roots to the Italian cotoletta alla milanese, a breaded veal cutlet from Milan. It arrived in Argentina with Italian immigrants during a wave of European migration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name 'milanesa' signals its Milanese origin. Over time, it became a mainstay of Argentine cuisine, especially in Buenos Aires, and is now seen as a national dish. Its history is also linked to similar breaded cutlets in Austria and France.
How is Milanesa made?
To prepare milanesa, slices of meat are pounded thin, dipped in beaten egg (often mixed with parsley), and coated in bread crumbs. The cutlets are then fried in oil until crisp on the outside. While beef is most common, chicken, pork, fish, and vegetarian options are also popular. Some versions are topped with tomato sauce, ham, and cheese after frying.
How and when is Milanesa eaten?
Milanesa is eaten throughout Argentina, both at home and in restaurants. It is a popular choice for lunch or dinner and is often served with French fries and lemon. In sandwich form, called sánguche de milanesa, it is especially beloved in Tucumán, where it is considered a local specialty. The dish is part of everyday meals and also features in festivals and food celebrations.
Kinds of Milanesa
The milanesa napolitana is a well-known version from Buenos Aires, topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted cheese, said to have been created in the 1940s. Sandwiches filled with milanesa are iconic in Tucumán and have become part of the region's cultural heritage. Vegetarian milanesas use eggplant or legumes as the main ingredient.
What Milanesa means
Milanesa is deeply woven into Argentine identity, with Argentines eating it about three times a week. It is celebrated on National Milanesa Day every May 3, and sandwich versions are honored on Milanesa Sandwich Day in March. The dish is recognized as a symbol of local culture, especially in Tucumán, where it is officially part of the province's intangible heritage.
Questions people ask about Milanesa
What is milanesa made of?
Milanesa is typically made from thin slices of beef, but chicken, pork, fish, eggplant, or legumes can also be used. The slices are coated in beaten egg and bread crumbs, then fried.
Where does milanesa come from?
Milanesa originated from the Italian cotoletta alla milanese and became popular in Argentina through Italian immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
How is milanesa usually served?
Milanesa is often served as a main dish with French fries and lemon, or as a sandwich, especially in the province of Tucumán.
Are there vegetarian milanesas?
Yes, vegetarian milanesas are made using eggplant or legumes such as soybeans and chickpeas instead of meat.
What is milanesa napolitana?
Milanesa napolitana is a variation topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted cheese, believed to have been invented in Buenos Aires in the 1940s.
Good reading and sources
- La verdad de la milanesa (o cómo NO pedir una milanesa en Milán)BBC, Article
- 12 Best Dishes to Try in Buenos AiresSaveur, Article
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Milanesa", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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