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Nodino di vitello ai funghi is a pan-seared veal loin chop finished with browned mushrooms and a white wine pan sauce. It takes 44 minutes and one skillet, and it’s a northern Italian secondo that works on a weeknight.
Veal loin is lean, so timing decides the texture. Pull the chops at 145 F / 63 C and rest them under foil while the sauce comes together. Cook them past that and the meat turns dry and gray, and no sauce rescues it.
The sauce is built from what’s already in the pan. The mushrooms brown first, the chops leave a layer of fond, and wine and stock loosen it into something glossy. No cream is needed.
I use cremini because they’re cheap and brown well. This makes two generous servings, so double it only if you have a second skillet.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One skillet handles the chops, mushrooms, and pan sauce
- A thermometer target of 145 F / 63 C keeps veal tender
- Pan fond and cold butter make a glossy sauce without cream
- Ready in 44 minutes, which suits a weeknight
Ingredient Notes
- Veal loin chops (nodini): Ask the butcher for bone-in loin chops cut 2.5 cm thick. Thinner chops dry out before they brown, and bone-in pork loin chops are the closest swap.
- Cremini mushrooms: They brown well and cost less than porcini. For deeper flavor, soak 10 g dried porcini in warm water and use 2 tbsp of the strained liquid in place of some stock.
- Dry white wine: Use a dry white you’d drink, such as Pinot Grigio. Skip anything sweet. Without alcohol, use extra stock plus 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar.
- Chicken stock: Low-sodium keeps the sauce from over-salting as it reduces. Veal stock is more traditional if you have it.
- Unsalted butter: Keep it cold. Swirled in off the heat, it thickens the sauce slightly and gives it a sheen.
Pan-Seared Nodino di Vitello with Mushrooms and Wine
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the chops dry with paper towels, then season both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Leave them on the counter for 15 minutes while you slice the mushrooms 5 mm thick and crush the garlic.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil and 15 g butter in a 30 cm / 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high until the butter foam settles, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms in a mostly single layer and leave them alone for 3 minutes. Stir, then cook 5 to 6 minutes more until the liquid has evaporated and the edges are browned. Add the garlic, thyme, and 1/4 tsp salt, cook for 1 minute, and move everything to a bowl.
- Wipe the skillet with paper towel and return it to medium-high heat with the remaining 1 tbsp oil until it shimmers. Sear the chops 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden and a thermometer in the thickest part, away from the bone, reads 145 F / 63 C. If it reads lower, keep cooking in 30-second increments. Move the chops to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Lower the heat to medium. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by about two-thirds, then add the stock. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until slightly syrupy and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Return the mushrooms to the pan and stir. Take the skillet off the heat, discard the thyme stems, and swirl in the remaining 15 g cold butter, the lemon juice, and the parsley. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
- Set a chop on each plate, pour the juices from the resting plate into the sauce, and spoon the mushrooms over the veal. Serve right away.
Notes
- Take the chops out of the fridge before you slice the mushrooms so they sear evenly.
- Wipe the skillet between the mushrooms and the chops so no burnt bits reach the sauce.
- Pull the chops at 145 F / 63 C and rest them under foil while the sauce reduces.
- A 30 cm skillet holds only two chops, so serving four means using two pans.
Tips for Success
- Pat the chops dry with paper towels before seasoning, since surface moisture steams the meat and keeps the crust from turning golden.
- Leave the mushrooms undisturbed for 3 minutes before the first stir, and add salt only after they’ve browned.
- Wipe the skillet clean between the mushrooms and the chops so scorched bits don’t turn the sauce bitter.
- Check the temperature in the thickest part of the chop, away from the bone, and pull it at 145 F / 63 C.
- Swirl in the final 15 g of cold butter off the heat so the sauce turns glossy instead of greasy.
Variations
- Soak 10 g dried porcini in 100 ml warm water for 20 minutes and replace half the stock with the strained liquid.
- Swap the white wine for 80 ml dry Marsala and use sage leaves instead of thyme for a deeper, slightly sweet sauce.
- Stir 1 tbsp mascarpone into the finished sauce off the heat for a creamier, paler finish.
Storage and Reheating
Nodino di vitello ai funghi is best eaten straight from the pan. Lean veal loin turns dry and gray when it’s cooked a second time, so I don’t plan on warming leftovers.
Refrigerate any leftover chop and mushrooms in separate airtight containers for 2 to 3 days. Slice the cold chop thin and eat it in a panino with the mushrooms, or over arugula with a squeeze of lemon.
For a make-ahead route, slice the mushrooms up to 24 hours ahead and keep them in the fridge in a container lined with paper towel. Season and sear the chops fresh. Skip the freezer, since thawed veal weeps liquid and the mushrooms turn watery.
Serving Suggestions
Soft polenta is the classic partner because it soaks up the mushroom sauce. Spoon it onto the plate first and set the chop on top.
Roasted potatoes or buttered egg noodles also work. For something green, sauté spinach with a little garlic, braise savoy cabbage with pancetta, or blanch green beans and dress them with olive oil and lemon.
Pour a dry white such as Soave, or a light red with low tannin. A heavy red overwhelms the veal.
FAQ
How do I know when nodino di vitello is done without cutting into it?
Use an instant-read thermometer and look for 145 F / 63 C in the thickest part, away from the bone. The surface should be deep golden and the chop should feel springy when pressed. Cutting in to check lets the juices escape, and a 2.5 cm veal chop goes from tender to dry within a minute or two.
Why are my mushrooms gray and watery instead of browned?
The pan was too crowded or too cool, so the mushrooms steamed in their own liquid. Use a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet, keep the heat at medium-high, and leave the slices undisturbed for 3 minutes before stirring. Salt them only after they’ve browned, since early salt pulls out water faster.
Can I use pork chops or veal cutlets instead of nodino?
Bone-in pork loin chops about 2.5 cm thick work with the same method and the same 145 F / 63 C target. Thin veal cutlets don’t suit this recipe, because they cook in about 2 minutes and won’t leave the fond the sauce depends on. Sear cutlets quickly and build the sauce separately.
What side dishes go with nodino di vitello ai funghi?
Soft polenta is the classic choice because it soaks up the mushroom sauce. Roasted potatoes or buttered egg noodles also work, and sautéed spinach or green beans add something green. Pour a dry white wine or a light red with low tannin so the veal stays in front.
Is nodino di vitello ai funghi gluten free, and how do I make it dairy free?
Yes, it’s gluten free as written because the pan sauce uses no flour. Check that your stock is labeled gluten free. For dairy free, replace the 30 g of butter with 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, using 1 tbsp for the mushrooms and 1 tbsp swirled in off the heat.
Can I freeze leftover nodino di vitello with mushrooms?
No, freezing isn’t worth it. Thawed veal loses juice and turns dry, and the mushrooms go watery. Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for 2 to 3 days and eat the sliced chop cold in a panino or over a salad.