By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
639 cal · 60 min
Pork Cutlets With Pickled Pearl Onions And Pancetta
Recipe GLPRfd7c0fdc3f742f
Tender pork loin cutlets pounded thin and pan-seared until golden, topped with crispy pancetta and tangy pickled pearl onions. The pickled onions are prepared ahead with bay leaves and peppercorns for a bright, briny complement to the rich pork.
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Ingredients
Salt for boiling, plus more to taste
8 ounces white or yellow pearl onions
2 bay leaves
8 black peppercorns
1 cup red wine vinegar
4 boneless pork loin cutlets (6–8 ounces each)
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup pancetta, finely diced
Directions
Fill a medium pot with water, add a generous amount of salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the pearl onions and simmer until they are just tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 10 minutes.
Drain the cooked onions in a colander and let them cool until comfortable to handle. Trim the root end from each onion with a paring knife and gently squeeze the onion out of its papery skin.
Transfer the peeled onions to a clean pint-sized jar. Season with a pinch of salt and tuck in the bay leaves and black peppercorns. Pour enough red wine vinegar over the onions to completely submerge them, then cover with a lid.
Refrigerate the pickled onions for at least 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to fully develop.
When ready to cook the pork, place each cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a flat-bottomed meat pounder and a sturdy work surface, gently and evenly pound each cutlet to a thickness of approximately ½ inch, being careful not to tear or puncture the meat.
Remove the plastic wrap and season both sides of each cutlet generously with salt and black pepper. Allow to rest briefly.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges are lightly browned and the pancetta begins to render its fat, about 8–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pancetta to a small plate, leaving the rendered fat and oil in the pan.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Working in batches to avoid crowding the skillet, add the pork cutlets and cook until the undersides are golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden, about 4–5 minutes more, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Transfer the finished cutlets to a serving platter.
Drain the pickled onions, discarding the vinegar and aromatics. Add the drained onions to the hot skillet and warm through, stirring gently, for 1–2 minutes.
Return the cooked pancetta to the skillet and toss gently with the warm onions. Spoon the pancetta and pickled onion mixture over the pork cutlets and serve immediately.
Comments
Pearl onions are the friction point here—Harris Teeter and Kroger carry them reliably in the produce section, but they're not stocked everywhere, so Food Lion or ALDI might require a second stop depending on your location in Charlotte. The ingredient list is otherwise straightforward and budget-friendly; pork cutlets and pancetta run roughly $3–4 per serving at major chains. The stated 60 minutes is honest for pickling the onions beforehand, though you'll need to start them at least 30 minutes ahead if you want real flavor development, making this more of a weekend dish than a weeknight impulse. The recipe is straightforward to execute—pound cutlets, sear with pancetta, serve—and works well for four, but the pickled onions won't reheat gracefully, so this is a same-night dinner.
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