Kotlet

Kotlet is a term used in several cuisines for a patty or cutlet made from minced or sliced meat, often mixed with onions, herbs, eggs, or breadcrumbs and fried or baked. The name is applied to a range of dishes, from simple meat patties to breaded, fried cutlets, and it appears in Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and other Central and Eastern European cooking, as well as in some Indian subcontinental traditions.

Etymology-wise, kotlet derives from the word côtelette or kotelette in European culinary languages, referring to a small cut of meat or a meat patty. The term entered many regional kitchens through culinary exchanges in the early modern period, where similar preparations developed under different local names.

In Polish cuisine, kotlet denotes several related dishes. Kotlet mielony is a ground-meat patty typically made with onion, egg, and breadcrumbs. Kotlet schabowy is a breaded pork cutlet, usually flour-dusted, dipped in egg, coated with breadcrumbs, and fried; it is commonly served with potatoes and cabbage or pickles.

In Russia, Ukraine, and neighboring areas, kotleta generally refers to a pan-fried ground-meat patty, often seasoned with onion and garlic and bound with egg and breadcrumbs. These cutlets are commonly served with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and often gravy.

Outside these regions, the term also appears in Indian subcontinental contexts, where “kotlet” can describe fried potato- or fish-based patties spiced with regional herbs and onions, popular as street food. Across variants, kotlet centers on a fried or baked meat or vegetable patty, with regional ingredients shaping flavor and texture.