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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Veal Orloff with green beans

Veal Orloff is a roasted veal loin sliced and layered with soft onions and bacon, topped with cheese bechamel and baked until golden. It takes 1h40 for 4 people, has a medium difficulty level and costs about €4.60 per person. The key to success is cooking the veal to the right internal temperature and keeping the bechamel smooth.

Tonight we're going fancy with a veal Orloff, sliced and layered with bacon, onions and melted cheese.

Veal Orloff with green beans
Total time
1 h 40
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
520 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring

Veal Orloff is a dish that rewards a bit of patience. The veal roasts whole, then gets sliced and restacked with softened onions, bacon and a cheesy bechamel that bakes to a golden crust on top. The result is tender and rich, the kind of dish that feels made for a full table.

This is a Sunday recipe, or one for when you have guests, not a quick weeknight dinner. It takes some organization between roasting the veal, cooking the onions and bacon, and making the bechamel, but none of the steps are actually hard. Mon Chou suggests this one when you want to impress without reaching for something overly complicated.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Veal roast (loin) 900 g
  • Smoked bacon slices 100 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 3
  • Green beans 600 g

Dairy

  • Shredded Swiss cheese 120 g
  • Butter 70 g
  • Milk 50 cl

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 40 g
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Roast the veal with a knob of butter and some salt. 1 h

    Use a meat thermometer, aim for 65 degrees at the center.

  2. Cook the sliced onions with the diced bacon until soft. 15 min

    Keep the heat low so they stay soft, not browned.

  3. Make a bechamel with the butter, flour and milk, then add the cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. 10 min

    Whisk constantly for a smooth sauce.

  4. Slice the veal, layer the onions and bacon between the slices, cover with the sauce and broil. 15 min

    Broil at high heat until the top turns golden.

  5. Cook the green beans in salted water and serve them on the side. 10 min

    Taste as you go, they should stay crisp.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick an even, well shaped veal loin, it slices more neatly once cooked.
  • Let the veal rest a few minutes before slicing, the meat stays juicier that way.
  • Make the bechamel right before assembling the dish, it coats the warm slices better than if it has cooled.

The variations

  • Swap the Swiss cheese for Gruyère or Comté for a sharper flavor.
  • For a faster version, skip the layering step and just serve the sliced veal topped with the sauce.
  • Use turkey bacon instead of smoked bacon if you want a lighter flavored meat.

What to serve it with

  • Plain pilaf rice
  • Homemade mashed potatoes
  • A glass of white grape juice

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days. This dish doesn't freeze well since the bechamel can separate. Reheat gently in the oven so the cheese melts back without drying out the meat.

Questions about this dish

Can you make veal Orloff ahead of time?

Yes, you can roast the veal and make the bechamel the day before, then assemble and bake just before serving. This spreads out the work and the dish still comes out tender.

What cut of veal works best for this recipe?

Veal loin is ideal since it stays tender and slices cleanly. A veal rump roast also works if that's what your butcher has.

Can you use a different sauce instead of cheese bechamel?

A classic mornay sauce works well here, it's actually very close to the original recipe. Avoid thinner sauces since they won't hold between the slices.

How do you know the veal is cooked without drying it out?

A meat thermometer is the most reliable way, aim for 65 degrees at the center. Without one, the meat should still look slightly pink in the middle since it will cook a bit more under the broiler.

How long does it take to make a veal Orloff with green beans?

Count 1 h 40 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a veal Orloff with green beans?

About 520 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a veal Orloff with green beans cost?

About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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