Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce)- is a cozy and comforting meal made of thinly sliced steak stuffed with Italian herbs, two kinds of cheese, prosciutto, and breadcrumbs. The beef roll is slow-cooked in red wine and a rich tomato sauce. It's a specialty of Southern Italy. This recipe will become an Italian favorite in your home!
Make sure to make some crusty bread to soak up the incredible sauce. Serve with Red Skin Mashed Potatoes or Easy Creamy Polenta Recipe and Roasted Green Beans Recipe with Garlic and Lemon.
What is Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce)
This authentic Italian Braciole, pronounced: brah-chee-oh-ley, recipe is a flat piece of steak stuffed with a parmigaino, herb, bread crumb, and prosciutto filling then made into a roll and cooked in a traditional Italian tomato sauce.
It makes the perfect Sunday dinner recipe. In Northern Italy, you'll find a similar recipe called involtini di manzo (small beef rolls or bundles); in Germany, they'll call it rouladen.
My nonna used to make this recipe, and her comforting dish inspired this recipe. She used to add a hard-boiled egg in the middle, and you will also find that version in Italy.
For this beef braciole recipe, I make one large roll with the thin flank steak. This saves a bit of time, but you can cut the thin flank steak into pieces, stuff them individually, and secure them with toothpicks. Either way is equally delicious.
This special dish is excellent for any special occasion.
You will also love Best Italian Stuffed Chicken Thighs (Involtini di Pollo). For more beef recipes: BEST Italian Beef Short Rib Ragu, Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe, and Small Prime Rib Roast Recipe.
Jump to:
- What is Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce)
- Simple Ingredients
- What meat is best for Braciole Recipe?
- How to Make Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce) Step-by-Step Photos
- Variations for Italian Braciole Recipe
- What to Serve with Italian Braciole Recipe (Involtino di Manzo)
- How to Store Braciole
- Top tips
- FAQs
- Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce)
- Top tips
Simple Ingredients
- Flank steak
- Italian-style bread crumbs
- Garlic cloves
- Pecorino Romano cheese
- Grated provolone cheese
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh basil
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Prosciutto
- Red wine (substitute: white wine- also delicious)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Sugo al Pomodoro
Optional add-ins to the breadcrumb mixture:
- Pine nuts
- Raisins
See the recipe card for quantities.
What meat is best for Braciole Recipe?
The most common meats for making braciole (also known as braciola) are veal, pork, top round, skirt steak, or flank steak. Since braciole is cooked long and slow, you can turn a tough piece of meat into a tender sensation!
You can use the meat of your liking and whatever you can find sliced at your local grocery store. This tender and juicy stuffed beef recipe with sauce is exquisite!
How to Make Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce) Step-by-Step Photos
This delicious dish requires little work since the true depth of flavor is found in the long cooking time.
Prepare the sugo al pomodoro sauce and set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together bread crumbs, garlic, cheese, parsley, and basil until combined.
Add half the olive oil (2 tablespoons)—season the mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.
Lay the flank steak flat on a wooden board or clean work surface. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Place one piece between two sheets of parchment paper. With a rolling pin or meat mallet, pound the meat to flatten it to about ¼ inch thickness— season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the steak to cover the meat.
Add the prosciutto in layers on top of the breadcrumb mixture.
Starting at the short end, roll up the steak (like a jelly roll) to seal the filling.
Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure it (I usually secure it in 4 spots).
Braising Braciole in the oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet, or cast iron pan, over medium heat. Add the braciole to the pan and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
Add the wine to the pan and scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a boil for about 1 minute. Stir in the prepared tomato sauce.
Cover partially with foil or an oven-safe lid, and bake until the meat is almost tender. Baste the braciole with the sauce every 30 minutes.
After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer.
The total cooking time should be about 90 minutes total. You can braise the meat for up to 3 hours. If cooking longer, ensure the sauce doesn't reduce too much, and add a little beef broth if needed.
Let the braciole rest for 15 minutes. Remove the butcher's twine from the braciole. Remove the braciole from the sauce.
Cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices using a large sharp knife.
Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve. Enjoy with ciabatta bread to soak up the sauce.
Variations for Italian Braciole Recipe
Different regions of Italy and Italian-American families make Braciole or stuffed beef with various fillings and sauces. You can get creative with the filling, depending on your personal preference.
Some Italian variations include adding these flavors for the savory filling. You can also mix and match depending on the occasion.
- Raisins and pinenuts
- Thinly sliced ham
- Thinly sliced mortadella
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Parmigiano Cheese
- Parmigiano Regioano (parmsean cheese) instead of Pecorino Romano
- Hard-boiled egg
You can also vary the delicious tomato sauce.
- Add soffritto to the tomato sauce.
- Cook it in a bacon and tomato sauce such as Authentic Italian Amatriciana Sauce
Braciole Without Bread Crumbs
You can leave out the bread crumbs and make this a gluten-free meat dish. Alternatively, you can use a gluten-free bread crumb variety.
Braciole Without Cheese
If you want to make this a dairy-free meat dish you can leave out the cheese. Instead, use some of the variations above to add more flavor to the filling.
What to Serve with Italian Braciole Recipe (Involtino di Manzo)
Traditionally, Italian beef braciole is served as the second course (with a simple green salad). The first course is a simple pasta dish, or ravioli. Don't forget dessert (il dolce)- Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe.
How to Store Braciole
Refrigerate leftover cooked braciole and sauce in an airtight container within 2 hours, and consume within 3 days.
Freeze. Transfer the cooked braciole and sauce to a freezer container or resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost frozen braciole in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat. To reheat the leftover braciole, place it in a sauté pan. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat until the center reaches at least 165 F.
Top tips
- Sear the braciole on all sides before baking in the oven. The browned braciole layer will help seal the juices when baking it in the tomato sauce.
- Use good quality butcher's twine to secure the beef roll and ensure it doesn't fall apart when braising in the oven.
FAQs
Yes, this is a great meat dish to make ahead of time. Italian beef braciole can be ahead of time. After filling the beef with the filling and wrapping it in butcher's twine, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to make the braciole, take it out of the fridge and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature before proceeding with cooking and baking instructions.
The key to making tender braciole is the slow cooking method in the flavorful tomato sauce. Since the thin cut of beef meat is fairly lean it is important to sear it first to seal in the meat juices and then braise it for a long time (90 minutes to 3 hours).
More recipes for you
- Authentic Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna with Tomato Sauce
- Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe
- Classic Italian Spetzzatino (beef and vegetable stew)
- How to Cook Steak in a Pan (Perfect Recipe)
Make sure to leave a ⭐️star rating on the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.
I would love for you to tag me on Instagram @cucinabyelena so I can see your delicious Italian recipes. To get more ideas, follow me on Pinterest.
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Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce)
Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce) is a cozy and comforting meal made of thinly sliced steak stuffed with Italian herbs, two kinds of cheese, prosciutto, and breadcrumbs. The beef roll is slow-cooked in red wine and a rich tomato sauce. It's a specialty of Southern Italy. This recipe will become an Italian favorite in your home!
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 (1 ½-pound) flank steak
- ½ cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ⅔ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ⅓ cup grated provolone cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian basil
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 slices of thinly sliced prosciutto
- 1 cup red wine
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cups Sugo al Pomodoro
Optional add-ins to the breadcrumb mixture:
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons raisins
Instructions
- Prepare the sugo al pomodoro sauce and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together bread crumbs, garlic, cheese, parsley, and basil until combined. Add half the olive oil (2 tablespoons)—season the mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Lay the flank steak flat on a wooden board or clean work surface. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Place one piece between two sheets of parchment paper. With a rolling pin or meat mallet, pound the meat to flatten it to about ¼ inch thickness— season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the steak to cover the meat. Add slices of prosciutto over the pounded beef and breadcrumb mixture to cover evenly.
- Starting at the short end, roll up the steak (like a jelly roll) to seal the filling. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure it (I usually secure it in 4 spots).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet, or cast iron pan, over medium heat. Add the braciole to the pan and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
- Add the wine to the pan and scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a boil for about 1 minute. Stir in the prepared tomato sauce. Cover partially with foil or an oven-safe lid, and bake until the meat is almost tender. Baste the braciole with the sauce every 30 minutes.
- After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 90 minutes total. You can braise the meat for up to 3 hours. If cooking longer, ensure the sauce doesn't reduce too much, and add a little beef broth if needed.
- Let the braciole rest for 15 minutes. Remove the butcher's twine from the braciole. Remove the braciole from the sauce. Cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices using a large sharp knife. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve. Enjoy with ciabatta bread to soak up the sauce.
Notes
Top tips
- Sear the braciole on all sides before baking in the oven. The browned braciole layer will help seal the juices when baking it in the tomato sauce.
- Use good quality butcher's twine to secure the beef roll and ensure it doesn't fall apart when braising in the oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: main course, braciole, beef, Italian beef recipe, involtini
JD says
So tender with the most flavorful sauce! It’s the perfect comfort food. Thank you!
★★★★★
Elena says
It is a major comfort food recipe!
Daniela says
This dish looks like a showstopper, but it isn’t very hard to do! So comforting and cozy, It was a huge hit for my family and my son said it’s even better than Beef Wellington. High praise from him 🙂
★★★★★
Elena says
Hi Daniela! I was so happy your family loved the recipe. Here's to many more!