Beef Braciole, also known as Braciola, is an American Italian dish of flank steak and prosciutto rolled and stuffed with a cheesy herb stuffing. It’s then braised in a tomato wine sauce and served as tender rounds. In other words, it’s total comfort food! In fact, the only thing better than a plate of braised beef braciole is a plate accompanied by a glass of Nebbiolo and perhaps a bowl of creamy polenta. Swoon!
Paired with roasted vegetables or cauliflower gratin, this homestyle Italian recipe will not only make your kitchen smell amazing, but easily impress your family and friends. We love this dish for its elegance and simplicity. It’s hearty for sure, but man does it have that special wow factor! You’ll love this for Sunday dinner.
If you’re looking for more meaty Italian dishes consider Braised beef pappardelle, short rib ragu, or our tender, slow braised lamb ragu. Or check out all of our delicious beef recipes.
What Is Beef Braciole?
Beef Braciole is a classic American Italian dish that typically uses slices of beef such as top round or flank steak, pounded out to a thin ¼-inch thick cut. It’ i’s then filled with a savory filling, seared and braised in a large pot with a tomato sauce. Feel free to use homemade marinara sauce if you like!
The meat cooks low and slow while being basted in the sauce until extremely tender. In addition to beef, braciole can be made from veal or pork.
Ingredient Notes
- Meat: Top round, flank steak, skirt steak, and sirloin are among the most popular cuts of meat to use. We add a thin slice of prosciutto to the inside of the beef.
- Garlic: Finely chopped garlic is added to the filling.
- Cheeses: A combination of Provolone and Pecorino Romano bring a nutty and sharp taste that balances well with an acidic sauce. Parmesan cheese is great too!
- Italian Breadcrumbs: Try making our homemade breadcrumbs, which have the best flavor!
- Fresh Herbs & Spices: Basil, parsley, Kosher salt and pepper help to season the dish.
- Neutral Oil: We prefer a neutral oil, such as grapeseed or avocado oil, instead of extra virgin olive oil. The former has a higher smoke point so you don’t burn the oil.
- Wine & Stock: You can use both or simply just stock for the base of the sauce. Use your choice of white or red wine, and chicken or beef stock. Note that white wine pairs well with chicken stock, and red wine pairs best with beef stock.
- Tomatoes: A can of crushed tomatoes or a jar of tomato passata helps to develop a rich tomato flavor in the sauce, though of course you can use homemade marinara sauce.
- Toasted pine nuts: Optional, but so delicious for a little added crunchy and a nutty taste!
You’ll also need a meat mallet to tenderize the beef. A rolling pin will work in a pinch!
How To Make Braised Beef Braciole
- Make the filling. While the oven is preheating, mix all the ingredients for the filling together in a bowl. Set aside until ready to assemble.
- Prepare the beef. Place the beef on a cutting board layered with a piece of plastic wrap. Use the toothed side of a meat mallet, known as the tenderizer, to firmly pound out the beef until about ¼-inch in thickness across the entirety. Be sure to start in the center and work your way outward. Repeat with the other pieces of beef.
- Assemble the braciole. Lay a slice of prosciutto on each pounded out piece of beef, then divide the filling evenly between them. Spread into an even layer, leaving a 1” border around the edges. Roll each piece tightly so that the filling is completely enclosed, then secure either with butcher’s twine or a toothpick to seal. Season the outside of each braciole lightly with Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Brown the braciole. Heat a large skillet with deep sides or a pot over medium–high heat with a few tablespoons of neutral oil. Once hot and shimmering, brown all the sides of the rolled beef for about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate to rest while you make the sauce.
- Make the sauce. Sauté chopped garlic in a skillet. Deglaze the pan with white wine or chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for another couple of minutes before adding the remaining cup of chicken stock, tomatoes, and herbs.
- Braise until tender. Add the browned beef and any drippings to the pan with the sauce. Cover the top loosely with aluminum foil and cook in the oven for 1½ hours, until the meat is very tender. Baste the meat with sauce every 30 minutes, adding a bit of water or stock as needed if the liquid reduces too much.
- Slice, then serve. Serve beef braciole whole with a spoonful of sauce or transfer each roll to a cutting board, thinly slice into rounds, then serve with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil or parsley.
FAQs
Something lean that is not too thick, such as top round or flank steak, works well.
Sear it before braising! This helps to seal in the juices. Also, be sure to check the liquid while braising in the oven. You can add additional water or stock as needed if it gets too low.
We recommend pasta, rice, or polenta as a simple side dish, but it can also be enjoyed with roasted vegetables or a side salad. And crusty bread is great too!
Expert Tips
- To make the beef braciole easier to roll, pound it out until it is about 1/4-inch thick.
- Use a good quality breadcrumb filling. This will make a big difference in the flavor of the dish. Consider making homemade breadcrumbs!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning the meat. This will prevent them from browning evenly.
- Braise the beef braciole for at least 1½ hours, or until tender.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: This is a great recipe to make ahead and freeze! Assemble the rolls as instructed, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw the beef rolls overnight in a fridge, then proceed with the cooking instructions.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 4 days or in a freezer for up to 3 months.
- To freeze: Allow the beef to cool completely to room temperature before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Thaw fully overnight in a refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Place leftovers in a skillet large enough to git the remaining beef and sauce, then simmer uncovered on a stove top for about 10 minutes, or until warm throughout. You can also gently reheat in a microwave, but be cautious — the sauce may splatter!
How To Serve
This is an incredibly hearty meal on its own. Consider pairing it with vegetable side dishes such as:
- Roasted vegetables: oven roasted broccoli, broccolini, or Sicilian cauliflower
- Salads: Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad or our House Salad
If serving as part of a larger family-style meal, we love to pair this with our Skillet Lasagna, Cheese Manicotti, Arancini, or Eggplant Rollatini. Of course any pasta, polenta, or even rice dish would be a great accompaniment.
Substitutions and Variations
- Herbs: In addition to or as a replacement for parsley and basil, consider using tarragon or oregano.
- Filling: In Napoli, raisins (hello, wine country) are often incorporated into the stuffing along with pine nuts. You might enjoy this is you like sweet and savory flavors.
- Breadcrumbs: Don’t have breadcrumbs? You can use crushed Ritz crackers!
If you were to look up “comfort food” in a dictionary, we’re quite certain there would be a photo of this recipe. It’s delicious, hearty, and perfect for any family meal. We can’t wait for you to try this one!
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Tender Braised Beef Braciole
Equipment
Ingredients
For the filling
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ cup Provolone shredded (we recommend soft, mild provolone, not hard, sharp Provolone)
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano grated
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs Italian breadcrumbs are great here
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil thinly sliced, about 8-10 leaves
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Kosher salt plus more
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the meat
- 1½-2 lbs top round or flank steak cut or pounded out into ¼-thick slices (6 pieces), see note below
- 6 prosciutto slices for beef
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 (15oz) can crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
- 10 basil leaves plus more leaved, for serving
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, optional, for serving
- Fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Make the filling. Preheat an oven to 300F. In a large bowl, combine chopped garlic, ½ cup shredded Provolone, ½ cup grated Pecorino, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp basil, 2 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir to mix well.
- Assemble the braciole. Place a piece of meat in between a layer of plastic wrap, then use the toothed side of a meat mallet to pound out until about ¼” thick. Repeat with remaining pieces of steak, then place on a large cutting board or work surface for easy assembly. Lay 1 slice of prosciutto on each piece of meat. Divide the filling evenly between slices, spreading into an even layer on top of the prosciutto and leaving a 1” border around the edges. Roll each piece of meat tightly so that the filling is completely enclosed, then secure either with kitchen twine or a toothpick to seal. Season the outside of each braciole lightly with Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Brown the braciole. Heat 2 Tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat in a wide, deep pan. When hot, add the braciole and cook, browning on all sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
- Make the sauce. Add 3 coves thinly sliced garlic, then cook until fragrant and light golden brown, about 1 minute, then deglaze with 1 cup dry white wine. Bring to a boil, then use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, cooking for about 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock, 1 can of crushed tomatoes, and basil leaves, then stir.
- Braise until tender. Return the beef braciole to the sauce, along with any drippings on the plate. Cover loosely with aluminum foil, then transfer to a preheated oven and cook for 1½ hours, until the meat is very tender. Baste the meat with sauce every 30 minutes, adding a bit of water or stock as needed if the liquid reduces too much.
- Slice, then serve. Serve beef braciole whole with a spoonful of sauce or transfer each roll to a cutting board, thinly slice into rounds, then serve with toasted pine nuts (optional) and fresh basil or parsley.
Notes
- Meat: Many stores will sell thinly sliced pieces of top round, which you can then pound out to be ¼” thick. Alternatively, you can cut small pieces of flank steak (or other steak, such as sirloin or even filet) and pound those out to an equal thickness.
- Why use the toothed side of the mallet? It helps to tenderize the meat.
- To make-ahead: This is a great recipe to make ahead and freeze! Assemble the rolls as instructed, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw the beef rolls overnight in a fridge, then proceed with the cooking instructions.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 4 days or in a freezer for up to 3 months.
- To freeze: Allow the beef to cool completely to room temperature before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Thaw fully overnight in a refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Place leftovers in a skillet large enough to git the remaining beef and sauce, then simmer uncovered on a stove top for about 10 minutes, or until warm throughout. You can also gently reheat in a microwave, but be cautious — the sauce may splatter!
Nutrition
Photography by: Alana of Your Home Made Healthy.
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