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Italian Beef Braciole in a rich slowly simmered tomato sauce. This southern Italian dish is super comforting and delicious made with thin slices of beef stuffed with prosciutto, pecorino, garlic, and herbs. Toss the incredible tomato sauce with pasta and serve the braciole with your sides of choice!
Beef Braciole also known as involtini (rolled stuffed meat) is just such a homely and comforting meal perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon feast with the family.
This version, in particular, is traditionally served in Puglia, southern Italy although there are so many filling options you could try.
And don’t worry it’s also not an overly complicated dish to make either. A sharp knife (or your butcher) will ensure that the beef is cut into nice thin slices ready to be stuffed.
And the whole dish is simmered for just 2 hours, this really is rustic home cooking at its finest!
Ingredients you need
This recipe is made with super simple ingredients all of which are pretty easy to find in most supermarkets; top or bottom round beef roast (also know as silverside), pecorino cheese, fresh basil and parsley, slices of prosciutto, garlic, strained tomatoes (passata), olive oil and salt and pepper.
See the photo below that shows all the ingredients you need.
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Pin ItStep by step recipe instructions
Cut the beef into ¼ inch (1/2 cm) thick slices. Pound them to half the thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin (photos 1 & 2).
Sprinkle the inside of each slice of beef with a little salt and pepper then lay a slice of prosciutto on top. Sprinkle over a small amount of garlic, parsley and place a slice of pecorino in the middle (photo 3).
Roll up the slice of beef and secure each end with a toothpick, repeat with all slices of beef (photos 4 & 5).
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and brown the braciole on all sides. Once browned add the strained tomatoes (passata) and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low, simmer slowly for 2 hours (photos 6-10).
Once the braciole are cooked add the fresh basil to the sauce and stir to combine, serve.
How to serve Braciole the Italian way
The traditional way to serve beef braciole is to first toss a little tomato sauce with cooked pasta and serve that as a first course, the portion should be small and not your average main sized portion (photos 11 & 12 show how some of the sauce can be used to toss with pasta).
The braciole are then served with a little remaining sauce with some sides such as sauteed green veggies, beans, grilled vegetables or roasted potatoes.
I absolutely love serving braciole this way because the starter and main course are all prepared in the one pot and while it cooks you can prepare your sides.
It’s such a delicious, hearty and rustic home cooked meal that fills your home with the most incredible smell and brings the whole family together.
Filling options
The great thing about this recipe is that it’s super versatile and you can stuff the braciole with whatever you like.
In Napoli the braciole are traditionally stuffed with pine nuts and raisins (no prosciutto) whereas this version is often found in Puglia.
You can get creative and choose your own fillings but one top tip to bear in mind is that less is more, don’t go overboard and don’t overcomplicate it.
Top tips and recipe FAQs
- Beef thickness – it’s essential to pound the beef using a meat mallet or rolling pin to half of its thickness to tenderise the beef and make it easier to roll.
The cut of beef you need is top round or a bottom round roast, either one will do. You’ll want the beef to be cut into thin slices so a sharp knife is essential otherwise ask your butcher to cut the beef for you. The slices should be 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) before pounding. Also if you’re using top round the slices will be fairly large so cut them in half lengthways first.
Absolutely, you can stuff the braciole and store them in the fridge before cooking or you can cook the whole dish and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to re-heat and serve.
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for around 2-3 days or can be frozen in suitable containers. After freezing thaw the braciole completely then reheat until piping hot all the way through.
More Italian dinner recipes you might like
- Lasagne al Forno (beef lasagna)
- Ossobuco Milanese (Braised Veal Shanks)
- Steak Pizzaiola
- Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
- Florentine Steak (Bistecca alla Fiorentina)
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Italian Beef Braciole
Ingredients
- 1.3 lbs top or bottom round beef roast, can also use sirloin or silverside (600g)
- 8-10 slices prosciutto
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 8-10 slices of pecorino cheese
- 3 cups passata (pureed tomatoes), (700g)
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cut the beef into ¼ inch (1/2 cm) thick slices (make sure to cut the meat against the grain). Pound them to half the thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Sprinkle the inside of each slice of beef with a little salt and pepper then lay a slice of prosciutto on top.
- Sprinkle over a small amount of garlic, parsley and place a slice of pecorino in the middle. Roll up the slice of beef and secure each end with a toothpick.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot and brown the braciole on all sides. Once browned add the passata and stir to combine (make sure the braciole are covered). Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low, simmer slowly for 2 hours.
- Once the braciole are cooked add the fresh basil to the sauce and stir to combine, serve.
How to serve it traditionally
- Once cooked remove the beef braciole and set aside or keep warm on a plate. Add the fresh basil to the sauce and serve the sauce with freshly cooked and drained pasta then serve the beef braciole as a second course with a little reserved tomato sauce and your sides of choice.
Video
Notes
- Beef thickness – it’s essential to pound the beef using a meat mallet or rolling pin to half of its thickness to tenderise the beef and make it easier to roll.
- leftovers & freezing – leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days and can be reheated as needed alternatively you can freeze leftovers in suitable containers the thaw completely before reheating.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I thought this tasted incredible. However, my bossy roommate insisted on cutting with the meat with the grain. I noticed from the pictures it should be across the grain.
He won and it was as chewy as shoe leather, but tasted great.
Please clarify if across the grain is the intended cut. Thank you!
Hi Jason, yes, you’re right you always cut the meat across (against) the grain otherwise it will be chewy. I’ll make sure to update the recipe to make that clear. I’m glad you enjoyed the flavour even if it was like shoe leather lol.
I remember these from the 70’s when a friend of Sicilian descent came to my house and made them. She called them the Sicilian name “Spudinis”.
Amazing recipe, sooo delicious
Thanks so much Colin!
Awesome have cooked this more times than I can remember and every time it’s been delicious, I love the pasta starter and then serve the main with a little sauce and lots of par boiled roast potatoes and a glass of wine , what more could I ask for …..
Bellissimo lavoro,bravo continua cosi!!
Just made this for Sunday dinner and had to let you know it was as delicious as you made it look! Hubby is a bit of a lightweight, so didn’t do the sauce with pasta too, but that’s dinner tommorow sorted!Yaay! Really delicious! Definitely going to be a regular! Thank you!
Haha so happy you enjoyed it, the sauce will be even better the next day!
I always make this, you do it a little different than I do
however the result is amazing
Oh this looks so delicious! What can be better than slow cooked meat stuffed with cheese! Can’t wait to try this! and I love the idea of serving it the traditional italian way as two courses..perfetto!
Thank you, definitely try it the traditional way the sauce is just so delicious with pasta, yum!