Beef Braciole Recipe (Involtini)
Published March 2, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Beef Braciole Recipe is an American Italian dish of parmesan and bread crumb stuffed beef roulades braised in a delicious tomato sauce. This is seriously so dang good.
If you’re really into Italian classics, try my Steak Pizzaiola and Italian Wedding Soup.
Braciole
This is an American-Italian dish that is a pounded beef filet that is stuffed with cheese, herbs, and breadcrumbs that is then pan-seared and braised in a tomato sauce. The stuffing will depend on who is making it. You pronounce this classic Italian recipe as Brah-J “yoh- lah.
In Italy, braciole is a breaded pork steak cooked and simmered in a tomato sauce. The authentic Italian version as we know it is something known as Involtini di carne in Italy.
I’ve always said that braising is my favorite cooking method, and this beef braciole recipe proves that. I don’t have much of a family history making this, but I’ve definitely made it at some of the eateries that I worked out throughout the last 15 years.
What Cut of Meat Should I Use?
Here are the best cuts of beef to use when making this:
- Top Round
- Flank Steak
- Skirt Steak
- Sirloin
I believe this is about personal preference and availability, so this recipe, in its original intent, may have depended on what was available.
Ingredients and Substitutions
On google, this recipe is murky, and it is incredibly hard to get a read on what this original dish might have looked like. I’ve seen it being stuffed with raisins and pine nuts, hard-boiled eggs, and tons of herbs in some variations. Knowing what I know about Italian cuisine is that recipes were simple.
People used what they had on hand to make the most delicious recipe possible, nothing more than that. Most recipes like this were peasant food, and with that in mind, I took that approach when creating this braciole recipe.
Recipe ingredients would include:
- Tomatoes – I always like to use homemade canned tomatoes or San Marzano Tomatoes.
- Parmesan Cheese – You will need finely grated parmesan.
- Parsley – I always used Italian flat-leaf parsley in my recipes.
- Bread Crumbs – You will need regular unseasoned breadcrumbs for this braciole.
- Top Sirloin – I believe top sirloin is the perfect cut of meat for this.
- Onion – You will use whole garlic cloves in this recipe.
How to Make Beef Braciole
Add the tomatoes to a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth.
Transfer to a medium-sized pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook on low heat.
Next, slice the sirloin roast into 12 thin fillets that are about 1/2″ thick.
Pound each of them out on a cutting board in between plastic wrap or a plastic bag until it is about ¼ thick. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper until combined.
Add a small amount of the breadcrumb mixture to the center of 1 pounded beef fillet and spread it out across the beef fillet, pressing it down into the beef.
Roll up the beef to make a roulade.
Repeat until the beef and stuffing have all been used, and truss each beef roulade with a butcher’s twine or a toothpick.
Next, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Add in white wine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Pour the tomato sauce, add a lid to the pan, and cook over low heat for 1 hour.
Remove the butcher’s twine, garnish with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, slice, and serve.
What do You Serve with Braciole?
- Pastas, like ziti or penne
- A risotto side dish will also pair nicely with this braciole recipe.
- You can also serve braciole with polenta.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten when it’s done cooking. However, it can be kept warm over very low heat for up to 30 minutes covered in the pan.
How to Store: Store the steak and sauce covered in plastic for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Braciole will freeze well covered in a container for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat: Add the sauce and steaks to a saucepan and cook covered over low heat for 8-10 minutes or until warm.
chef notes + tips
- Being incredibly classic, I’ve also seen horse meat being used in classic braciole, but I’ll stay clear of that for now.
- You can use strip loin in this recipe as well.
- Ensure the oil is lightly smoked over medium-high heat before adding the beef to sear.
- You can get creative with this and use pounded pork or chicken instead of beef.
More Awesome Beef Recipes
- Steak Frites
- Bistecca Alla Fiorentina
- Filet Mignon with Blue Cheese Butter
- T Bone Recipe
- New York Strip Recipe
Video
Beef Braciole Recipe (Involtini)
Ingredients
- 2 28- ounce cans of San Marzano Tomatoes
- 2- pound beef top sirloin roast
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 4 finely minced cloves garlic
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup white wine
Instructions
- Add the tomatoes to a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth. Transfer to a medium-sized pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook on low heat.
- Next, slice the sirloin roast into 12 thin fillets and pound each of them out on a cutting board in between plastic wrap or a plastic bag until it is about ¼ thick. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper until combined.
- Add a small amount of the breadcrumb mixture to the center of 1 pounded beef fillet and spread it out across the beef fillet, pressing it down into the beef. Roll up the beef to make a roulade.
- Repeat until the beef and stuffing have all been used, and truss each beef roulade with butcher’s twine or a toothpick.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat and sear the beef until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Add in white wine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the tomato sauce, add a lid to the pan, and cook over low heat for 1 hour.
- Remove the butcher's twine, slice, and serve.
I use bread crumbs Ham , provalone,.garlic,
Pesto sauce, and capacolli, Parm and Romano.
I had a hard time getting the amount of stuffing it called for in the recipe to stay inside the roulades. So the extra was baked on top of the dish under broiler just before serving. Angelhair pasta is a favorite of the group that cooks together., so that was our side. A simple salad, and warm bread with dipping oil made the meal a success. Lemon blender pie to top off the meal. Once again your simple recipes are a hit. Thanks Billi.
This is how my mom made it. She added it to her pasta sauce with other meats, like meatballs,sausage , pork, sometimes veal. We had a variety of meat. Brings back many memories of Sunday dinner, or in our house it was Monday.
I dated a guy who was 100% Italian. His mother made a large one of these for Christmas dinner. It tasted like it took her all day to cook! This recipe is so much like hers! Love it!
I add toasted pignoli nuts prosciutto raisins Basil mint with the parsley
We have a code in our house when something is good. “Keep practicing” That means it’s something to repeat over and over. I made this last night with chicken and was told to keep practicing. It’s something that we will add to our rotation of meals. The sauce was so good. We had a nice french baguette to dip in the sauce and roasted potatoes on the side. Excellent!! Thank you!
Excellent recipe and it was easier than it looked. I made this for Christmas dinner and everyone loved it (even children that are picky eaters)! The meat was so tender and flavorful. We had pasta as well and I ended up using the sauce from the braciole rather than my homemade spaghetti sauce. Thanks!
appreciate you trying it
True Italian cooking. Simple but quality ingredients. The sauce is delicious!!!
Came out perfect, thank you, this is a keeper!
Sounds exactly like my Italian mother-in-law used to make only she used flank steak. Yummy