Braciole (Italian Stuffed Beef Recipe) - CucinaByElena (2024)

This Italian Braciole Recipe 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 for braciole 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.

Simple Ingredients

To make this recipe for braciole you'll need the following 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
• Parmesan Cheese

See the recipe card for quantities.

How To Make Braciole

This delicious Italian 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 thin slices of beef 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).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet, cast iron pan, or dutch oven 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.

Recipe Variations

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
• Red pepper

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.

FAQs

What To Serve With This Recipe

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. You can also pair it with our duch*ess Potatoes with Cheese Recipe!

Don't forget dessert (il dolce)- Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe.

You might also love this Steak Pizzaiola Recipe!

Storage & Reheating Instructions

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.

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 ratingon the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.

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