Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 58 Comments

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A traditional Italian dish, beef braciole recipe is a flank steak wrapped with prosciutto and Parmesan and slowly braised in Merlot and a hearty marinara.

Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (1)

I love, love cooking with wine and really feel it gives dishes such abundant flavor. My favorite dish to use wine in is in a good hearty red pasta sauce, such as linguini puttanesca. Every time I make a marinara sauce, wine is always on the ingredient list. The flavor reduces and thickens with other aromatics and really offers amazing layered flavor.

Start any meal with myGoat cheese stuffed phyllo cupsit's simple and impressive.

Beef Braciole is an Italian recipe.

So let's talk about Braciole. This is an Italian dish where meat is rolled up with other flavors and stuffing ingredients, such as my braciole stuffed with prosciutto. I used a 2lb flank steak and pounded it out to even the thickness, but cutlets work just as well.

I made a braciole filling of caramelized onions and garlic, prosciutto, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg and fresh herbs and rolled the filling into the steak. Then once the meat is seared, I used the delicious meat drippings to make a fabulous deep red sauce. It was pure heaven. The meat slowly braised in the sauce and was the perfect accompaniment to a good glass of wine.

How to make Beef Braciole

Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (2)

Step 1: Caramelize onions and garlic in olive oil. When done, add to a bowl. Make the filling by combining the onions and garlic, prosciutto, egg, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and Parmesan. Mix together and set aside.

Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (3)

Step 2: Remove flank steak from package and lay between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet (or anything hard) and pound the flank so the width is even. Remove the plastic wrap and place the filling evenly on the steak.

Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (4)

Step 3: Begin to roll the steak, making sure the filling is tight inside. Once rolled, use butcher string to tie the steak in several places so that it is as even in shape as it can be. Season with the outside evenly with salt and pepper.

Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (5)

Step 4: In a large dutch oven or pot, drizzle with olive oil and sear the braciole on all sides. Once seared, remove to a plate.

Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (6)

Step 5: In the same Dutch oven, saute the chopped onion, garlic and spices and saute until softened. Add tomato paste and red wine and continue cooking until reduced. Then pour the crushed tomatoes in and season with salt and pepper.

Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (7)

Step 6: Add the braciole (with any juices that have accumulated) into the tomato sauce and cover the pot, leaving a small opening. Allow the sauce to come to a boil and then reduce to a slow simmer. Allow to cook for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. When done, the meat should slice easily and tender.

Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (8)

Step 7: When done, let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, then slice the braciole and serve with additional tomato sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil.

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Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan

Samantha Ferraro

LittleFerraroKitchen.com

A traditional Italian dish, beef braciole recipe is a flank steak wrapped with prosciutto and Parmesan and slowly braised in a hearty marinara.

4.81 from 73 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Resting Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 381 kcal

Ingredients

Braciole Filling

Marinara Sauce

Instructions

  • First caramelize onions and garlic in olive oil. When done, add to a bowl.

  • Make the filling by combining the onions and garlic, prosciutto, egg, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and Parmesan. Mix together and set aside.

  • Remove flank steak from package and lay between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet (or anything hard) and pound the flank so the width is even. Season with salt and pepper.

  • Remove the plastic wrap and place the filling evenly on the steak.

  • Then begin to roll the steak, making sure the filling is tight inside. Once rolled, use butcher string to tie the steak in several places so that it is as even in shape as it can be. Season with salt and pepper.

  • In a large dutch oven or pot, drizzle with olive oil and sear the braciole on all sides. Once seared, remove to a plate. To the same pot, add chopped onions, garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes and sauté until onions are translucent. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Then add 1 cup of Merlot and deglaze while using a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom. The wine should reduce by half and thicken.

  • Add crushed tomatoes to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Add the braciole (with any juices that have accumulated) into the tomato sauce and cover the pot, leaving a small opening.

  • Bring up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook everything until meat is tender and cooked through, about an hour and a half.

  • To serve, remove braciole from sauce and if allow to rest for 10 minutes. Then cut strings off braciole and slice into ½ inch thick slices. Serve with marinara sauce and garnish with fresh herbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 38gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 134mgSodium: 363mgPotassium: 713mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 285IUVitamin C: 2.9mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 3.5mg

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Comments

  1. Jim says

    Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (18)
    I used round steak cutlets for this recipe . It turned out great. I used my garden Roma tomatoes (abundance) and peeled them . Then I hand crushed them instead of using canned. I might of used a little too much crushed red pepper. It got a little spicy, so I added a little sugar and it calmed the heat down.

    Reply

    • Samantha Ferraro says

      Fantastic Jim, It was a big tomato harvest here in our neck of the woods also. The line between too spicy and perfection is separated by a thin line so we understand your yummy dilemma. Thanks for the feedback. Samantha.

      Reply

  2. Jan says

    Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (19)
    I made this 45 yrs. ago & too young to get it right. This is excellent. Because of my hips I added it to my crockpot. Excellent & Thank You

    Reply

    • Samantha says

      Thank you so much! I have made this in the slow cooker as well and it comes out great!

      Reply

  3. Lucy says

    Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (20)
    This beef is so tender and moist and the marinara sauce compliments it perfectly.

    Reply

    • Samantha says

      Thank you so much Lucy!

      Reply

  4. Giangi Townsend says

    Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (21)
    Wonderful recipe that brings back fond memories of my grandmother and her cooking in her kitchen. Thank you for bringing back such a fond memory thru this fantastic dish.
    Delicious! Thank you for sharing

    Reply

  5. Lise Snider says

    Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (22)
    Oh my gosh. This was absolutely delicious. We made some noodles to eat with that amazing sauce and served it for our Christmas meal. Will definitely make again for a future special celebration.

    Reply

    • Samantha says

      Hi Lise! Thank you so much for commenting and bringing my recipe into your home! So glad you all enjoyed it!! Happy Holidays!

      Reply

  6. Gina Bellingham says

    Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (23)
    Hello,
    I printed the recipe but I noticed that the list of ingredients doesn't have tomato paste, crushed tomatoes or what type of wine (the instructions do say 1 cup). Can you please update? I'm dying to make this!

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Samantha says

      Hi Gina! I've been having issues with my recipe cards, so thank you for commenting! Recipe is updated...let me know how it comes out! Such a delicious meal 🙂

      Reply

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Beef Braciole Recipe with Prosciutto and Parmesan (2024)

FAQs

What cut of meat is best for braciole? ›

My preferred method of making beef braciole is to make it with flank steak. Flank steak is one of my favorite meats to braise because it will be extremely tender. You can make one huge roll or cut it into thin slices like I do to make a couple of little rolls.

What does braciole mean in Italian? ›

Braciole is an Italian-style roulade, a rolled and stuffed meat. It is also called involtini, or bruciuluni in Sicilian. The etymology of the word translates to slice of meat rolled over coals. The meat — typically beef, veal, or pork — is pounded thin and stuffed with prosciutto, breadcrumbs, cheese, and herbs.

Why is my braciole tough? ›

Further, if you haven't pounded the meat thin enough, it can still be tough after cooking, so make sure to pound it to an even, thin slice. Lastly, the cooking time matters, as if you cook it too short it can be tough, so make sure to cook it slow and prolonged to get a more tender result.

Can braciole be made ahead of time? ›

Make ahead: The uncooked braciole can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. This dish gets better with time. If you can, make it in the morning or the night before, refrigerate, and reheat when you're ready to serve. Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

What is the beef version of prosciutto? ›

Bresaola is a bit like a lean prosciutto made with beef instead of pork and slightly reminiscent of pastrami in terms of flavor. It's also somewhat similar to Switzerland's Bündnerfleisch and viande des Grisons, though it's moister and more delicate than either of those.

What Italian meat looks like prosciutto? ›

Speck. Like a cross between prosciutto and bacon, speck is perfect for when you want the soft saltiness of prosciutto but with a spicy kick. Like prosciutto, speck is made from the leg of the pig and is salt-cured and aged. Unlike prosciutto, speck is rubbed with a flurry of spices and is smoked.

What is the difference between braciole and braciola? ›

In Italy, "braciole" often refers to simple grilled slices of meat, usually pork. This is because "braciola" can be a term for any piece of meat cooked over embers or "braci." These are typically smaller pieces of meat, simply seasoned, grilled, and enjoyed right off the fire.

How to cut top round for braciole? ›

For the Braciole: In a medium bowl, add breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir until well combined. Set aside. If using a top round roast, slice roast into six 1/2 -inch slices. If using pre-sliced beef, skip to Step 5.

What to do if meat is too tough? ›

You can add a little bit of water or broth to a pan and simmer the meat for a few minutes. The goal is to allow the liquid to penetrate the meat without allowing it to overcook even more. This should take a couple of minutes. If you add a couple tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice, this also helps revive the meat.

How do you make meat less rubbery? ›

8 simple tips to make meat softer
  1. Utilize the meat tenderizer. A quick and easy method is the use of the meat tenderizer. ...
  2. Cover the meat with coarse salt. ...
  3. Acid marinade. ...
  4. Marinade with fruit puree. ...
  5. Slow cooking in a pan. ...
  6. Grilling. ...
  7. Add the coarse salt halfway through cooking. ...
  8. Use baking soda.

Where did braciole originate? ›

The Neapolitan-style Braciole recipe is a dish that ran the history of Southern-Italian cuisine! The ingredients of this delicious, rolled meat come from the Ancient Greece, via the discovering of America and the French domination of the territory around Naples.

What cuts of meat are the most tender? ›

Tenderloin steak and top blade steaks ranked first and second. Top round steak ranked last. Roasts were more tender than steak counterparts.

What's the best kind of meat to use for Italian beef? ›

Italian beef is a sandwich that originated in Chicago. The cut of beef used for Italian beef is typically chuck. The beef is slow cooked until fall-apart tender, then piled high in a hoagie bun with some of the meat's tasty, sloppy cooking juices.

What is the most flavorful cut of meat? ›

The Ribeye is generally considered to be the most flavourful steak. These steaks are cut from the ribs and contain a lot of marbling throughout. The muscle from where the Ribeye is cut, isn't used often so the meat is very tender.

What part of meat is flank steak? ›

Flank steak is a beef steak cut from the abdominal muscles of the cow. This cut is also called the London Broil due to its popularity in that city. It is a long, flat cut that runs from the rib end of the animal to the hip or rump.

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