Classic Beef Braciole with Tomato Sauce
Beef Braciole
Thin beef rolls filled with seasoned breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic, and cheese, then browned and simmered until tender in a rich tomato sauce.
Classic beef braciole is a slow-simmered Italian American dish built around thin slices of beef rolled around a savory breadcrumb filling. The rolls are browned first, then tucked into tomato sauce so the meat turns tender and the sauce picks up the flavor of garlic, herbs, cheese, and browned beef.
The filling should be moist enough to hold together without becoming heavy. Fresh parsley, garlic, Parmesan, pecorino, and a little olive oil season the breadcrumbs, while a few slices of prosciutto add a salty layer inside each roll. Kitchen twine keeps the bundles neat as they sear and braise.
Braciole is especially good for a Sunday dinner because most of the work happens before the simmer. Once the rolls are in the sauce, the pot needs only an occasional stir while the beef softens and the sauce thickens into something generous enough for pasta, polenta, or crusty bread.
For the cleanest slices, let the cooked braciole rest briefly after removing the twine. Spoon plenty of sauce over the top and serve the rolls whole or cut crosswise to show the spiral of beef and filling.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Lay the beef cutlets between sheets of parchment and pound them to about 1/8 inch thick, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
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2
Mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, pecorino, parsley, 3 minced garlic cloves, oregano, and 2 tablespoons olive oil until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
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3
Place prosciutto over each beef cutlet, scatter the breadcrumb mixture on top, and roll each cutlet tightly from a short end.
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4
Tie each roll with kitchen twine in two or three places so the filling stays enclosed during browning.
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5
Heat the remaining olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef rolls on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total, then transfer them to a plate.
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6
Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the remaining garlic for 30 seconds.
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7
Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits, then add the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, basil, and any juices from the plate.
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8
Return the braciole to the sauce, cover partly, and simmer gently for 80 to 90 minutes, turning the rolls occasionally, until the beef is tender.
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9
Remove the twine, rest the braciole for 5 minutes, and serve with tomato sauce spooned over the top.
Ingredients
- Top round beef, sliced into thin cutlets:2 lb
- Fine dry breadcrumbs:1 cup
- Grated Parmesan cheese:1/3 cup
- Grated pecorino Romano cheese:1/4 cup
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped:1/3 cup
- Garlic cloves, minced:5
- Dried oregano:1 tsp
- Olive oil:1/4 cup
- Thin prosciutto slices:4 oz
- Yellow onion, finely chopped:1
- Dry red wine:1/2 cup
- Crushed tomatoes:28 oz
- Tomato puree:15 oz
- Fresh basil sprigs:3
- Kosher salt:1 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper:1/2 tsp
Tips & Notes
- Ask the butcher to slice top round for braciole, or use thin flank steak pieces cut across the grain.
- Keep the simmer gentle; a hard boil can tighten the beef before it has time to become tender.
- The sauce can be made a day ahead with the braciole in it, then reheated slowly before serving.
