Beef Braciole (Braciola) is a company-worthy, classic, hearty, homestyle southern Italian dish that’s perfect for a winter night or Sunday dinner. Thin slices of beef with a savory filling slowly braise in a wine-infused sauce for a dish you’ll fall in love with!
(Recipe updated and post republished from the original dated 12-24-14.)
What is Beef Braciole (Braciola)?
Beef Braciole (also known as braciola) is a classic Italian dish with many variations.
It can be made with thin, individual slices of beef such as round or as one large roll using flank steak. It can also be made with pork and it always has a savory filling.
The filling for Beef Braciole may be any number of things including cheese, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs, and preserved meats such as prosciutto or salami. Another combination might be spinach, pine nuts and raisins.
No matter what you fill it with, Beef Braciole is a delicious, hearty, Italian home-style dish you will fall in love with!
The inspiration behind this dish:
I adapted this Beef Braciole recipe from one in the “The Sopranos Family Cookbook.” (Affiliate link.) A client, who was a fan of the show, requested I prepare that specific recipe. A couple of tweaks later, it’s been a favorite on my personal chef menu ever since.
Beef Braciole also featured very prominently in an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond as the only dish Ray Barone’s wife, Debra could make!
How to make Beef Braciole (Braciola):
- For this version, you’ll need thinly sliced beef top round, which you can get your butcher to do. Slices of top round can be quite large so you’ll want to cut them in half widthwise.
- Pound it out first to tenderize it, then cut in half widthwise to make it the perfect size to accommodate a slice of prosciutto. (Prosciutto is a dry-cured Italian ham. Prosciutto di Parma is imported from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and can be quite expensive. Less expensive domestic brands are available in most supermarket deli departments.)
- Place a piece of prosciutto over the pounded beef.
- Top with a combination of Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic and fresh Italian parsley…
- Tuck the sides in to secure the filling, roll into a cylinder and secure with a toothpick.
- Brown in olive oil to a lovely deep brown then braise in the wine-infused sauce for a company-worthy dish!
- If cooking Beef Braciole on the stovetop, you may not need the flour to thicken the sauce as it’s going to reduce as it simmers. I prefer cooking Beef Braciole in the oven or slow-cooker because those cooking methods don’t require much attention.
- If you do need to thicken the sauce, make a slurry with flour and slowly add it to the sauce. Simmer until thickened. Here’s more information from The Kitchn on how to do it: How to Make and Use a Slurry
What to serve with this dish:
- Thick, tube-shaped pasta such as penne, ziti or rigatoni
- Cauliflower and White Bean Puree
- Celery Root Puree
- Spinach Parmesan Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes with Parmesan Crumb Topping
For more great beef recipes, try my:
- Slow Cooker Boneless Beef Short Ribs Bourguignon
- Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Barbacoa with Cilantro – Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Cabernet Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower – Leek Puree
- Feijoada (Brazilian Beef Stew)
- Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs
- Moroccan Beef Stew
- Stout-Braised Beef Short Ribs and Colcannon
Helpful tools and equipment (Affiliate Links):
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Beef Braciole
Beef Braciole (Braciola) is a company-worthy, classic, hearty, homestyle southern Italian dish that's perfect for a winter night or Sunday dinner. Thin slices of beef with a savory filling slowly braise in a wine-infused sauce for a dish you'll fall in love with!
Ingredients
- 6 thin slices boneless top round (about 2 pounds)
- 12 cloves garlic
- ½ cup finely chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus more for serving if desired
- 2 tablespoons seasoned dry breadcrumbs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 thin slices prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cut top-round slices in half widthwise so that you have 12 equal pieces. Place beef between two pieces of plastic wrap. Gently pound to ¼ to ⅛-inch thickness.
- Mince 4 cloves of garlic; slice the remaining 8 cloves.
- Combine minced garlic, parsley, cheese, breadcrumbs, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Place a prosciutto slice over the beef then sprinkle filling evenly over all beef slices.
- Roll the beef into a cylinder, tucking in the sides to hold in the filling as you roll. Secure with toothpicks.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Place the beef rolls, seam side down in the pot and brown seam side first to seal it. Cook, turning the meat occasionally until each roll is nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the wine and the sliced garlic. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add beef broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Place beef rolls back in the pot and bring back to a simmer.
- Cover and cook on low heat, turning occasionally until beef is tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1 ½ hours. Alternately, cook covered in a 325-degree oven for 1 ½-2 hours or in a slow cooker for 3-4 hours on high, 5-6 hours on medium or 7-8 hours on low.
- To thicken, place pot back on the stove if cooked in the oven. Remove some of the hot cooking liquid to a bowl. Add the flour and stir until smooth to create a slurry. Slowly add it to the hot cooking liquid, bring to a slow simmer and cook until thickened.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove toothpicks and serve over pasta with additional grated cheese if desired.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD: You can make ahead two ways:
- Fill, brown and place in pot with sauce and refrigerate. Proceed with cooking as directed.
- Cook, cool and refrigerate. Reheat when needed in the oven, on the stovetop or in a slow cooker.
If cooking on the stovetop, you may not need the flour to thicken the sauce because of how the sauce will reduce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 357Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 2197mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 29g
The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
BobV says
WooHoo! Served this to a an Italian friend and he liked it. As a kid, his Aunt would do Sunday dinner in a BIG pot with Braciola, Italian Sausage and homemade meatballs (veal and pork). She cooked it for four hours at 275 degrees. The smell drove everyone crazy. She spread it all out on a long platter with the Braciola in the center. Shredded Parm, Romano and Mizithra cheeses for topping. Now I made myself hungry…
Carol says
Hi, Bob, Thanks so very much and you made ME hungry! What a feast! Thanks again and so glad you both enjoyed!
Sheila says
I learned how to make this from an old boyfriend’s mother who was from Naples. I used thin cut butterball steak and placed a slice of prosciutto, then added chopped spinach, sticks of Monterey Jack cheese, and wedges of hard boiled egg. Browned, then braised in tomato sauce with wine. Haven’t made this in a long time, but anxious to make it again!
Carol says
Hi, Sheila, Thanks so much and love that you learned it from someone directly from Italy! Yes, there are numerous ways to fill the beef; that filling sounds great! Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Annie says
This was amazing! Our BJ’s had top round labeled “braciole” and I got inspired. I read many recipes and I usually defer to the writer who uses the appropriate amount garlic so this won!
We used 2 of the largest pieces of meat from the package (3.25 lbs of meat total, we ended up with 6 roll ups after cutting the pieces). Some of the pieces were trapezoidal, and that was challenging in the rolling but I folded in the ends and used more toothpicks. This worked!
I added a chopped yellow onion after the browning process and sweat those before adding the wine and garlic. I just couldn’t imagine cooking without onion. I like this addition! Your mileage may vary.
I am gluten free so I used 2T of cornstarch and a small amount of beef broth to thicken the gravy. That stuff is GOLD. Liquid GOLD. My husband is already thinking about a meatball sub using the left over!
We wish:
We had pounded the meat thinner.
We wonder:
Ricotta with an egg in it with spinach for a filling? I mean the possibilities are endless here.
Really delicious! I sent this link to everyone in my family.
Served it with a Parmesan risotto.
Carol says
Thanks so very much, Annie! Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the great tips and specific feedback. Thanks again!
Susan says
Made this for Christmas Dinner and everyone loved it!! Thank you for sharing!
Carol says
Hi, Susan, Thanks so very much and so glad everyone enjoyed it! It’s a real privilege for one of my recipes to be a part of your Christmas dinner! Hope it was a blessed one!
Cris says
What are some suggested brands of dry red wine to use in the sauce? I no longer drink but enjoy cooking with wine, so am very wine ignorant on what would pair well with this type of sauce.
Carol says
Hi, Cris, Thanks so much for your great question! I generally use a Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a respectable (four stars) drinking wine. Definitely not “fine” by any stretch but good for cooking. I never use super cheap wine and always taste it first just to make sure it won’t ruin my dish–it always has to be drinkable. My local Kroger now carries it in small 500 ml screw cap cardboard containers which are perfect so you don’t have to have a bigger bottle to use up. Thanks again and hope this helps!
Cris says
Carol, thank you so much for the reply and suggestion. The advice is very helpful as the right wine can make or break a dish. Off to the store….!
Carol says
You’re welcome! Hope you enjoy!
Joe says
Winner winner, dinner. Stuck at-home version. No Beef, used pork tenderloin. only had bacon…I understand Braciole can use what you have. Super fantastic –I have made Braciole with deer, beef, pork — it is always good. I love this recipe, simple yet fantastic– thank you Carol. PS also added a bit of hard-boiled egg — saw that somewhere. Give this 5 stars. Wish I could post pictures…
Carol says
Hi, Joe, Wow! Thanks so very much and so glad you enjoyed! I’ve made braciole with egg in it, too. There are tons of variations! Thanks again and you made my day!
Joy says
Delish! I made the quarantine, stay-at-home version. No parsley, used spinach. No prosciutto, used bacon. I also had to use chicken broth, but I added a little beef bouillon to it.
Carol says
Hi, Joy, Thanks so much and so glad you enjoyed! I think your quarantine stay-at-home version sounds wonderful! Thanks again and hope you and yours are staying well!
JAMES says
A whole episode of Everyone Loves Raymond on Braciole being cooked! It must be worth making!
Carol says
Hi, James, Yes, I think so! Hope you’ll give it a try! Thanks so much!
Marcie says
That’s why I am making it, James! Just saw the hilarious rerun!
Carol says
Hi, Marcie, Hope you enjoy!
Trish says
Lol. That’s how I ended up here. I have to try it now.
Carol says
Hi, Trish, Glad you stopped by and hope you enjoy!
Karey says
Just watched it as well now going to make it tonite lol
Carol says
Thanks, Karey! Hope you enjoy!
Christa says
This was absolutely delicious! I did the same as your recipe stated and everyone here at my house loved it. I served it with penne pasta and a green salad with my homemade Italien dressing. My friend stopped by for a glass of wine before dinner and she was drooling over the way it smelled as it was cooking in the oven. This is definitely on my list to make again and again. Thank you soooo much for sharing it.
Carol says
Hi, Christa, Thank you so very much! So glad you and yours enjoyed and you made my day! Thanks again and hope you’ll try some of my other beef dishes.
Nancy says
I made this dish yesterday, but I must say I tweaked it some. I used bottom round steak because my local market has it pre-sliced in very thin pieces. I reduced the wine to one cup and added more beef broth to compensate the liquid. I also added more Italian type spices and added fresh sliced Crimini mushrooms to the sauce. Served it with penne pasta and fresh spinach. Everything turned out great and was told by my husband of over 54 years that I can make it again. That is his seal of approval.
Carol says
Hi, Nancy, Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed! I love the adjustments you made–especially if you don’t want it as “winey.” Thanks again and hope you’ll try some of my other beef recipes.
Thomas says
Look yummy! One of my favorites is Beef Braciole! Nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thank you!
Carol says
Thanks, Thomas! Hope you enjoy!
Jo says
Hi,
I checked out this recipe because it was one of my Nonna’s specialties. The confusion with the name is just about the plural vs the singular of the name. Braciola = 1, braciole = more than one.
Carol says
Hi, Jo, Thanks so much for the information!
Danni C says
Omg this is amazing!!!!! Just made it for my husband who will be home soon and I had to have a test piece! Soooooooo good!!!!
Carol says
Hi, Danni, You just really made my day!! Thank you so very much!!
Julie says
Hello. I make this every year for our Italian family but have never made it in the oven. I also usually add Italian sausage for family members who like it. How long would I put this in the oven for? I’m making 20 portions and think they may not all fit in the slow cooker. Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Carol says
Hi, Julia, Thanks so much for your question! Love the idea of adding some Italian sausage! 20 portions are most likely going to be too much for a slow cooker. The recipe says 325 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours but with so many portions, I would let it cook at least 2 hours. If you wanted to speed things up a little bit, you could do it at 350 degrees at check it at 1 1/2 hours. Thanks again and so happy this recipe has become a tradition for you! Happy Holidays!