Italian Beef Braciole
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This Italian beef braciole is the kind of recipe that simmers gently in tomato sauce all afternoon, filling the house with the smell of garlic, parsley, and cheese. Thin slices of beef are rolled and slow-cooked until fork-tender — simple ingredients, patient cooking, and big Sunday flavor. If you’ve never made braciole at home, this is the one to try. It’s the kind of dish that is made together with Italian meatballs and Italian sausage to make a Sunday Sauce (especially if you add pork neck bones).
Braciole (pronounced brah-JOHL) is simply thin slices of beef rolled around a flavorful filling — traditionally garlic, parsley, grated cheese, salt, and pepper. Some families add breadcrumbs, pine nuts, raisins, prosciutto, or mozzarella, but I love keeping mine simple and classic.
In Southern Italy, tougher cuts of meat were often slow-cooked to make them tender, and braciole became a beloved way to stretch simple ingredients into something special. It’s been a favorite in my kitchen for years — and it’s surprisingly easy to make, especially if you can find the beef already sliced thin.
Why This Recipe Works
- Thinly sliced top round becomes tender after slow cooking
- A simple garlic-parsley-cheese filling keeps it classic
- Browning first builds deep flavor
- Finishing in tomato sauce infuses every bite
Overview of Method
This is easier than it looks — the hardest part is waiting for it to finish simmering.
Lay the thin slices of beef on a work surface, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and grated cheese, then roll each piece tightly and secure with toothpicks or twine.
Brown the rolls briefly in a hot pan to build flavor, then transfer them to a pot of tomato sauce (or gravy, as we say in many Italian American homes).
Let them simmer gently until tender — about 1½ to 2 hours on the stovetop, or longer in a slow cooker.
Filling Variations
I like my braciole pretty simple, filling wise. A listing of common filling ingredients include:
- salt, pepper
- fresh parsley
- grated cheese (eg, parmesan)
- sliced Italian meats like prosciutto
- sliced cheeses (mozzarella and/or provolone)
- sausage crumbles
- breadcrumbs
- pinenuts
- raisins
Next time, I am going to add mozzarella and prosciutto to mine!
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📖 Recipe
Italian Beef Braciole
Ingredients
- 4 pounds (1.81 kg) top round steak (London broil or beef cutlets) sliced thin (about 16 pieces)
- 10 to 12 cloves (16 cloves ) garlic minced
- 1/4 cup (25 g) grated cheese (parmesan) up to 1/2 cup
- 1 bunch (1 bunch) fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons (1 tbsp) salt (this is an estimate for all pieces, I simply lightly sprinkle each piece)
- 1 teaspoon (2 teaspoons) pepper (this is an estimate for all pieces, I simply lightly sprinkle each piece)
- 1/4 cup (54 g) olive oil for frying and to drizzle
- 2 quarts (1.89 l) pasta sauce
- 16 (16) toothpicks for closing up/securing the rolls of meat
Instructions
- Place a slice of beef (should already have been sliced thin or pounded thin) on a clean work surface
- Top with a drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper
- Then top with minced garlic, parsley, and grated cheese
- Roll the meat up into a tight roll and then secure tightly with a toothpick or butcher's twine
- Repeat this process until all the meat slices have been seasoned and rolled up.
- Set a grilling or frying pan on the stove and heat over medium-high heat
- Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and then add the meat rolls (do not overcrowd the pan – you may need to do this in two batches)
- Brown for about 1 or 2 minutes each side (depending on the power of your stove) and then set aside in a dish
- In another pot (big enough to fit all of the braciole plus pasta sauce), add pasta sauce with the browned pieces of braciole and place over medium heat.
- After the braciole and sauce have heated up (2 or 3 minutes), reduce flame to very very low, and continue to cook (barely simmering) for about 1.5 to 2 hours)
- You may use a crockpot instead (4 to 5 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low)
My dad’s recipe filling was parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic. They were seared, simmered in tomato sauce, and served with Sunday pasta. I can’t wait to make them again. They are absolutely delicious.
They really are and they’re pretty easy to make. My dad made them too – great memories. Enjoy!
My nana immigrated to South Philly as a child and her braciole was exactly like this! What’s your eye-oy recipe??
Your comment made me smile 😊 aglio olio was measured with the heart so I’ll have to experiment to put on paper… it was very simple though, of course, lots of fresh garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes. It was so simple but so so delicious!! You brought me back to the old days
My Nana was a gifted cook , born in Genoa. This is how she taught me to make braciola that went into the sauce pot with the homemade meatballs, sausage and pork bones. Major YUM!!! Thank you for sparking that wonderful memory.
❤️ Glad to hear it brought back wonderful memories for you!
This is a childhood favorite that an Italian family made for us. They are especially good cooked on a BBQ! We’ve never heard of adding the cheese but I’ll try it next time. Also, thinly sliced/chopped/sautéed) bacon adds sooo much flavor!!!
I had this very same braciole every Wednesday night with homemade pasta at Gramma’s house growing up. Thank you!
Can this recipe be baked in the oven at 325 covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
I’m sure if can be adapted but I suspect it would take a little longer to get the meat to be tender – I would definitely cover it and test over different time points starting at 2.5 to 3 hours. Keep in mind that a high temp on a slow cooker has been reported to be about 300F and the recipe calls for 4 to 5 hours on that setting.
I got a recipe for Braciole from my aunt. Her mother in law was from Italy. Her recipe called for sliced hard boiled eggs spread evenly over the meat. Delicious.
This was absolutely the most delicious thing I have ever eaten! A definite make again meal!!
This looks amazing! What a gourmet recipe 🙂