Authentic Italian Beef Braciole Recipe
This delicious authentic Italian braciole features tender beef rolls filled with a savory blend of spinach, Parmesan, garlic, and breadcrumbs, slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce. It makes the perfect Italian Sunday dinner.
Equipment
- 1 Large heavy bottom pan with a lid
- toothpicks or butchers twine
Ingredients
Beef Braciole Ingredients
- 4 cups Marinara Sauce see recipe below
- 2 pounds Top sirloin beef pounded really thin
- 2 cups Plain breadcrumbs
- 2 cups Baby spinach
- 1 cup Parmesan grated finely
- 6 cloves Fresh garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Marinara Sauce
- 28 ounces san marzano tomatoes canned whole
- ½ yellow onion diced very fine
- 2 cloves garlic diced very fine
- 1 ½ tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 fresh basil leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Making the beef braciole
- Pound out the beef as thin as possible. You may need to cut the meat in half if it begins to get too large after pounding it out.2 pounds Top sirloin beef
- Mix the breadcrumbs, cheese and garlic together.2 cups Plain breadcrumbs, 1 cup Parmesan, 6 cloves Fresh garlic
- Before you begin rolling and assembling the braciole, you want everything ready on the counter including the prepped ingredients and toothpicks (or butchers twine).
- Lay the pounded out meat on a flat surface.
- Sprinkle with salt.1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Lay the baby spinach across the meat then top with an even coating of the breadcrumb mixture.2 cups Baby spinach
- Like rolling a jelly roll, starting from the side closest to you, start rolling the beef over itself making sure to roll it as tight as you can and rolling it on the long side. When you get to the end, add the toothpicks to hold the roll closed. I like to add a toothpick every 2 inches or so.
- Slice the rolled beef about every 4 inches.
- Sear the beef rolls on a hot preheated skillet with a little olive oil for about 1 minute per side.1 tablespoon Olive oil
- Add the marinara sauce over the top, making sure all of the meat is covered on the top, bottom and sides.4 cups Marinara Sauce
- Cover and simmer on low for one hour. Baste the beef with a little sauce from the pan from time to time.
Marinara Sauce
- In the same pan that you seared the pork tenderloin in, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add your olive oil.1 ½ tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Now add your red pepper flakes, onion and a pinch of salt and cook until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ yellow onion diced very fine
- Add your garlic and cook for one more minute.2 cloves garlic diced very fine
- Add your whole canned tomatoes to the pan.28 ounces san marzano tomatoes canned whole
- With a potato masher (or bottom of a mug) mash down the tomatoes gently. It can get a little messy so do this part slowly.
- Keep mashing down the tomatoes until they are mostly broken down.
- Stir the tomatoes into the olive oil mixture well.
- Add your salt, oregano and basil and stir.2 fresh basil leaves, ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to thicken.
- Taste the sauce for any additional salt.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 506kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 48gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 2.19mgPotassium: 1.447mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1.956IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 382mgIron: 8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!