Sicilian-Style Braciole (Printable)

Beef rolls filled with pecorino, pine nuts, raisins & herbs, simmered in tomato sauce—authentic Sicilian comfort.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Braciole

01 - 4 thin slices beef top round or flank steak, 5 oz each
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
03 - 2/3 cup grated pecorino cheese
04 - 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
05 - 1/4 cup raisins
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for searing
11 - Kitchen twine or toothpicks

→ For the Tomato Sauce

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 oz
16 - 1/4 cup dry red wine
17 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - Salt and pepper to taste
19 - Pinch of sugar

# How To Make It:

01 - Lay beef slices flat and gently pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - In a bowl, combine pecorino cheese, pine nuts, raisins, parsley, basil, garlic, and breadcrumbs.
03 - Distribute filling evenly onto each beef slice, leaving a small border. Roll up tightly, tucking in the sides, and secure with kitchen twine or toothpicks.
04 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the braciole on all sides until browned, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
05 - In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
06 - Pour in red wine and let it reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom.
07 - Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a simmer.
08 - Return braciole to the sauce, cover, and simmer gently over low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until beef is tender.
09 - Remove braciole from sauce, discard twine or toothpicks. Slice and serve with sauce spooned over the top.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling is a perfect balance of salty pecorino, sweet raisins, and toasted pine nuts that melt into every bite.
  • It looks impressive but is mostly just rolling, searing, and letting the sauce do the work.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to settle in together.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step, that crust locks in flavor and keeps the rolls from unraveling in the sauce.
  • Low and slow is the secret here, if the sauce bubbles too hard the beef will toughen up instead of getting tender.
  • Let the braciole rest for a few minutes after you pull them from the sauce, it makes slicing so much easier.
03 -
  • If your butcher sells bracciole cuts already pounded thin, grab them and save yourself the arm workout.
  • Taste your sauce halfway through and adjust the seasoning, every batch of tomatoes is different.
  • Don't overstuff the rolls or they'll burst open in the pan, less is more here.
Go Back