My Mama’s Braciole Recipe

This My Mama’s Braciole Recipe is a tender and savory recipe, which features thinly sliced beef and prosciutto di Parma. It’s the ultimate Sunday dinner, ready in about 1 hour.

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My Mama’s Braciole Recipe Ingredients

• 8 slices beef braciole, beef very thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 8 slices prosciutto di Parma
• 1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs, eyeball it
• 1/2 cup milk, eyeball it
• 2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, 3 handfuls
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, a couple of handfuls, chopped
• 1 cup chopped arugula
• Plain round toothpicks
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 2 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 12 crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste

How To Make My Mama’s Braciole Recipe

1. Prepare the filling: Season the beef slices with salt and pepper. Lay a slice of prosciutto on top of each piece of beef. In a medium bowl, moisten the bread crumbs with the milk. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, chopped onion, parsley, arugula, salt, and pepper. Mix well until combined into a savory stuffing.
2. Roll the beef: Spread a thin layer of the stuffing mixture down the center of each beef slice. Roll the meat up tightly (like a jelly roll) to enclose the filling. Fasten the seam of each roll securely with plain toothpicks.
3. Sear the rolls: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and cracked garlic cloves. Place the meat rolls into the hot pan and brown them on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
4. Sauté the mushrooms: Add the butter to the same pan and let it melt. Add the chopped crimini mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
5. Make the gravy: Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes to cook off the raw taste. Whisk in the dry white wine, scraping up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine for 1 minute. Whisk in the beef broth and tomato paste until smooth.
6. Braise: Return the browned meat rolls to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pan with a lid left ajar an inch. Simmer the meat in the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes until tender and cooked through.
7. Serve: Transfer the beef rolls to a platter. Important: Remove all toothpicks before serving. Pour the savory pan gravy over the beef rolls and serve hot.

Recipe Tips

• Beef Selection: If you can’t find meat labeled “braciole,” look for Top Round or Flank Steak. Ask your butcher to slice it thin and pound it out with a meat mallet until it is about 1/4 inch thick so it rolls easily.
• Toothpick Count: Always count how many toothpicks you use to secure the rolls (e.g., 2 per roll). Count them again as you pull them out to ensure none are left behind to surprise a guest.
• The Arugula: Adding arugula to the filling is a unique twist that adds a peppery bite, cutting through the richness of the cheese and breadcrumbs. If you don’t have arugula, spinach works as a milder substitute.
• Don’t Overstuff: It is tempting to pack the filling in, but if you overstuff the beef, it will burst open during cooking. A thin, even layer is best.
• Sauce Consistency: If the gravy becomes too thick while simmering, splash in a little extra beef broth or water to loosen it up.

What To Serve With My Mama’s Braciole Recipe

This dish is rich and saucy, requiring sides that can soak up the mushroom gravy.

• Creamy Polenta or Mashed Potatoes
• Orecchiette or Tagliatelle pasta
• Crusty Italian bread (for “fare la scarpetta” – mopping up the sauce)
• Roasted broccolini with garlic

How To Store My Mama’s Braciole Recipe

• Refrigerate: Store the cooked beef rolls and gravy together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. The flavors often improve the next day.
• Reheat: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water if the sauce has thickened, or microwave covered to prevent splatter.
• Freeze: You can freeze the cooked braciole in the sauce. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

My Mama’s Braciole Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 420
• Total Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 85mg
• Sodium: 950mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 15g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 2g
• Protein: 38g

Nutrition information is estimated per roll with sauce.

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