This post is kindly sponsored by Crock-Pot, but the recipe, photography, video, and opinions are 100% ours.
Slow Cooker Beef Braciole is literally exploding with flavor and is as delicious as it is beautiful in presentation.
This dish makes an amazing weeknight meal, but it’s also so stunning in appearance, it’s perfect for entertaining! And making this iconic dish in a Crock-Pot makes it so easy and can be made in advance!
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER BEEF BRACIOLE
This dish is surprisingly easy to prepare.
And it’s fun, too! Grab a helper, or two, and have fun rolling up the braciole!
Watch us show you how to make this easy braciole recipe!
The filling for this wonderful dish is loaded with flavor.
The combination of Italian sausage, seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs adds a depth of flavor that is simply spectacular.
EXPERT TIP: No need to cook the sausage! As the braciole slow cooks, the sausage will cook to perfection. Go with sweet or hot Italian sausage. If using sausage links, simply remove the casing and crumble with your fingers.
WHAT CUT OF BEEF FOR BRACIOLE
You’re going to want to choose a thin slice of beef for slow cooker beef braciole.
Round steak, or flank steak, is ideal and these are both easily found in the meat department of most well-stocked supermarkets. Be sure to seek out thin cuts of the steak. The steaks should be about ¼-inch in thickness.
After liberally seasoning the steaks with salt and pepper, we line them with thinly sliced prosciutto, and then the amazing filling. Then roll them up nice and tight!
HOW TO TIE BEEF BRACIOLE
Tying up the rolled braciole is very simple.
All you need is some good kitchen twine and a pair of scissors.
EXPERT TIP: After you’ve tightly rolled up the beef, then measure out about 3 to 4 inches of string or twine and tie together one end of the braciole. Repeat on the other end. And then cut a longer piece of string (8 to 10 inches), and tie lengthwise.
SEARING THE BRACIOLE LOCKS IN FLAVOR
We highly recommend searing the rolled and tied braciole before placing it in the Crock-Pot.
Searing begins the cooking process but most importantly locks in much of the juices of the beef.
This process keeps the beef flavorful and helps to prevent drying out while cooking.
QUALITY MARINARA IS ESSENTIAL
We absolutely LOVE using our 7 QT Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Easy to Clean Slow Cooker for this dish. It’s a perfect size and its easy-to-clean non-stick ceramic coating requires less effort to clean by hand compared with traditional stoneware. WIN!
Now, to the question of marinara. To save time, you can use a top-notch store-bought variety. Or, to make it extra special, make a batch of our very own fresh marinara. But, for a quick and really delicious tomato sauce, we recommend the following:
Easy Marinara Recipe:
Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup each of chopped onion, celery, carrot, and 3 cloves of garlic minced. Cook until soft. Add 2 tablespoon tomato paste and stir to coat. Add ½ cup of red wine and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Add 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and 2 bay leaves. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
EXPERT TIP: No need to simmer the marinara for a long time, the flavor will deepen as it slow cooks in the Crock-Pot with the beef braciole.
CROCK-POT IS A PROVEN ALLY IN THE KITCHEN
There are varied methods for preparing classic beef braciole. And we can honestly say that we’ve tried most of them.
Every single time we make this gorgeous dish in our 7 QT Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Easy Clean Slow Cooker the end result is pure perfection.
The digital countdown control lets you program cook times anywhere from 30 minutes up to 20 hours. However, since these beautiful rolls of yumminess are surrounded in thin slices of beef, they don’t need a terribly long time in the Crock-Pot. 5 hours on LOW and 2 hours on HIGH!
EXPERT TIP: Because the beef is thinly cut – if overcooked, the braciole will dry out. We feel we get the best results when we cook them on low for only 5 hours. But if you are pressed for time, cooking on HIGH is perfectly fine, just don’t exceed two, to two and a half hours.
This is an amazing dish to bring to potlucks or family gatherings.
The Crock-Pot locking gasket lid helps you get the slow cooker to the final destination without spills or messes.
And the 7-quart capacity serves 8+ people and can even fit a 6 lb. roast. Another of our favorite dishes to make in our Crock-Pot is our BBQ Brisket Sandwiches and our Ham and Potatoes au Gratin with Mushroom Sauce. Both to die for!
And what about this Slow Cooker Beef Braciole? Wow!
SLOW COOKER BEEF BRACIOLE IS PERFECT FOR ENTERTAINING
This dish is just so festive and truly delicious. And it always produces lots of praise when served at parties, especially during the holidays
After you slice the braciole, add a layer of the sauce from the Crock-Pot onto a nice serving platter, and then layer the slices over the sauce. Top with a little more marinara and chopped parsley. Beautiful!
In case you haven’t noticed, we are HUGE fans of Crock-Pot and we just love how this product has been such a major part of our culinary lives since we were kids. We also love shopping at our favorite place in the world, Target, to see all the amazing varieties of Crock-Pot there are to help us make the most delicious food and with such ease!
Ready to impress friends and family with this incredible dish? Go for it!
And when you make it, be sure to take a picture, post it on Instagram and tag @howtofeedaloon and @CrockPot and @Target!
Slow Cooker Beef Braciole
Video
Equipment
- 7QT Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Easy Clean Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- ¼ lb Italian sausage sweet or hot, about 2 links, casings removed
- ⅓ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped, divided
- 1 tablespoon basil fresh, chopped
- 1 large egg
- 4 round steaks about 2 to 3 lbs
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 3 oz prosciutto thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups marinara sauce see quick recipe in NOTES
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together with a fork the sausage, Panko, Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, basil, and egg until well combined.
- Lay the steaks out flat on a cutting board and liberally season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Arrange 1 to 2 slices of prosciutto over each steak.
- Using a fork, spread the filling evenly over the prosciutto on each steak, leaving a border of about ¼-inch on all sides.
- One steak at a time, starting at the short end, roll each steak up.
- Use kitchen twine or string to securely tie the roll in intervals (a couple of times) down the roll, and then again with one string tied lengthwise. (See photos in post).
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak rolls and saute until browned all over - about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of marinara in the bottom of the Crock-Pot and then nestle the braciole (steak rolls) into the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top.
- Cook on LOW for 5 hours (recommended) or on HIGH for 2 to 2 ½ hours.
- Remove the braciole and use kitchen shears to remove the twine/string. Use a sharp knife to cut the beef crosswise into slices about ½-inch thick.
- Place the slices on a serving dish, or individual plates and spoon a little more sauce over the top. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve at once with grated parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup each of chopped onion, celery, carrot, and 3 cloves of garlic minced. Cook until soft.
- Add 2 tablespoon tomato paste and stir to coat.
- Add ½ cup of red wine and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes.
- Add 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 bay leaves, ½ teaspoon salt, and pinch of black pepper. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Phyllis says
I noticed there is no garlic added to the braciole stuffing,
I am making it now. Was this an oversight or due to the fact the marinara has sufficient quantity?
Kris Longwell says
Hi Phyllis! Sorry for the delayed reply! We hope you made the braciole and it turned out great! We do leave garlic out of the filling because the marinara has plenty of garlic flavor. However, in our books, a little extra garlic is never a bad thing, especially for a dish like braciole. Let us know how it turned out! Best, Kris & Wesley
Christine says
Wow! I made this for my husband’s birthday today and it was a hit. I will be making it again and again!!!
I made the homemade sauce and so glad I did because it was amazing.
Thank you for sharing.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Christine!!! Woo hoo!! We are thrilled that you celebrated your husband’s birthday with the beef braciole! That is one of our all-time favorite dishes and we are so so happy that you had such success with it!! And “Yay!” for making the homemade sauce. No doubt it was delicious! Thanks so much for sharing and for the wonderful review! That means the world to us! And PLEASE tell your hubby we said: “Happy Birthday!!!”
Viorika says
Can I double the recipe and will it cook in the same amount of time?
Kris Longwell says
Hi there, you can double the recipe and you shouldn’t need to increase the time. You’ll have a full slow-cooker, but you should be fine. Let us know if you try it and how it turn out!
Diane says
This braciole was reminiscent of my grandmothers, it was a wow! I made it today and my husband flipped for it. I’ve made braciole in the past but never with sausage. This is now my go to recipe and I’ve never thought to make it in a slow cooker. It was great! Thanks
Kris Longwell says
Hi Diane! You have no idea how much this means to us! We are thrilled you and your husband loved the beef braciole, and we agree…utilizing the slow cooker makes it even better! Thanks so much for sharing and for the GREAT review! That means the world to us! Best, Kris & Wesley
Julia says
So good! I actually put a spoon of fried onions and a spoon of cheddar in each roll before rolling – mmmmm!
Kris Longwell says
Yum! That sounds heavenly, Julia! Thanks for sharing and for the GREAT review! Happy New Year!!!!
Pat says
Can’t wait try this on the weekend for company! I am so excited this was n your website. Honestly everything I make your recipes have been perfection! Keep up the good work!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Pat!! That is honestly one of our favorite dishes to prepare. The sauce is to die for and amazing drizzled over mashed potatoes. Let us know how it turns out!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Jennifer Giordano says
Well done for your step by step explanation. As a Maltese that is exactly how I cook them.
Regards
Jennifer (Malta) near south of Italy.
LydiaBell says
I feel as though I am reviewing 2 recipes here. First the Braciole!! Whoever you are reading this, make it. It is easy and delicious!
I was out of sausage, so I used a meatloaf mixture (pork, beef, veal). I used extra garlic bc…well…garlic!! The hubby had 2nds and wouldve had 3rds had I suggested he save room for dessert! My sisterinlaw, who requested Braciole, said it was awesome. She was even going to buy some from Goldbelly, but they didnt have any, and she said it didnt matter bc this one was so good!
Now that marinara!!! Holy basil leaves Batman!! Make it. Make it in bulk and freeze it. Top pizza with it, use it for dipping breadsticks or cheese sticks into. Best marinara ever. Simple. Easy. Perfect.
What will bey next loony recipe??!!! I have a ham bone in the freezer!!!
Kris Longwell says
Lydia! We don’t even know where to begin!! We are ecstatic that you love the braciole and the homemade marinara so much!! That fills our hearts with joy!! And just think of all the possibilities with a ham bone in a freezer! Maybe…New Orleans Red Beans and Rice???? Thank you so much for your great review. You have no idea how much that means to us!! Please stay in touch!! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
LydiaBell says
What are your thoughts on adding the ham bone to the brunswick stew and letting it meld low and slow??!!
Kris Longwell says
Um…my thoughts would be: YES!!!!! That will make the stew even better!! We’re jealous! We may just stop by for a bowl!! LOL!!! Let us know how it turns out!! xo Kris & Wesley
Susan Gill says
My sweet husband wants to try this. He is addicted to his meat thermometer. Can you recommend the finished internal temp?
Kris Longwell says
Hi Susan! We can relate! 135°F would be medium (slightly pink), but even if the temp goes up to 165°F, it’s still going to be extremely tender and delicious. The low-temp cooking will ensure that. Let us know if you make the braciole and what your (and your hubby) think of it! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Brenna Hamming says
So… after I stumbled onto your site and made your (awesome) curry last time, I knew I just had to find another recipe from you to make for my husband’s birthday today.
This was FABULOUS and he loved it (as did I)! I used my own homemade canned marinara sauce and served with garlic and parm risotto. Thanks so much for yet another delightful recipe!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Brenna! You have no idea how happy this makes us to hear!! So glad you loved the curry and super thrilled you and your hubby loved the beef braciole. Those are two of our most favorite dishes to make! Thank you so much for letting us know and especially for the awesome review. That truly means so much to us!! Thanks again!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Heather says
I made this for Christmas dinner and it was so good! Everyone loved it, even my picky eater. Thanks so much for this sharing this amazing recipe!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Heather!! YES!!! We are so very happy that you had such great success with our slow cooker braciole! That is truly one of our all-time favorites, too! Thank you so much for letting know and for the GREAT review! That means the world to us!!! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
JenB says
THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING RECIPE!!!! I’ve made this recipe twice now for guests and both times everyone raved about it, cleared their plates and went back for seconds! I don’t always love sausage, so the first time I made it without sausage and I used Kirkland marinara (didn’t have time to make homemade) and it was delicious. The guests asked if the sauce was homemade, so my new theory is that any slow cooked sauce will taste great and the flavors become more robust just from cooking in the crockpot! Last night I made it with sausage and your quick marinara recipe with carrots, celery and onions. Again it was amazing and the flavors came together so well that I did not really notice the sausage. The sauce was fantastic. The only other variation was that I used regular Italian breadcrumbs both times because I didn’t have any Panko on hand. Next time I will try with Panko to see if I notice a difference.
I have served this by itself and with pasta and it was great either way. The leftovers are also fantastic (if you’re lucky enough to have some)!!
I have shared this recipe with a number of people because everyone needs to try it and enjoy! Thanks again!
Kris Longwell says
Jen…you are bringing tears to our eyes…tears of joy!!! We are so thrilled you are loving the beef braciole recipe. That is without a doubt one of our all-time favorite dishes to prepare. And thank you so much for letting us about you experience with the dish and for the AMAZING review!! You have no idea how much that means to us!!! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
Brooke Astarr says
Easy and delicious. A hit at my last dinner party!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Brooke!! That’s is so wonderful to hear! So thrilled you had success with the braciole, which, by the way, is one of our definite go-to dishes when having guests over. Thanks so much for letting us know about your fabulous dinner party and for the great review! That means the world to us! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Diane says
This is delicious! I’ve made this twice in the last couple of weeks. Followed recipe exactly and it was super easy to just throw in the crockpot. The leftover marinara is the best ever. So I save it for another meal. Thanks for a winner in our dinner rotation.
Diane says
And I forgot the prosciutto a few days ago when I made this for the third time. Didn’t remember it until they were already rolled and in the crockpot. They were tasty even without it!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Diane! Please forgive the delayed response! We are so happy you had success with the slow cooker braciole. That honestly is our favorite IP dish of all time. We love to serve it with buttery mashed potatoes. And yes…the sauce is to die for! Thank you so much for letting us know and of the great review! That means the world to us!! All the best, Kris & Wesley