Our easy Steak pizzaiola (carne alla pizzaiola) will turn an ordinary dinner night into a night to remember. Made with simple ingredients, this Italian classic can be on your dinner table in about 30 minutes.
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This traditional Neapolitan recipe is easy enough for a busy weeknight dinner, and comforting enough for your family’s Sunday Supper.
It’s guaranteed to become a family favorite, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the recipe gets passed down from one generation to the next.
Simmered in a rich tomato sauce infused with garlic, herbs, and a splash of wine, our steak pizzaiola is rustic, hearty, and made for sharing around the table. Just don’t forget the garlic bread!
We love making traditional Italian recipes. Another great recipe to try is our Homemade Spaghetti sauce, which delivers a wonderful sauce that has been perfected over decades.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Steak Pizzaiola recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Make Adjustments to the Recipe?
Absolutely, we used fresh herbs for this recipe, but you can substitute dried herbs if you prefer. The rule of thumb is ⅓ dry seasonings to fresh. If you have a favorite Italian seasoning, you can use that instead as well.
Try adding a little Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese to the sauce for an added flavor boost.
If you prefer not to cook with wine, the sauce can be made without it. For a creamy version of the dish, add heavy cream or sour cream to the sauce as the last step before finishing simmering the sauce.
We used sirloin steak for this recipe; you can also use chuck roast, strip steak, London broil, ribeye, or flank steak. You can use tenderloin, but I wouldn’t cook it in the sauce. Grill, pan-sear, or broil, then serve with the finished sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Mediterranean twist: Add green olives, kalamata olives, and capers to the sauce.
- Vegetable boost: Bell peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini simmer beautifully in the sauce.
- Cheesy finish: Top with mozzarella or provolone and broil until bubbly.
How to Make Steak Pizzaiola
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Steak Pizzaiola in your home kitchen.
Remove the steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow the beef to reach room temperature.
- Pat the beef dry on both sides with a paper towel.
- Season the meat liberally on both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Add the beef to the pan and sear it for 2 minutes.
- Flip the meat over and sear the other side for 2 minutes.
Remove the steak from the pan and place it on a plate, tented with aluminum foil.
- Add the butter to the same pan over medium heat.
- Add the mushrooms, onions, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir to combine.
- Sauté the onions and mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for one to two minutes until fragrant.
- Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh oregano to the pan and stir until well combined.
- Simmer the pizzaiola sauce over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the steak back into the pan. Simmer until the beef reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (medium-rare) or your desired temperature.
Chef Tips
- Sear the steak first for extra flavor. Don’t skip this step.
- Deglaze with red wine for depth, or white wine for brightness.
Serving Suggestions
- Spoon over spaghetti or rigatoni.
- Serve with creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or farro.
- Pair with garlic bread or focaccia.
- Add a simple green salad with vinaigrette to cut the richness.
If you’re craving comfort food with an Italian flavor, our steak pizzaiola is a dish you’ll come back to again and again.
The tender steak in the hearty and rustic tomato sauce delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
How to Store and Reheat
Store the leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Make sure to let the steak pizzaiola cool before covering. Freeze in sauce up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat: Warm gently on stovetop; add a splash of broth or water if the sauce thickens too much.
To reheat, place a skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the leftovers to the pan and simmer until the sauce reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely, we suggest searing the steak first and then adding all the ingredients to the slow cooker. And if you’re going to slow cook it, chuck roast is a less expensive alternative that will cook fall-apart tender. Cook on the low setting for 4 hours.
Yes, our pizzaiola sauce is versatile. Chicken thighs, pork chops, or even veal cutlets all taste great cooked this way.
Absolutely. The flavors deepen as it rests, making it even better the next day. Just reheat gently on the stovetop.
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Easy Steak Pizzaiola Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 – 1.5 pound sirloin steak
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup sweet onion -chopped
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms -sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano -chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil -chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons garlic -finely minced
- 2 ounces dry white wine -or dry red wine
- 14 – 16 oz crushed tomatoes
- 14 – 16 oz diced tomatoes
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Instructions
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow the beef to start to come to room temperature.
- Pat the beef dry on both sides with a paper towel.
- Season liberally on both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil to the bottom of the pan.
- Add the beef to the pan and sear it for 2 minutes.
- Flip the meat over and sear the other side for 2 minutes.Remove the steak from the pan and place it on a plate, tented with aluminum foil.
- Flip the steak over to the other side and cook for an additional 2 minutes
- Add the butter to the same pan over medium heat.
- Add the mushrooms, onions, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir to combine.
- Sauté the onions and mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for one to two minutes until fragrant.
- Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh oregano to the pan and stir until well combined.
- Simmer the pizzaiola sauce over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the steak back into the pan. Simmer until the beef reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (medium-rare) or your desired temperature.Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature.
- Remove from the heat and add some of the pizzaiola sauce to a plate
- Add a piece of the steak to the plate and top with more sauce.
Notes
- Mediterranean twist: Add green olives, kalamata olives, and capers to the sauce.
- Vegetable boost: Bell peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini simmer beautifully in the sauce.
- Cheesy finish: Top with mozzarella or provolone and broil until bubbly.
- Sear the steak first for extra flavor. Don’t skip this step.
- Deglaze with red wine for depth, or white wine for brightness.
- Spoon over spaghetti or rigatoni.
- Serve with creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or farro.
- Pair with garlic bread or focaccia.
- Add a simple green salad with vinaigrette to cut the richness.
A: Steak pizzaiola is an Italian classic where steak is simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce with garlic, herbs, and sometimes peppers or olives. The sauce is hearty and rustic, making it perfect to serve over pasta or with crusty bread. Can I make this in a slow cooker? Absolutely, we suggest searing the steak first and then adding all the ingredients to the slow cooker. And if you’re going to slow cook it, chuck roast is a less expensive alternative that will cook fall-apart tender. Cook on the low setting for 4 hours. Can I use chicken or pork instead of steak? Yes, our pizzaiola sauce is versatile. Chicken thighs, pork chops, or even veal cutlets all taste great cooked this way. Can I make it ahead of time? Absolutely. The flavors deepen as it rests, making it even better the next day. Just reheat gently on the stovetop.
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