Steak Pizzaiola
If you’re looking for a meal that will become a favorite with your family then this Steak Pizzaiola recipe is exactly that!
This Italian favorite blends classic pizza flavors—tomato, olive oil, garlic, and oregano—with thinly sliced steak, simmered to melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. It’s the perfect solution for a quick, flavorful meal that feels like comfort food but doesn’t take hours to prepare.
This pizza style steak recipe comes from the Naples area but can be found all over Italy, with many variations. That’s the beauty of it—you can adjust it to suit your tastes. In our family, we often added potatoes and peas. Make the flavorful tomato sauce, then simply nestle the raw steaks right into it to simmer. It’s so easy!
Like my Lasagna al Forno, this Steak Pizzaiola, known in Italy as carne alla pizzaiola, was a staple in my childhood, and I’ve made it often for my own family. It’s a beloved comfort food that every Italian child adores, and of course, everyone will tell you that their mamma or nonna makes it best.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Comfort Food – My authentic Italian Steak Pizzaiola recipe is a hearty and satisfying dish. The tender steak simmered in a rich tomato sauce with garlic and oregano makes it the perfect comforting meal, especially on chilly nights.
- Italian Classic – The aromas of this authentic Italian Steak Pizzaiola recipe will transport you straight to an Italian nonna’s kitchen! Don’t forget to serve with bread like my Semolina Bread.
- Versatile – What’s great about this recipe is that once the meat is gone, any leftover sauce makes a perfect dressing for pasta like tagliatelle.
- Easy to make – There are no tricky steps in this recipe. It’s easy to make, with very few ingredients and minimal preparations.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients
- Steak – The key to this recipe is purchasing thin cut steaks that will tenderize and absorb the flavors of the sauce. I like to use thinly cut top round (also known as topside) or sirloin (also known as rump) for this recipe. If you would like to splurge, use rib eye steaks for a super tender result.
- Canned Tomatoes – Buy crushed tomatoes canned in tomato puree without any additives. I prefer the Mutti brand, but Cento works well for Penne Pomodoro.
- Dried Oregano – Regular dried oregano from the grocery store works well, but if you can find the Italian variety that comes on the stems, it’s even better!
- Parsley – Fresh Italian parsley brings a wonderful fragrance to this steak recipe. Avoid dried parsley. It doesn’t have the brightness and vibrance of fresh parsley.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are best for this recipe.
- Stock – Store-bought beef or chicken stock is a great option for this recipe. If you’re mindful of salt, go for the low-sodium version.
- Olive Oil – For the best flavor in this recipe, use extra virgin olive oil.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Tenderize the steak evenly with a meat mallet.
Add garlic and olive oil to a cold pan, then heat gently.
Stir in tomato puree or pulp.
Add oregano, stock, parsley, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Place the raw steak in the pan.
Cover the steak in the sauce and simmer until tender.
Marcellina’s Hint: Simmer gently until the meat is tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the steak you choose and the quality of the beef, so keep an eye on it as it cooks.
Substitutions
- Steak – instead of steaks, you can use thinly cut pork or chicken.
- Canned Tomatoes – use tomato puree or passata instead of crushed tomatoes. My mother always our homemade tomato puree that we prepared each year.
- Vegetarian – the steak can be replaced with grilled or fried eggplant slices or Italian roasted peppers to make this vegetarian. Simmer for only 5 minutes after adding the vegetables. This variation can be topped with mozzarella cheese.
Variations
- Marcellina’s Family Version: Add peeled potatoes cut into large chunks to the tomato sauce. Cook until the potatoes and the steak is tender. Frozen peas can also be added.
- Spicy: Add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or some chopped hot red pepper to the pizzaiola sauce for a kick of heat.
- Deluxe: Enhance the dish by adding one or both of the following: 1/3 cup of deseeded and chopped black olives, or a tablespoon or two of capers.
Equipment
In addition to the usual spoons, knives, and measuring tools, you’ll need a large skillet or frying pan with a lid for this Steak Pizzaiola recipe. If a lid isn’t available, you can cover the pan with foil.
Storage
This tomato sauce can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for 1 or 2 days. However this recipe is so fast and easy, it’s simple enough to make it on the spot.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or in a skillet until warmed through.
Top tip
- Choose whatever steaks you prefer. Check above under the “Ingredients” heading for more information about the choice of steaks. The most important part of this recipe is to use thinly cut steaks. Ask your butcher to cut the steaks thinly.
- Before tenderizing the steaks, make small cuts along the edges where the fat is. This will stop the edges from curling up as they cook. Then, use a meat mallet to gently pound the steaks until they’re about ⅛ inch thick to ensure meltingly tender steak.
- The cooking time will depend on the meat you have used and how tender it is. As a child, I remember carne alla pizzaiola simmering gently for over an hour until it was meltingly tender. It was one of my favorite meals.
- Taste the pizzaiola sauce and adjust the seasoning to suit your preference. For your taste, a touch more salt might enhance the flavors beautifully.
FAQ
Pizzaiola means “in the style of a pizza maker,” and it likely has Neapolitan roots, where pizza originated. This recipe captures all the classic pizza flavors—tomato, olive oil, garlic, and oregano.
Because this is a rustic, home-style recipe, Italians like to use whatever steak is available, and is economical. I prefer thinly sliced top round (also called topside) or sirloin (also known as rump). However, the most important thing is to use thinly cut steak and to tenderize it with a meat mallet.
Steak pizzaiola traditionally doesn’t have cheese. However, there are so many variations of this recipe in Italy. One is with mozzarella where the finished dish is topped with mozzarella cheese and cooked gently until the cheese melts. It’s similar to my Chicken Pizzaiola recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Steak Pizzaiola with bread to mop up the delicious sauce. Focaccia Genovese is ideal. Ciabatta Garlic Bread, while not traditional is tasty.
Related
Penne Pomodoro
Stuffed Squid
Chicken Pomodoro
Made this recipe?
Please let me know if you liked it by leaving a ★★★★★ star rating and a review below. And remember to subscribe to my newsletter – it’s free!
Steak Pizzaiola Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 grams) beef steaks sirloin/rump/scotch fillet/round
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 14 ounce (400 grams) canned crushed tomatoes
- ¾ cup (180 ml) beef stock or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoons dried oregano or more to taste
- 1 teaspoons salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Begin by tenderizing the steak using a meat mallet until it’s evenly thinned. Set aside.
- Add olive oil and chopped garlic to a cold frying pan. Place the pan over medium heat and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant and starts to sizzle.
- Stir in the tomato pulp, ½ cup beef stock, half of the chopped parsley and dried oregano then season with salt and pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tenderized steak to the pan, ensuring it is fully covered in the tomato sauce. Add remaining beef stock if the sauce has reduced significantly.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the steak simmer gently in the sauce for 20 to 30 minutes until the steak is cooked and tender, turning it occasionally to ensure even cooking. If the steak is very tender, the cooking time will be much shorter. Check it regularly.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the chopped parsley.
- Serve the steak pizzaiola hot, spooning the rich tomato sauce over the top and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
Notes
-
Thin-cut steaks are key for tenderness and flavor. I prefer top round (topside) or sirloin (rump), but rib eye is a great splurge for extra tenderness.
- Before tenderizing, make small cuts along the fat edges to prevent curling. Pound to ⅛ inch thick for tenderness.
- Cooking time varies by meat. Growing up, I remember it simmering for over an hour until perfectly tender.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed—sometimes a little extra salt enhances the flavors.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
This looks amazing & I can’t wait to try it. I know my husband & I will love it. I do have a question for you. You have fresh parsley listed but, you do not have an amount listed with the other ingredients for the recipe as to how much to use. I am guessing a few tablespoons at the most.
Yes, a tablespoon is about right. I’ll correct that.
Have been cooking it for 550 years. I use chuck steam about 3/4 thick. Fry it before putting it in the tomato sauce and low simmer for about 2 hours. Recipe is exactly the same. MY family comes from Potenza. Bobby J.
My parents sometimes used chuck too. My family never fried it though. The steak was always put in raw. Every family has their own version.