Get ready because today we are sharing how to make Instant Pot Italian Braciole. It is insanely easy, and the meat is so tender and juicy!
Italian Braciole is one of those recipes you either know how to make or don’t; there is simply no in-between. If you force the cook, meaning that you cook your beef and prosciutto braciole too fast, you will yield tough meat that will turn you off.
(this recipe has been updated from its original content)
Use our Instant Pot beef braciole recipe, inspired by my Nonna’s recipe book from Sicily, to capture the best flavors of Italy right in your kitchen.
My Nonna Santa shared her recipe knowledge with me, and I, in turn, converted it to today’s cooking standards because, with so many daily commitments, it’s got to be easy for you to want to cook it, right?
Our braciole in an Instant Pot will have you preparing easy and traditional Italian braciole packets in no time instead of letting traditional Italian recipes that were handed down disappear into the unused recipe universe.
Table of Contents
Why You Will LOVE Sicilian Beef Braciole
- The beef to make braciole is not expensive.
- The stuffing inside the Italian braciole can contain different ingredients
- you can and should make this recipe ahead of time
- The beef and prosciutto braciole can be made in an Instant Pot, pressure cooker, or dutch oven and will always turn out amazing in each.
- The recipe for braciole packets is a one-pot recipe
- Easily transport your prosciutto stuffed beef braciole to any party, tailgating event, or dinner party.
- The leftovers are incredible on sandwiches.
- Make this for your Sunday Gravies or stand-alone meat.
Don’t Be Intimidated By The Prep Of Instant Pot Beef Braciole
Cooking beef braciole packets is not tricky, and you’ll find that you can add in a few different ingredients or take out a few ingredients and, in the end, still produce a fabulous craveable, Italian stuffed beef that is wrapped in butcher’s rope in under an hour, instead of cooking it a full day!
Sicilian Beef Braciole (Braciola) are created from thinly sliced beef pieces, wrapped around a blend of stuffing ingredients, rolled into beef packets, tied off, and cooked in a tomato sauce.
While the recipe may look intimidating to prepare, I can assure you it is not.
As always, my recipes are gourmet-like but created with simple staple ingredients that come together to celebrate our Sicilian specialty, Instant Pot Italian braciole!
The Sauce You Cook The Sicilian Beef Braciole In Will Dazzle Your Tastebuds
By extension, the sauce that the Sicilian Beef Braciole (Braciola) is cooked in boasts ingredients combined together in a vibrant chorus.
So you can serve the sauce over braciole, over a bed of pasta (any cut, such as penne, rigatoni, etc.), or even use the sauce atop crusty and delicious bread!
Braciola v. Braciole
My Nonna Santa called it ‘Braciola’ because that is what it is called in Sicily, roughly translated as meet rolled/wrapped around a stuffing.
Do note that Braciola is the singular word for a piece, while Braciole equals many pieces (the plural) in Italian.
In our recipe, and most, you won’t be making a single piece when you make this recipe so that it will be braciole, but a piece per plate, ‘braciola.’
Instant Pot Italian Braciole Made With Beef
Why Use An Instant Pot To Make Italian Braciole With Sauce
The Instant Pot beef braciole make it possible to cook the meal during the week instead of just on the weekends when you are home to watch the pot.
- The Sicilian beef braciole cooked in an Instant Pot turns out fork-tender every time.
- Cooking braciole in the Instant Pot cuts the time in half!
- Using an Instant Pot, you won’t undercook this meal. Beef needs to be cooked to a temperature of 145° F
- A timer makes it possible to set the IP and walk away!
The Instant Pot is the game-changer.
INGREDIENTS for Instant Pot Italian Braciole
- Olive oil
- Thin Cut Beef Milanese
- Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Tomato Sauce
- Water
- Tomato Paste
- Prosciutto for every piece of beef
- Provolone (or whatever thin slice of cheese you choose)
- Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs
- Minced Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Twine for every single braciola
How To Make Instant Pot Italian Braciole
This is where we will share how to add the ingredients to each piece of beef to stuff them.
Prep Work Before You Roll Braciole Packets
You’ll need to hard-boil your eggs ahead of time, and you can learn the fastest and easiest method to make pressure cooker (Instant Pot) hard-boiled eggs right here!
Once you prepare them, follow my ice bath secret to keep moving along and cut and crumble those hard-boiled eggs and set them aside.
Cut Your Butchers Twine For Each Braciola To Be Tied Off
Most importantly, prep your Chef’s Twine before you start.
Cut each piece and set it up before you start so you have all the pieces you need to tie off each braciola.
I suggest two pieces of rope for each braciola.
Prepare Your Cheese For Each Braciola
Whether using mozzarella, provolone (mild, smoked, sharp, etc.), muenster, Asiago, or whatever cheese you choose, cut each piece in half and place it in your assembly line.
If you add freshly grated Locatelli, Gran Padano, etc., have it in a portioned container and set it aside.
Italian Breadcrumbs And Braciole Prep
Place your Italian breadcrumbs in the braciola assembly line in a portioned container to have pretty much all you will need.
If your breadcrumbs are not flavored, you will want to add dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to them, and mix well so that they will now have Italian flavor!
Beef and Assembling Each Braciole
Working with one piece of Milanese Beef at a time, place one portion on your sanitized workspace.
Top the beef with a piece of your provolone cheese and be sure to CENTER the cheese (to tuck and roll each braciola, you need the edges to be free and clear)
Next, add your prosciutto, again centering as much as possible.
Now top the meats off with your breadcrumbs and the hard-boiled egg.
If you use Locatelli, Gran Padano, or any Parmesan cheese, add it now before the braciola is rolled and tied.
Roll the Italian Braciole into packets.
It’s time to roll and tuck, then tie. Use the video to see how to tuck, roll and tie.
You can tuck and roll, roll and tuck the sides in, or roll and tie with two pieces of twine.
If you choose the latter method, do make sure to double up your Twine cut.
Prep The Instant Pot To Cook The Sauce And Tied Beef Braciole Packs
Add extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic (or garlic pieces, whichever you prefer) to the base of your instant pot liner.
Use the saute function to begin to saute the garlic and the individual braciola portions, which you will place in a few at a time or all together; make sure you can turn them, and they will each get a chance to be seared quickly on at least 2 sides.
While sauteeing is optional and you can add in the oil and garlic, followed by the beef braciole, and follow with the sauce and paste.
Once Instant Pot Is Filled Its Time To Cook The Beef Proscuitto Braciole
Do note that if you made many (as you see in my photos) you would have filled the pot to the maximum fill line, and you can’t go above that.
Make sure to move the braciole around in the sauce so that it is well distributed throughout the meat, and don’t worry if any are sticking out of the sauce, trust me!
The Sicilian beef braciole in the Instant Pot will share the spotlight with a nice thick sauce you can use for pasta once you remove all beef-stuffed packets.
After The Beef Braciole Is Done Cooking …
Cook per the recipe below, and then you can allow the pressure to release naturally, or you can release the pressure.
Once you open the lid, be prepared to smell the authentic flavors of Italy and enjoy an incredible authentic Italian Braciole from the old country.
Use a slotted spoon to cradle each pack and place it on a serving tray.
Also, remember that each piece of stuffed Italian beef is tied off with strings, so cut each of these off before serving.
If you are serving this over the paste, place prepared pasta in a bowl and then use a ladle to gather the reserved homemade sauce and place it on top of the pasta.
Serve with warm crusty bread and a delicious Italian Salad.
What To Know When Preparing Instant Pot Italian Braciole
- The recipe will yield 22 braciole; yours will vary based on the cut of meat your purchase and how many pieces are in the package.
- Also, note I always call for more breadcrumbs rather than less, so scale back if you prefer
- Always use Italian-flavored breadcrumbs for the best Sicilian beef braciole flavor.
- A useable sauce if you follow the sauce directions (cans of water to paste, etc.)
- You can add a Parmesan grated cheese to the breadcrumb mixture for a bolder flavor (optional but tasty)
Popular Substitutions
- Sub prosciutto with a cooked ham sliced thin or even a capicola.
- Use a sharp provolone, milder provolone, mozzarella or asiago cheese
- Use prepacked prosciutto that you can find at Aldi, Sam’s Club and Costco
Print The Recipe For Instant Pot Italian Braciole
Instant Pot Italian Braciole With Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of Thin Cut Beef Milanese
- 6 Hard-Boiled Eggs shelled, rinsed, smashed (use my recipe, the link is in the post above)
- 29 Ounce Can of Tomato Sauce + 1 Cans of Water swirl in the can to clear out all sauce
- 1 oz (6 oz can) Can of Tomato Paste + 3 Cans of water whisked together to be smooth (this should be done before the paste ever gets into the Instant Pot )
- 22 Piece Prosciutto for every piece of beef
- 11 pieces of Provolone 1/2’d
- 2 Cups of Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs
- 2 Tbsp Of Minced Garlic (or a garlic clove (LARGE) cut inhalf)
- Olive Oil -2 Tbsp
- Twine cut to 11″ pieces 22
Instructions
- Place meat on cutting board.
- Then place Prosciutto and remember you can do any of this in any order, this is just MY order.
- All you want to make sure is that you have ALL the ingredients tucked in and wrapped up.
- The order does not matter.
- Now add on breadcrumbs
- Followed by the egg (that should be prepared in advance of this process)
- It's time to roll and tuck then tie. This is the longest time commitment because tying is not always easy if you are all thumbs!
- Place Garlic and olive Oil into the Isntant Pot Liner
- Let the garlic saute for a few quick mintues, not long, just enough for it to flavor the olive oil.
- Add in each braciola
- Add all of the packets in one by one.
- Add the sauce and water.
- You can add more water, but make sure to counterbalance with 1 can of paste if you do this. If you want to use the sauce (which is the best ever) I suggest adding a can of paste to the water if you fill it to the rim.
Set to 40 minutes, seal and then once cooked allow to cool naturally.
Remove strings before eating.
Video
Notes
Hard-Boiled Eggs and Perfect Cooking Time
Boil and cool the eggs ahead of time.>>>>To keep this simple use my Method to make perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs every time! <<<<<
Keep yourself organized. You don’t want to work with a hot egg. The shells need to be off, and you need to crush that egg so work ahead of this.Dana’s family is throughout Sicily: Palermo, Cefalu, and Messina, and her husband’s family are throughout Rome to Spigno. Dana draws upon her travel writing life, time spent in Italy with their families, her Nonna’s recipes and time in her kitchen, and her previous “Chef” life to update old family recipes into easier everyday recipes. Dana uses today’s hottest appliances to create easy everyday recipes and to keep Italian food simple without losing every recipe’s authentic flavors and tastes.
