Up your steak game with steak pizzaiola

steak-pizzaiola_001
by jimsideas @ flickr
Steak night is a great night! It is great to dig into an amazingly flavorful and delicious steak, with our favorite side surrounded by family or friends.
What gets boring sometimes is preparing the same steak recipes over and over again.
If you want to try something new, budget-friendly, easy to make, and most definitely packed with flavors, you are in the right place!
On today’s menu, we have the fantastic Italian delicacy, steak pizzaiola.
Steak pizzaiola is a traditional Neapolitan recipe consisting of pan-fried meat braised in an easy-to-make tomato sauce.
As you may have already caught from the name pizzaiola, the word pizza refers to the sauce used to braise the meat.
Steak pizzaiola is one of the traditional recipes used to allow people to use what was available. They brilliantly used leftover pizza sauce to braise meat, and as a result, we got this dish.
What is excellent about a steak pizzaiola recipe is that it uses a few ingredients you probably have in your pantry!

by Bartosz Luczak @ flickr
The cut commonly used for this recipe is a sirloin steak, thinly sliced and gently pounded using a mallet until flattened, but you can also use cuts such as a strip loin, beef tenderloin, flank steak, or round steak. Just make sure the steak is pounded out before pan-searing it. Some versions of the steak pizzaiola recipe use pork or chicken instead of beef.
Steak pizzaiola can be served with bread, polenta, rice, a nice salad, or you can even shred the meat, mix it with the tomatoes, and present it as a sauce with the pasta! Any side of your choice with this dish.
We are going to share with you some of our favorite Steak pizzaiola recipes:
Contents
Traditional Steak Pizzaiola recipe:
For an absolutely delicious and easy-to-make dinner, look no further than this pizzaiola recipe that’s loaded with beef and garlicky tomato sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of striploin or sirloin steaks cut widthwise
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small diced yellow onion
- 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 3/4 cup white Pinot Grigio wine
- 10 to 12 peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped fresh tomatoes, or 3 pounds of canned San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Place the sliced steak between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound using a mullet until it is half as thick as the original slice.
- Season your steak with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place a large frying pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Once the oil starts to smoke, add the steaks and cook in batches on both sides until browned, then remove the steak from the pan.
- Add the onions and garlic to the used pan and roast them for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Deglaze with the wine and cook until most of it has been absorbed.
- Add in the tomatoes and stew over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the sauce is thick—season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the steaks on top of the tomato sauce, place the lid on, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Stir in some fresh oregano and serve your steak pizzaiola.
This steak pizzaiola recipe takes less than 1 hour to be ready, and it can be served with your family’s favorite side.
Grilled Steak Pizzaiola recipe:
Steak pizzaiola is an excellent dish as it is. Still, the char and smokiness imparted by the direct flame add more fantastic and deep flavor, especially married with the rich tomato sauce.
Ingredients:
- 2 bone-in ribeye steaks, cut 1 inch thick
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the pizzaiola sauce:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut lengthwise
- 1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 can San Marzano tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand
- Pinch of dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat an outdoor grill for direct cooking over high heat.
- Season your steaks with salt and pepper, then let sit at room temperature while preheating the grill.
- To make the steak pizzaiola sauce, place a sizeable flameproof skillet on the cooking grate. Add the oil and let it heat until shimmering.
- Add the bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic and cook, occasionally stirring for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the white wine and bring to a boil, then stir in the tomatoes and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened, then take off the heat.
- Lightly oil the grate of the grill, then put your steaks. Grill them with the lid closed for 2 minutes per side until seared with grill marks, then remove from the grill.
7.Put the skillet with the sauce back on the grill and return it to simmer. - Add the steaks to the skillet and cook, occasionally turning in the sauce, for 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Internal temperature should register 125°F.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the steaks to a carving board and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Cut the meat across the grain, spoon the sauce onto a deep serving dish and top with the sliced steak and serve hot.
This steak pizzaiola recipe is excellent for summer BBQ parties!
Oven Braised Steak Pizzaiola recipe:
If you don’t want to babysit your steak pizzaiola on the stovetop, you can use the oven and make this pizzaiola recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound and a half flank steak
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup of pureed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Heat the oil in a heavy, oven-safe pot over medium-low heat. Cook the onions with some salt until it begins to soften, then add the peppers and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes.
- Season your steak all over with salt and pepper and score a few times to prevent curling, then place over the onions and peppers.
- Add the tomatoes, water, and oregano on top, then cover the pot and bake for 1 hour, turning the meat once.
- After 1 hour, uncover the pot and bake for an additional 15 to 25 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
- Take the meat out, let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve with the sauce.
This steak pizzaiola recipe may take more time to be ready, but it definitely takes less effort!
Instant pot Steak Pizzaiola recipe:
This pizzaiola recipe allows you to use less expensive steak cuts since we are going to use a pressure cooker to tenderizes it!
Ingredients:
- 6 small steak cuts of your choice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions:
- Generously season all sides of your steaks with salt.
- Set your instant pot to saute mode and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, in batches, sear the steaks until browned on all sides and transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the instant pot, then add the garlic, sliced onion, and the sliced bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes until soft.
- Add the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and water, then stir well.
- Add your steaks back to the pizzaiola sauce making sure they are completely submerged.
- Put on the lid back to your instant pot and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes, then quick release when the time is up.
- Pull your steak apart once done cooking and serve with noodles and sprinkle cheese on top.
This steak pizzaiola recipe is the ultimate comfort food, and it is full of unique flavors!
Chicken Pizzaiola recipe:
Steak pizzaiola can get even more accessible and straightforward!
This steak pizzaiola recipe uses chicken instead of beef to make an exceptionally satisfying one-skillet dish, ready in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 large fresh mozzarella ball
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Extra virgin olive oil
- A few fresh basil leaves
- Dry oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Slice the chicken breast into cutlets and season with salt and pepper.
- Dip each cutlet in flour and dredge both sides.
- Place a large skillet pan over medium heat, then add the butter and a generous splash of olive oil.
- Brown the chicken cutlets on both sides, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add white wine, stir well and simmer for a minute. Add tomato puree and basil leaves and simmer on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Place the chicken cutlets in the tomato sauce and top with mozzarella slices and some dried oregano. Cover the lid and simmer for 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Serve hot with tomato sauce.
Steak pizzaiola is traditionally made with beef, but you can use chicken to make a simple yet irresistible pizzaiola recipe!
Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola recipe:
If you are craving a steak pizzaiola, but you prefer pork to beef, this recipe is for you!
Ingredients:
- 2 bone-in pork loin center-cut chops, 1-inch thick each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 small onion sliced
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions:
- Season the pork chops with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork chops and cook until they are brown for about 3 minutes until their internal temperature reads 160°F.
- Transfer the pork chops to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add the onion to the same skillet and saute for about 4 minutes, then add tomatoes, herbes de Provence, and the red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer, occasionally stirring, for about 15 minutes.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper and return the pork chops with the accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet.
- Cook for 1 more minute, then serve the pork with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the parsley.
Similar to your favorite steak pizzaiola recipe, you can serve this pizzaiola with your favorite side.
If you have leftovers, you can store the steak and sauce in a plastic container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Steak pizzaiola freezes well too, it can last up to 3 months in an air-tight container in the freezer.
Reheating the steak takes only 8 to 10 minutes over low heat in a saucepan.
Steak pizzaiola is the perfect family meal! Rich meat flavor with the delicious sauce, it cannot get better than this!
Next time you want to make a budget-friendly and kid-approved dish that you can whip up with hardly any effort with simple ingredients from your pantry, steak pizzaiola is a perfect choice.