Italian Beef Main Dish Recipes

This recipe was given to me years ago. This casserole freezes well, so when eggplants are in the garden you may use them up.

This sauce goes by many names, including Sunday sauce, since that's the day it's traditionally made, but for me growing up, this was just called 'sauce.' As long as you cook the meat long enough, and season thoughtfully, there's really no way this sauce isn't going to be great. So, while you may not have grown up in an Italian-American home, with this comforting sauce simmering on the stove every Sunday, your family still can. Serve the sauce over pasta and top with the tender meat.

This is a delicious recipe using inexpensive skirt steak. Saltimbocca literally translates to 'jump in the mouth' and the bold flavors in this recipe will do just that.

This is the classic lasagne alla Bolognese recipe from the Emilia region in Northern Italy. The Bolognese sauce is made with a mixture of beef and pork mince. The addition of prosciutto, red wine, cinnamon, and nutmeg make it truly authentic.

There are hundreds of ways to make pizzaiola, from versions featuring slowly braised tough cuts of beef to quickly seared tenderloin medallions, like I used here. The one thing most people agree on is that you should, if at all possible, use really fresh, very sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes. Serve on top of toasted bread with mozzarella cheese.

An Italian beef roll up dish. From my very Italian mother-in-law. Enjoy!

I've only been to Tuscany once, but I do remember a grilled steak coming off a charcoal fire, which was then sliced and splashed with olive oil, lemon, and rosemary. While I'm sure my version is far from traditional, it's really tasty and the very user-friendly flank steak is the perfect cut.

This cevapcici (pronounced 'che-vap-chee-chee') recipe is from my husband's family who live in Trieste, Italy. I've added hot Hungarian paprika and nutmeg to mine, to make them spicier. These are great for summertime BBQ plain or brushed with your favorite BBQ sauce. Great for entertaining, as an appetizer served with tzatziki sauce.

I never knew how to make good meatballs until I found this recipe. I normally make mine with just ground beef and they still taste great. I've used the combination of pork, beef and veal and they are equally good. Definitely use fresh bread crumbs and freshly grate your cheese instead of using the canned variety...it really does make a difference.

This flagship, Tuscan steak is made from the region's Chianina breed of cattle which are prized for their tenderness and flavor. In typical Italian style, simplicity rules the day; little more than olive oil, rosemary, and salt are needed to highlight the rich flavor of the grilled meat. With Italian food, freshness and quality are top priority, so I use nothing less than choice porterhouse, and much prefer prime!

This recipe is a hit with my husband and everyone else I've given the recipe to. It's very easy and satisfies that Italian craving.

Kids love this buffet-ready casserole dish. My mother-in-law used to make a simpler version of this for my husband when he was growing up. This version pushes the flavor profile a bit. I prefer to have this dish sit overnight before baking as the flavors improve and the pasta absorbs some of the sauce so the consistency is just right.