Our Steak Pizzaiola Recipe is a guaranteed family favorite! Seasoned steak in a delicious tomato pizzaiola sauce makes this an irresistible dinner everyone at the table will love. Perfect for a weeknight meal or even special occasions! The best part? This is a one pan dinner recipe!
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What is steak pizzaiola?
Steak pizzaiola, also called carne pizzaiola or carne alla pizzaiola, is a traditional Italian recipe in the Neapolitan style. The name essentially means “meat in pizza style”.
If you’ve watched The Sopranos, then you know this dish: they often made it for Sunday dinner, which is what gives it its claim to fame!
Pizzaiola typically consists of meat, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and, if you like, white wine and onions. Cooking the meat in the pizzaiola sauce tenderizes it for a truly delicious dish!
Many varieties of the dish exist, including chicken pizzaiola and even pork chops alla pizzaiola, but our favorite is beef pizzaiola.
What makes this the best pizzaiola recipe?
- It’s so easy!
- Uses common, simple ingredients
- You can use the steak of your choice
- Budget-friendly
Our steak pizzaiola recipe is straightforward and so flavorful. Everyone at the table will love this dish: kids and adults alike! Plus, the ingredients are so simple, and it comes together in no time.
🍽 Equipment
- Large skillet
- Cutting board
- Knife
We make this steak dinner recipe entirely on the stovetop all in one skillet, from the steak to the pizzaiola sauce. Cooking everything in one pan makes it so much easier to clean up after!
🥩 Ingredients
- tenderized steaks, your choice: we use eye round steak
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- garlic, minced
- onion, sliced
- bell pepper, sliced
- canned tomato sauce
- Italian seasoning
- red pepper flakes
- water
- optional: chopped parsley, shredded cheese
One of the best things about making this Italian steak recipe is that you can use any kind of steak you like.
You can use inexpensive steaks to make this a budget-friendly dinner recipe that’s easy and delicious! Cooking it in tomato sauce ensures tender, delicious steak every time, using any cut of your choice.
How to Tenderize Steak
Steak pizzaiola requires thin steak. I tenderized eye round steaks to use in this recipe by first cutting them in half, then pounding them out with a meat tenderizer.
- If using a thick steak (such as eye round steaks), begin by slicing the steak in half. Do this by pressing down on the top of the steak with the palm of your hand, then carefully cutting the steak in half horizontally with the knife in your opposite hand. Do not cut all of the way through! Stop to butterfly, or fold out, the steak.
- Lay the steak flat and pound it thin with a meat tenderizer. If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, you can also place it under plastic wrap and roll it flat with a rolling pin. Do this on both sides.
- Cut away the silver skin by gently running the knife under it and cutting it carefully away from the steak. Tenderize again as necessary until your steak is nice and flat without being too thin.
🔪 How to Make Steak Pizzaiola
- Generously season tenderized steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the steak and sear until browned, approximately 3 minutes on each side. Then, set the steak aside on a plate.
- In the same skillet, add more oil, then add minced garlic, sliced onion, and sliced bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and water. Stir well.
Bring to a simmer, then add your steaks back into the skillet and simmer for 15 minutes on each side. - Transfer steaks to a cutting board. Let them rest for 5 minutes. In the meantime, allow your sauce to continue simmering until it starts to thicken.
- Thinly slice your steak against the grain. Top with pizzaiola sauce, plus parsley and cheese if using. Enjoy!
For full ingredient measurements, scroll to the recipe card below!
⭐ Family Foodie Tips
- For the best results, always slice your steak against the grain. This applies to every steak recipe. The “grain” refers to the lines running through a cut of meat. By slicing against it, you will have the most tender cuts of steak.
- Make sure to pound the steak thin! Trust us, this will ensure a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
- Cooking the dish low and slow is key!
🥫 How to Store
Keep in an air-tight container or on a plate wrapped tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
❄ Can you freeze steak pizzaiola?
Yes! Allow your steak dinner to cool in the refrigerator, then place in an air-tight freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for as long as 3 months. Make sure to label with the freezing date!
🔥 How to Reheat Steak Pizzaiola
To reheat this dish, add it to a skillet with the pizzaiola sauce over low heat, and cook for about 10 minutes or until heated through. If reheating from frozen, cook for slightly longer.
👪 How many people does this dish serve?
Our steak pizzaiola recipe easily serves a family of 4, and you may even have enough for leftovers! We like to make extra pizzaiola sauce to use in other recipes throughout the week, too.
🥗 What to Serve with Steak Pizzaiola
Although you can enjoy this carne pizzaiola all on its own, it also pairs deliciously with:
📖 Best Steak Recipes
Try more of our best steak dinner ideas!
- Grilled Chuck Steak with Compound Garlic Butter
- Easy Steak Diane Recipe
- Juicy Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Perfect Reverse Sear Ribeye Steak
- Easy Steak Peppers and Onions Foil Packets
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📋 Recipe
Steak Pizzaiola Recipe
🍳 Equipment
- Large skillet
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Meat tenderizer
🥘 Ingredients
- 4 steaks we used eye round steaks
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil divided to cook steak in batches
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 bell peppers sliced
- 16 oz. tomato sauce (two 8 oz. cans)
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley chopped (optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheese optional
🔪 Instructions
How to Tenderize Steak
- If using a thick steak (such as eye round steaks), begin by slicing the steak in half. Do this by pressing down on the top of the steak with the palm of your hand, then carefully cutting the steak in half horizontally with the knife in your opposite hand. Do not cut all of the way through! Stop to butterfly, or fold out, the steak.
- Lay the steak flat and pound it thin with a meat tenderizer. If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, you can also place it under plastic wrap and roll it flat with a rolling pin. Do this on both sides.
- Cut away the silver skin by gently running the knife under it and cutting it carefully away from the steak. Tenderize again as necessary until your steak is nice and flat without being too thin.
How to Make Steak Pizzaiola
- Generously season tenderized steaks with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the steak and sear until browned, approximately 3 minutes on each side. Then, set the steak aside on a plate.
- In the same skillet, add more oil, then add 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 sliced onion, and 2 sliced bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add 16 oz. tomato sauce, 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning, and 3/4 cup water. Stir well.
- Bring to a simmer, then add your steaks back into the skillet and simmer for 15 minutes on each side.
- Transfer steaks to a cutting board. Let them rest for 5 minutes. In the meantime, allow your sauce to continue simmering until it starts to thicken.
- Thinly slice your steak against the grain. Top with pizzaiola sauce, plus parsley and cheese if using. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- For the best results, always slice your steak against the grain.
- Store for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.
Let us know what you think or ask a question about the recipe!