Steak Pizzaiola – Carne alla Pizzaiola

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Steak pizzaiola or carne alla pizzaiola is a classic Italian dish featuring slices of beef or veal cooked in a delicious pizza sauce.

You really can’t go wrong with having this authentic Italian steak pizzaiola as the headliner on your dinner menu for tonight.

This classic Italian dish is quick enough to make on a weeknight yet restaurant-worthy enough for a dinner party.

Not only is this recipe a classic, but it’s also easy to put together in just 20 minutes!

In Italy, we make it on a regular basis, and every family has its own version.

But today I’ll keep it super simple and share the authentic traditional recipe.

What is Steak Pizzaiola?

Authentic steak pizzaiola is a traditional Neapolitan dish, the Italian name “carne alla pizzaiola” literally translates to “meat pizza-style”.

The pizzaiola sauce is simply the pizza tomato sauce traditionally made to top Neapolitan pizza, and it calls for just 4 simple ingredients: canned tomatoes, garlic, oregano and extra-virgin olive oil.

Following the traditional recipe, the pizza-style meat or steak pizzaiola is just meat cooked in the pizzaiola sauce for a few minutes.

Carne alla Pizzaiola Ingredients

All you need is five ingredients to make an authentic steak pizzaiola:

  • Tomatoes: I use canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, you can also opt for tomato passata.
  • Meat: Go for top-round steak or veal cutlets, and although it’s not authentic, you can also use chicken, pork, or turkey cutlets.
  • Garlic: Keep it whole to add a subtle flavor that is not overpowering, you can also add it thinly sliced or finely chopped.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil: Use a good extra-virgin olive oil to add flavor to your sauce.
  • Oregano: If you can find it, use freshly-dried oregano sold in branches. You can also use fresh oregano.

Additional ingredients:

Whilst we love the traditional super basic recipe, here are a few additional ingredients that are often included:

  • Bell peppers: you can cut them into thin strips and add them together with the tomatoes.
  • Black or green olives: pitted olives add a nice layer of flavor.
  • Capers: I like to add salt-preserved capers every now and then, make sure you rinse them well before use!
  • Red pepper flakes: add a spicy kick to your pizzaiola with a pinch of red pepper flakes.

How To Make Steak Pizzaiola The Traditional Way

This classic Italian dish is incredibly easy to way and takes barely 20 minutes from start to finish.

STEP 1. Heat the olive oil and garlic in a skillet over medium-low heat.

STEP 2. Add the tomatoes and crush them gently with a wooden spoon. Season with oregano, cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.

STEP 3. Add the steak to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes (or more depending on the thickness of the meat).

STEP 4. Turn the meat halfway through the cooking time. Once ready, remove from the heat, season with extra oregano, and serve.

Storage Tips

Store leftover pizzaiola in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 day. You can use any leftover pizzaiola sauce to serve it with pasta the next day.

What To Serve With Steak Pizzaiola?

Carne alla pizzaiola is a well-balanced meal and we often eat it simply with grilled ciabatta bread on the side.


Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
8 whole canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon oregano
4 thinly sliced top round steak, about 4 oz (120 g) each

Instructions

  • Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
  • Add the tomatoes and crush them gently with a wooden spoon. Season with oregano, cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes over low heat, stirring often.
  • Add the steaks to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes (or more depending on the thickness of the meat).
  • Turn the meat halfway through the cooking time. Once ready, remove the pan from the heat, discard the garlic, season your steak pizzaiola with extra oregano and extra-virgin olive oil if you like, and serve.

Notes

Meat: You can use round steak, thin-cut sirloin steak, or veal top round cutlets, remember to remove any fat in excess.  You can keep the meat thick (½-inch – 1,5 cm thick) or thin (pound the meat until until ¼-inch – 6-mm thick). Because the meat is cooked directly in the tomato sauce, I recommend thinly sliced meat.

Tomatoes: You can use canned whole tomatoes, or tomato passata (pureed tomatoes).

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Store leftovers in a freezer-friendly container and freeze them for up to 1 month.