Steak Pizzaiola
Steak Pizzaiola, is a classic Italian steak dish simmered in a tomato sauce with red wine, capers, and olives. It's simple, rustic, and packed with bold flavor, plus so easy to make. Impressive as a main course for entertaining or hearty to serve on a weeknight to family.
Equipment
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Meat mallet or rolling pin (for pounding steak)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ribeye steaks (about 2 steaks, 1/2 inch thick) lightly pounded to ¼-inch thick
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for searing and sautéing
- 3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 28 ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons Calabrian chili paste or crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved (or oil-cured black Sicilian olives if available)
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil for garnish
- ¼ cup water if needed to loosen the sauce
Instructions
- Lightly pound the ribeye steaks between two sheets of parchment paper to about ¼ inch thick. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- In a wide skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the steak for about 1–2 minutes per side until browned but not fully cooked. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium. In the same pan, add sliced garlic and onion. Cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for 1–2 minutes until it has reduced.
- Stir in the hand-crushed tomatoes, oregano, Calabrian chili paste, capers, and olives. Add 2–4 tablespoons of water if needed to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Nestle the steak back into the sauce. Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, uncovered, spooning the sauce over the steak occasionally.
- Plate the steak and spoon the pizzaiola sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if desired.
Notes
Storage:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet on the stove until warmed through.
Steak pizzaiola also freezes beautifully, just place in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat according to the instructions above.
Expert Tips:
- Don’t skip pounding the steak—it helps it cook quickly and evenly in the sauce.
- Use good-quality tomatoes for the best flavor—San Marzano is ideal.
- Calabrian chili paste adds depth and subtle heat—adjust to taste.
- You can slice the steak before serving or leave it whole and slice at the table for a more dramatic presentation..
- Ribeye gives the best flavor, but chuck eye steak is a great substitute if pounded thin and not overcooked.
- Traditionally served on its own or with crusty bread, but you can also spoon the sauce over cooked pasta if desired.
- Ask your butcher for two boneless ribeye steaks, about ½ inch thick. Then lightly pound them to ¼ inch at home. Thinner steaks cook quickly and soak up the sauce more evenly.
Nutrition
Calories: 606kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 35gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 363mgPotassium: 446mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 159IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 4mg
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