Austrian Zwiebelrostbraten (Roast Beef with Crispy Onions)

About This Recipe

Austrian Zwiebelrostbraten is a real, traditional Austrian dish, known as Roast Beef with Crispy Onions. A pan-seared beef steak topped with a mountain of crispy fried onions, a classic Viennese restaurant staple.\n\nZwiebelrostbraten is a beloved dish across Austrian restaurants, its appeal resting almost entirely on the contrast between a well-seared steak and a generous crown of crisp, deeply fried onion rings.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Austrian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4beef sirloin or ribeye steaks
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 3yellow onions(thinly sliced into rings)
• 0.5 cupall-purpose flour(for dredging onions)
• 2 tbspbutter
• 1 tbspall-purpose flour(for the pan sauce)
• 200 mlbeef stock

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the steaks

   Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper and let them come to room temperature.

2. 2

   Fry the onions

   Dredge the onion rings lightly in flour and fry in hot oil until deeply golden and crisp, working in batches; drain on paper towels.

3. 3

   Sear the steaks

   Heat a clean pan with a little oil until very hot and sear the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, adjusting time to preference.

4. 4

   Rest

   Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Make the pan sauce

   In the same pan, melt butter, whisk in flour, then gradually add beef stock, simmering until slightly thickened.

6. 6

   Serve

   Plate the steaks, spoon over the pan sauce, and top generously with the crispy fried onions.

Variations

• •

  Use a peppercorn sauce instead of the simple pan sauce for extra richness.

• •

  Some restaurants add a dollop of herb butter on top of the steak before adding the onions.

• •

  Serve with roasted potatoes or a simple green salad on the side.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions