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Classic Lasagna Bolognese
Layer upon layer of slow-cooked meat ragù, silky béchamel and fresh pasta sheets — Italy's ultimate Sunday dish.
⏱ 220 min🔥 680 kcalHard
★4.9(7,230)
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Italian Beef Recipes
15 recipes using beef — Pasta, pizza, risotto and more from la bella Italia.
These 15 italian beef recipes are ready in about 126 minutes on average, with 380–680 kcal per serving, and 7% are rated easy enough for a weeknight. Every recipe includes exact ingredient quantities, step-by-step instructions and full nutrition per serving.
15
recipes
126 min
average time
514 kcal
avg per serving
7%
easy recipes
How Italian cuisine cooks with beef
Italian cooking is built on restraint — a handful of excellent ingredients treated simply, letting each one taste of itself. When Italian cooks work with beef, they reach for olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, tomatoes, parmesan and a good splash of wine, and the techniques that come up most across these recipes are simmering, sautéing, baking and frying.
A rich, deeply savoury red meat that rewards both fast, hot searing and long, slow braising depending on the cut. In this collection it's most often cooked with olive oil, onion, parmesan, eggs, breadcrumbs and garlic. The dishes here span italian classics ready in as little as 65 minutes to slower, more involved cooking that rewards a relaxed afternoon.
Reader favourite: Classic Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe is the highest-rated dish in this collection at 4.9★ from 15,600 ratings.
15 Italian Beef Recipes
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Sicilian Arancini – Crispy Fried Rice Balls with Meat Ragù
Golden-fried risotto balls filled with slow-cooked ragù, peas and mozzarella — Sicily's iconic street food.
⏱ 150 min🔥 480 kcalHard
★4.8(16,700)
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Classic Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
Rich, slow-cooked Bolognese meat sauce with beef, pork, soffritto, wine and milk — served with spaghetti. This authentic spaghetti Bolognese recipe is the world's most popular pasta dish, made properly from scratch.
⏱ 170 min🔥 580 kcalMedium
★4.9(15,600)
dinner
Meatball Marinara
Tender Italian-American meatballs simmered in a rich, garlicky marinara sauce.
⏱ 70 min🔥 440 kcalMedium
★4.8(8,600)
dinner
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Classic spaghetti tossed in marinara with tender homemade meatballs.
⏱ 80 min🔥 680 kcalMedium
★4.9(12,400)
dinner
Anellini al Forno
Sicilian baked ring-shaped pasta with ragu, peas, and cheese, formed into a golden, sliceable timballo.
⏱ 80 min🔥 520 kcalMedium
★4.4(898)
dinner
Anolini in Brodo
Tiny stuffed pasta from Parma filled with slow-braised beef and parmesan, served in rich capon broth.
⏱ 330 min🔥 380 kcalHard
★4.4(1,821)
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Lasagne alla Bolognese (Authentic Baked Lasagne)
The original layered pasta from Bologna — slow-cooked beef ragù, creamy béchamel and wide egg pasta sheets baked until golden and bubbling.
⏱ 225 min🔥 520 kcalHard
★4.8(1,000)
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Arancini Siciliani (Sicilian Fried Rice Balls)
Sicily's iconic golden fried rice balls stuffed with ragù, peas and melting mozzarella — crispy outside, rich and gooey inside.
⏱ 85 min🔥 480 kcalMedium
★4.8(1,000)
dinner
Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers
Bell peppers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, rice, tomato and Parmigiano — a complete one-dish dinner from a single tray.
⏱ 65 min🔥 542 kcalEasy
★4.8(2,412)
✨ Newdinner
Tagliatelle Bolognese
Slow-simmered meat ragù tossed with ribbon pasta and parmesan.
⏱ 110 min🔥 610 kcalMedium
★4.9(4,980)
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Slow-Simmered Beef Italian
Slow-Simmered Beef Italian with olive oil, garlic, tomato and long-simmered comfort.
⏱ 80 min🔥 569 kcalHard
★4.9(4,071)
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Peperoni Ripieni (Italian Stuffed Peppers)
Bell peppers stuffed with a savory mix of rice, ground beef, Parmesan, and herbs, baked until tender.
⏱ 75 min🔥 410 kcalMedium
★4.4(35)
✨ Newsnack
Arancini (Sicilian Rice Balls)
Crispy fried Sicilian rice balls stuffed with a savory ragù and mozzarella center.
⏱ 70 min🔥 380 kcalHard
★4.1(45)
✨ Newdinner
Italian Herb Butter Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Tender beef and pork meatballs enriched with a swirl of garlic-herb butter, simmered in a simple San Marzano tomato sauce.
⏱ 75 min🔥 440 kcalMedium
★4.7(68)
Choosing & preparing beef
How to choose
Tender cuts (sirloin, ribeye) suit quick cooking; tougher, collagen-rich cuts (chuck, brisket, shin) are built for stews and braises. Look for bright-red colour and fine marbling.
Prep & storage
Season generously and let steaks come to room temperature before searing. Rest cooked beef 5–10 minutes so the juices redistribute; slice against the grain to keep it tender.
When is it done?
Steaks: 52°C / 125°F for rare up to 71°C / 160°F for well done. Ground beef should always reach 71°C / 160°F.
Nutrition
An excellent source of complete protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12; leaner cuts keep saturated fat in check.
Classic flavour partners: onion, garlic, red wine, black pepper, mushrooms, rosemary
Italian Beef Recipes — FAQ
How long do Italian beef recipes take to make?
Most of these 15 Italian beef recipes are ready in around 126 minutes from start to finish. The quickest, Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers, takes about 65 minutes, while the slower-cooked dishes run up to 330 minutes.
How many calories are in Italian beef dishes?
Across this collection they range from about 380 to 680 kcal per serving, averaging 514 kcal — Anolini in Brodo is the lightest option at 380 kcal.
What is the easiest Italian beef recipe for beginners?
Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers is a great place to start — it's rated easy and comes together in about 65 minutes. 7% of the recipes here are beginner-friendly.
What goes well with beef in Italian cooking?
In these recipes, beef is most often paired with olive oil, onion, parmesan, eggs, breadcrumbs and garlic. Italian kitchens also lean on olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, tomatoes, parmesan and a good splash of wine.
How do I know when beef is properly cooked?
Steaks: 52°C / 125°F for rare up to 71°C / 160°F for well done. Ground beef should always reach 71°C / 160°F.
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