Hearty and packed with robust flavor, my Braised Steak with Capers is perfect for cool evenings or whenever you’re in the mood for something that’s not just delicious but also budget-friendly. Beef top round is braised with tomatoes, olives, capers, and cherry peppers, and is perfect with some crusty bread or pasta.
This post may contain affiliate links. Our disclosure policy.
Budget Braised Steak
As much as I love a good ribeye or porterhouse steak, the fiscally responsible side of me loves to make meals with more economical cuts of beef, like my Braised Steak with Capers.
This hearty dish relies on beef top round, which costs way less and can easily feed my family of four, and always gets rave reviews. The flavor combination of the tomatoes, capers, and olives is reminiscent of a puttanesca sauce, but the richness of the braised steak adds a heartiness to the dish that’s unmatched.
This dish is excellent served with a side of pasta (there’s enough sauce here for about 1/2 pound), creamy polenta, or a loaf of crusty bread. I usually serve this with a green vegetable like Italian broccoli.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below, and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Beef. I’m using top round for my braised steak with capers. This cut of beef braises well, and I also use it for my Swiss steak recipe. You could also use eye round or chuck steaks here. In fact, you could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and it would be great.
- Tomatoes. I’m using a combination of canned plum tomatoes and tomato paste for extra depth of flavor.
- Wine. I’m using Sauvignon Blanc, which is a dry white wine. You could also use Pinot Grigio.
- Flour. I dredge the beef in flour to develop a good sear and it also serves to thicken the sauce. If you can’t have flour, feel free to omit.
- Olives and capers. I’m using green Sicilian olives but you could also use kalamatas. Capers tend to be salty, so be sure to rinse them prior to using.
- Cherry peppers. I love the flavor and heat cherry peppers bring to this dish but if you prefer no spice, feel free to use sweet cherry peppers instead. It’s always a good idea to taste test the cherry peppers before adding them because some are hotter than others.
- Sugar. This ingredient helps to balance out the strong flavors of the dish. Feel free to reduce the amount to suit your needs if desired.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Want To Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and we'll send it to you. Plus, get great new recipes from us every week!
How to make Italian Steak with Capers and Cherry Peppers
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Cut the top round into 4 equal-sized steaks and pound with a mallet until 1/2-inch thick.
- Pat the steaks dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides, then dredge them in flour and shake gently to remove the excess.
- Heat a large heavy pan or pot to medium heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the steaks. Sear until browned on both sides, then transfer to a plate.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and add the remaining oil plus the onions and pinch of salt and saute until very soft. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Add the tomato paste and a splash of water and saute the paste for 5 minutes.
- Add the wine and bring to a boil while scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits. After 2 minutes, add the plum tomatoes, cherry peppers, capers, olives, and sugar to the pan and stir together.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, taste test, and adjust salt and pepper. Add the steaks back to the pan and cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat until the steaks are very tender. Flip them every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking. If the sauce begins to dry out at all during the braising process, add 1/2 cup of water. Oven method. Alternatively, after adding the steaks and covering, transfer the pot to a 300°F oven and continue cooking until tender. Be sure to check it at the 60-minute mark, and then again after 30 minutes.
- Once tender, remove from the heat and taste-test one more time, adjusting salt and pepper as needed. Add the parsley and serve with crusty bread, pasta, or polenta.
More braised beef recipes
If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy braised beef, give these other recipes a try.
If you’ve enjoyed this Braised Steak with Capers and Olives, give it a 5-star rating.
Watch us on YouTube, follow along on our Facebook Page, and become a Patreon member to receive access to exclusive full-meal videos and content.
Braised Steak with Capers (Hearty and Budget Friendly)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds top round
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 large onion chopped
- 10 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 medium hot cherry peppers seeds and stems removed, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers rinsed
- 1/4 cup pitted Sicilian green olives chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
Want To Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send it to you. Plus, get great new recipes from us every week!
Instructions
- Cut the top round into 4 equal size pieces then pound with a meat mallet to approximately 1/2" thick.
- Pat the steaks very dry and liberally season with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the steaks into the flour and shake off the excess. Heat a large heavy pan to a touch higher than medium heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the steaks to the hot pan and sear until well browned on both sides then remove the steaks to a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the remaining oil to the pan along with the onions and a pinch of salt. Saute until very soft (about 10-15 minutes) then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and a splash of water and saute the paste for 5 minutes.
- Add the wine and bring to a boil while scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits. After 2 minutes, add the plum tomatoes, cherry peppers, capers, olives, and sugar to the pan and stir together. Bring the sauce to a lively simmer. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the steaks to the pan and cover with the lid. Cook over low heat until very tender (90-120 minutes). Flip the steaks every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking. If the sauce starts to dry out during the braising process, just add a 1/2 cup of water to the pan.
- Once the steaks are very tender, turn off the heat and taste test one more time, adjusting salt and pepper if required. Mix in the parsley and served with crusty bread to mop up the amazing sauce. Alternatively, a portion of the sauce could be used for a 1/2 pound of pasta. Enjoy!
Notes
- Beef. Bottom and eye of round along with chuck steaks all work well for this dish.
- Cherry peppers. These small peppers are moderately spicy, but it’s recommended to check the spice levels before using the full amount. Or use more if you want a spicier dish.
- Sauce. The sauce can easily be doubled for a full pound of pasta, while still having enough left for the steaks.
- Alternate cooking method. After adding the steaks to the sauce, cover, and place in a 300°F oven and cook until tender, checking at the 60 minute mark and then 30 minute intervals. If the sauce drys out, add a 1/2 cup of water.
- Serve over. This dish is great over rice, a 1/2 pound of pasta, or polenta. Or just serve with a crusty loaf of bread.
- Leftovers. Braised steak with capers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Follow Me
The Sip and Feast Cookbook
- 100+ recipes
- Essential tools and ingredients
- Entertaining ides
- Stunning photography
