There’s something undeniably comforting about the rich, hearty flavors of traditional German beef rouladen, the tender beef, tangy mustard, smoky bacon, and those irresistible little pickle bits, all wrapped up in one perfect bite.
But let’s be honest! Who has time to roll and tie up each little bundle when you’re feeding a crowd or need a quick weeknight dinner? That’s where my German Beef Rouladen Stew (Rouladeneintopf) comes in!
This dish takes all the deep, savory goodness of classic rouladen and transforms it into an easy, one-pot wonder. No rolling, no individual portions, just a pot brimming with melt-in-your-mouth beef, a rich, velvety gravy, and all those signature flavors that make rouladen a beloved German favorite.
It’s perfect for feeding a hungry group, and the best part? It somehow tastes even better the next day, making leftovers a gift rather than an afterthought.
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How to pronounce "Rouladeneintopf" in German?
Listen to this audio file to hear how to say "Rouladeneintopf" the right way.
Ingredients & Substitutes
The ingredients are basically the same as those for traditional beef rouladen roll-ups—simple and very straightforward.
Beef: If you can find rouladen meat, it's the perfect cut. But thin-cut beef, like Milanesa or similar, is also a great choice. If you can't find thin-cut meat, a top or bottom round roast works well too — you'll just need to take the extra step of slicing it thinly before cutting it into bite-sized strips.
Red Wine: It doesn’t need to be the most expensive wine if you're just using it for cooking. But if you want to enjoy a glass of the same wine with the dish, use your favorite. Traditionally, this dish is made with Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) or another dry red wine.
Clarified Butter: You can make clarified butter very easily from scratch with my recipe here. If you don’t have clarified butter on hand, you can also use lard or 1 tablespoon of butter plus 1 teaspoon of oil instead.
Beef Broth: If you don’t have beef broth, you can substitute it with beef bouillon. Just be sure not to add too much extra salt, as bouillon is already quite salty.
Mustard: I prefer "mittelscharfen Senf" (German medium-spicy mustard), but if you don’t have it on hand, you can use simple yellow mustard instead.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Check out these easy steps and learn how quick you can make a delicious German Rouladeneintopf from scratch.
Step 1: Sauté onions and bacon in clarified butter. Do not drain the bacon fat!
Step 2: Add the bite-sized beef strips and sauté everything together for a few minutes.
Step 3: Add mustard, tomato paste, and pickles and mix well.
Step 4: Pour in red wine and broth, bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat so it just simmers. Cover and cook for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Step 5: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Optional: To thicken the gravy, mix cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water until smooth, add to the pot, and heat until the sauce thickens.
Recipe
Recipe
Rouladen Stew - Rouladeneintopf
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef rouladen meat Alternatively, Milanesa or top round beef
- ½ lb bacon
- 1 lb onions
- 3.5 oz pickles dill or bread & butter
- 1 tablespoon clarified butter
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon mustard medium-spicy
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- If using roast, slice the meat into thin pieces. Cut the meat slices into strips about ½ inch (1 cm) wide. Finely dice the bacon, pickles, and onions.
- Heat clarified butter in a large pot. Sauté onions and bacon in the clarified butter. Do not drain the bacon fat!
- Add the beef strips and sauté everything together for a few minutes.
- Add pickles, tomato paste, and mustard to the pan, stir, and mix well.
- Pour in red wine and broth, bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat so it just simmers. Cover and cook for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the meat is tender.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Optional: Mix cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water until smooth, add to the pot, and heat until the sauce thickens.
Notes
Nutrition
What to Serve with Rouladeneintopf?
Any side dish works well with this:
noodles, potatoes, rice, bread dumplings, potato dumplings, or just some good bread.
- Spätzle or other noodles
- Boiled potatoes aka Salzkartoffeln
- Rice
- Bread dumplings
- Potato dumplings
- Slices of a crusty bread, i.e. potato bread
- Brötchen (German rolls)
Kitchen Utensils
Making rouladen stew is quick, and you don’t need to dirty many dishes.
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Large pot
- Cooking spoon
Can you Freeze Rouladen Stew?
Like most stews, this recipe is perfect for freezing. I love making a double batch and keeping an extra portion in the freezer for those busy weeknights when I don’t feel like cooking.
You can reheat it in a slow cooker for a hands-off approach, warm it up in a pot on the stovetop, or use the microwave for a quick and easy option.
Angela says
One of my favorite recipes when my family craves authentic German comfort food and I don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.