One of Germany’s most famous and delicious dishes, Rouladen are beef roulades filled with bacon, onions, mustard and pickles, then browned and simmered in the richest gravy imaginable. Mouthwateringly delicious, this authentic Rouladen recipe is the only one you’ll ever need!
Growing up in Stuttgart, we regularly enjoyed family dinners with my Oma and Opa. My Oma was famous for her Kasseler, Kartoffelpuffer, Sauerbraten and her Rouladen. When a meal included gravy she always knew to make extra when we came over because I would heap copious amounts of it over my meat, potatoes, Knödel, Rotkohl, Sauerkraut, you name it. (I still do.) For me the gravy was one of the primary highlights of the meal. Rouladen is one of my all-time favorite German dishes and its accompanying gravy is arguably the king of all gravies. Today I’m sharing my homemade Rouladen recipe with you and I’m confident you’re going to love it as much as we do!
WHAT ARE ROULADEN?
Rouladen is a traditional German dish featuring long, thin strips of meat slathered with mustard and filled with bacon, onions, and pickles. The filling is enclosed by rolling up the meat strips and the roulades are then browned and slow-simmered in a rich gravy.
Rouladen are enjoyed throughout the year in Germany but are often associated with Sunday dinners and special occasions like Christmas Eve.
CAN ROULADEN BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
You can save time by assembling the rouladen in advance and chilling them until you’re ready to cook them. They are also good reheated.
HOW LARGE SHOULD THE BEEF SLICES BE?
They need to be large enough to stuff and roll up, at least 4×6 inches in size and about 1/4 inch thick. This recipe makes 2 rouladen per person. Alternatively you can make larger rouladen and serve one large rouladen per person.
SHOULD I USE FLOUR OR CORNSTARCH TO THICKEN THE GRAVY?
You can use either. Cornstarch will make a more translucent gravy and flour will make a slightly opaque gravy. It just comes down to personal preference and/or allergies.
WHAT DO I SERVE WITH ROULADEN?
Traditionally, Rouladen are served with Rotkohl and boiled potatoes or Knödel – either Semmelknödel (bread dumplings) or Kartoffelklöße (potato dumplings). Instead of potatoes or Knödel, they are also commonly served with Spätzle.
Get our recipe or Authentic German Rotkohl
Get our recipe for Authentic German Semmelknödel (Bread Dumplings)
Get our recipe for Authentic German Späetzle
For more authentic German dishes, be sure to also try our:
- Sauerbraten
- Käsespätzle (Cheese Spaetzle)
- Swabian Potato Salad
- Senfbraten (Roast Pork with Mustard Gravy)
- Pork Schnitzel
- Jägerschnitzel
- Maultaschen
- German Potato Soup
- Frikadellen
- and many more! (click link for complete list)
HOW DO I MAKE ROULADEN?
Rouladen aren’t hard to make, but they do take time. You can shave off some time on the day of your meal by assembling the rouladen ahead of time and chilling them until you’re ready to cook them.
Rouladen are made by spreading some German mustard on thinly cut slices of beef, adding bacon, sliced German pickles and chopped onions. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and roll them up, securing the rolls with toothpicks or cooking twine. Next you generously fry the rouladen in oil until they’re nicely browned on all sides. They’re then removed and set aside so you can saute the onions and vegetables for the gravy. Add the liquids and spices to the cooked veggies and nestle the rouladen in this mixture to simmer on low until the meat is fork tender. The rouladen are removed, the sauce is poured through a strainer, and the resulting gravy is returned to the pot and thickened. The rouladen are returned to the gravy, heated through and served with Rotkohl and boiled potatoes, Knödel, or Spätzle.
Below we’ve provided step-by-step pictured instructions to ensure your success!
© Arkadiusz Fajer | Dreamstime
Let’s get started!
Lay the beef slices out on a work surface. Spread each beef slices with about 2 teaspoons of German mustard and sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place a strip of bacon on each beef slice so it’s running the same length as the beef. Place the sliced German pickles and chopped onions on each beef slice. 
Roll up the beef slices, tucking in the sides as best you can and securing the beef rolls with toothpicks or cooking twine.
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy Dutch oven or pot (make sure it’s oven-safe if baking in the oven) and generously brown the rouladen on all sides. Browning them well will ensure a rich and flavorful gravy. Set the rouladen aside on a plate.
*Do not remove the browned bits in the bottom of the pan, it’s key to the most flavorful gravy!
Add the onions to the pot and a little more butter or oil if needed. Cook the onions until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the leek, carrots and celery and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine, bring to a rapid boil for one minute, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2-3 more minutes.
Add the beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
Nestle the rouladen in the pot.
Oven or Stovetop: You can cook the rouladen, covered, on the stovetop on low for about 90 minutes or until fork tender but for the most even cooking we recommend transferring the pot (make sure it’s oven-safe) to the oven preheated to 325 F and cook it there for about 90 minutes or until fork tender.
To Make the Rouladen Gravy:
When the beef is fork tender, remove the rouladen from the pot and set aside. Pour the liquid and vegetables through a strainer and reserve the liquid. (You can set the veggies aside for another purpose, they are yummy. Or, as some of our readers have mentioned, you can puree the veggies in the blender and then return them to the gravy.)
Return the strained liquid back to the pot and bring to a simmer. Thicken the gravy either with either a cornstarch slurry (for a clear/translucent gravy) or flour slurry (for an opaque gravy). For a creamy gravy you can also add a few tablespoons of heavy cream at this point. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened.
Add the chilled butter, whisking constantly, until the butter is melted and incorporated. Add salt, pepper and mustard to taste. Note: If you’d like creamy gravy you can stir in some heavy cream at this point.
Carefully remove the toothpicks or cooking twine from the rouladen and return them to the gravy and heat through.
Serve the Rouladen with Rotkohl and either boiled potatoes, Semmelknödel (bread dumplings) or Kartoffelklöße (potato dumplings) or Spätzle.
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Authentic German Rouladen
Ingredients
- For the Rouladen:
- 8 slices top round beef, about 4x6 inches in size and 1/4 inch thick (*see note) (ask your butcher), gently pound the slices with a meat mallet until they're a little thinner than 1/4 inch (be careful not to pound holes into them)
- 1/3 cup German yellow mustard
- 8 slices bacon
- 8 medium German pickles , sliced lengthwise
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Gravy:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 small leek , chopped, rinsed and drained in colander
- 1 large carrot , chopped
- 1 large celery stalk , chopped
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 cups strong beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons chilled butter
- cornstarch or flour dissolved in a little water for thickening (depending on how much gravy liquid there is you'll need about 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in 2-3 tablespoons of water or 2-3 tablespoons flour dissolved in 1/4 - 1/3 cup water)
Instructions
- Lay the beef slices out on a work surface. Spread each beef slices with about 2 teaspoons of mustard and sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a strip of bacon on each beef slice so it's running the same length as the beef. Place the sliced German pickles and chopped onions on each beef slice. Roll up the beef slices, tucking in the sides as best you can and securing the beef rolls with toothpicks or cooking twine.
- Heat the butter and oil in a heavy Dutch oven or pot (make sure it's oven-safe if baking in the oven) and generously brown the rouladen on all sides. Browning them well will ensure a rich and flavorful gravy. Set the rouladen aside on a plate.
- *Do not remove the browned bits in the bottom of the pan (important for a flavorful gravy): Add the onions to the pot and a little more butter or oil if needed. Cook the onions until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the leek, carrots and celery and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine, bring to a rapid boil for one minute, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2-3 more minutes. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Nestle the beef rouladen in the pot. Oven or Stovetop: You can cook the rouladen, covered, on the stovetop on low for about 90 minutes or until fork tender, but for the most even cooking we recommend transferring the pot (make sure it's oven-safe) to the oven preheated to 325 F and cook it there for about 90 minutes or until fork tender.
- To Make the Rouladen Gravy:When the beef is fork tender, remove the rouladen from the pot and set aside. Pour the liquid and vegetables through a strainer and reserve the liquid. (You can eat the veggies on the side or puree them in the blender and then return them to the gravy.) Return the strained liquid back to the pot and bring to a simmer. Thicken the gravy either with either a cornstarch slurry (for a clear/translucent gravy) or flour slurry (for an opaque gravy). For a creamy gravy you can also add a few tablespoons of heavy cream at this point. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened.Add the chilled butter, whisking constantly, until the butter is melted and incorporated. Add salt, pepper and mustard to taste. Note: If you prefer a creamy gravy you can stir in some heavy cream.Carefully remove the toothpicks or cooking twine from the rouladen and return them to the gravy and heat through.
- Serve the rouladen and gravy with Homemade Rotkohl and either Homemade Spätzle, Homemade SemmelKnödel (or Kartoffelknödel) or boiled potatoes.
Notes
- This recipe makes 2 rouladen per person. Alternatively you can make larger rouladen for one large rouladen per person.
Nutrition
Brynne says
This was SUCH an awesome recipe! My maiden name is “Metzger” so had plenty of rouladen growing up and this was tastier than I remember. I wanted to add that I do have Celiac Disease and VERY easily made this gluten free! I got a loaf of sourdough/French bread and since gluten free bread is naturally dry, it made your recommended pairing of Semmelknodel perfectly. Then subbed gluten free flour in for the thickener. Thank you so much for posting this recipe, it was truly an amazing trip down memory lane and so delicious! Cheers!
Kimberly Killebrew says
I’m so happy to hear that, Brynne, thank you! I’m thrilled that you made and enjoyed both the Rouladen and Semmelknödel recipes and really appreciate the feedback!
Vicki says
Hello, I am making 18 pieces. Can I stack these on top of each other in a a big stock pot and cook over the stove. What do you recommend for even cooking. Also, I am making these at my home in the morning and transporting to my son’s house in the afternoon. Low temp for reheating in the oven?
Kimberly Killebrew says
Hi Vicki, yes, stacking them is no problem and they will cook evenly as long as they are submerged under the liquid; you can turn over the ones on top as needed. For reheating you can either reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven. It sounds like you have a big feast planned – happy cooking and I hope your dinner is a success!
Deboorah says
I made this for our dinner last night, and it was delicious. I did not add the bacon, leeks or tomato paste. My husband really enjoyed this. I will have to try a few of the other recipes that are linked to this post.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thank you so much, Deboorah, I’m thrilled you both enjoyed it!
Linda M. Rettig says
I have Bavette steaks – could I use those instead? They are more like Flatiron or skirt steak. Also, blending the vegetables and adding them back- will that help thicken the gravy? I try to avoid using even small amounts of flour so that would be my choice plus adding flavor.
This definitely sounds good and I will be trying it soon! Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Linda, yes you can, just make sure they’re very thin. Blending and adding back the vegetables will thicken the gravy a little bit but you’ll still need to add a thickener. Instead of flour you can use cornstarch. Happy cooking!
Terri says
I stumbled upon this recipe when searching how to spell Spatzle, and couldn’t resist reading the instructions as my German friend from years ago, Renate, taught me to make Rouladen. This recipe does not miss an ingredient or step! Fabulous. One of my absolute favorite dishes of all time. She also taught me to make what she calls Red Krout (Rotkohl?) which I serve with it. Just the thought of these dishes, along with your photos, have the gleekers in the back of my mouth squirting with anticipation. I will note that I do chop up my bacon before I put it on top of the thin slice of beef before rolling everything up. It just makes it easier to cut and eat after it is cooked. Thank you for your wonderful post and photos!
Cindy C Johnston says
A staple in my family from childhood. I have used pickle, mustard and bacon as well as carrot/celery/chopped shallot for the stuffing. Usually dip roulades in flour, which helps the gravy thicken. I have used red wine as well as German beer to add depth and tenderness for the meat and gravy. This is a nice recipe although a little more complex that what I am used to. Goes well with dumplings or spaetzle and red pickled cabbage or any veg with a strong character like brussel sprouts or carrot/parsnip mix.
Anna says
I have made Rouladen several times before as it is my husband’s favorite. Fortunately, I misplaced my recipe and found this one…wow! I had to amend the recipe slightly based on what I had at home – no German mustard, red wine or leeks. I substituted Dijon mustard, additional beef stock and shallots. I used my immersion blender to puree all the vegetables into the sauce and just a little cornstarch slurry to thicken it. He said it was the best Rouladen he has ever had…even better than my previous attempts. I will be sure not to misplace this one!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Anna, I’m glad you were able to adapt it according to what you hand on hand and that it was a such a hit – thanks for the feedback!
Joy says
Really easy to follow recipe. BEST gravy I have ever made!! I chose to puree the veg into the gravy. Delish! I swapped out the leek for a shallot and the red wine for sherry to deglaze the pan and additional water in the gravy. I put it in a clay pot with a lid to cook. Will definitely be keeping this recipe for special occassions!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Joy, thank you so much for the feedback, I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
Linnea Eschenlohr says
This was an amazing recipe and directions were easy to follow. I had never made Rouladen before but had been wanting to give it a try. Perfect with potato dumplings and my red cabbage that I had frozen leftover from Christmas! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Linnea, thank you so much!
Renia says
I add mushrooms for additional flavour to the vegetable/stock mixture then I vitamix/puree everything with a bit of sour cream. No thickener needed, just a bit of cream and the gravy is wonderfully rich and thick. .
Amy W says
I made this and it was scrumptious! It has the ingredients I was looking for. I now take the time to make my own beef bone stock with no salt, which gives me much more control over the final product. I make a good quantity and freeze it in small containers. I find myself using it frequently – good to have on hand and worth the time. Chicken bone stock, too.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Amy, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
Very good recipe! Changed it up a bit based on versions I have had before. Replaced the bacon with sliced Kolbassa and added hard boiled eggs. Served with Mashed potatoes
Jacquie says
Carol, I am on a salt free diet. My suggestion never use bouillon. The salt content in many is anywhere to to 60%.
I use unsalted beef broth instead. Increase pepper or add a bit of white pepper to increase other flavors This way omit all salt or this will give you a chance to sprinkle meat with a little.
Also I am 100% Polish so we make it a little different. No pickle. I have tried filling with a bread stuffing as well. I brown the rolls in the pan as directed in above recipe. then put into a hot bath of water or mixed with the beef broth. Let simmer for at least 90-120 minutes until tender.
Making your gravy etc. I usually use cornstarch and at least half and half or heavy cream , adding mushroom as well.
Try this and enjoy.
Anonymous says
I realized I used Better Than Bullion and that was why it was salty. I have made it again and it turned out perfect. Q