Authentic German Rouladen
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One of Germany’s most famous and delicious dishes, Rouladen (Rinderrouladen) are beef roulades filled with bacon, onions, mustard and pickles, then browned and simmered in the richest gravy imaginable. Mouthwateringly delicious and made the way my Mutti and Oma made it, 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, Semmelknödel, Kartoffelklöße, 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 is 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.
Beef 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 Slices of Beef 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.
Authentic Rouladen Recipe
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 I’ve provided step-by-step pictured instructions to ensure your success!
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 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.
What to Serve With Rouladen
Here are some traditional German sides you can pair with your Rinderrouladen:
- Rotkohl (German Red Cabbage)
- Spätzle (German Noodles)
- Semmelknödel (German Bread Dumplings)
- Kartoffelklöße (German Potato Dumplings)
- Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)
- German Potato Salad (Kartoffelsalat)
- Creamy German Cucumber Salad (Gurkensalat)
- Bohnensalat (German Green Bean Salad)
- German Carrot Salad (Karottensalat)
For more authentic German dishes, be sure to also try my:
- Sauerbraten
- Königsberger Klopse
- Käsespätzle
- German Potato Salad
- Senfbraten
- Schnitzel
- Jägerschnitzel
- Schweinshaxe
- Maultaschen
- German Potato Soup
- Frikadellen
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Authentic German Rouladen
Equipment
Ingredients
- For the Rouladen:
- 8 slices top round beef, about 4×6 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 (I use avocado oil because it's ideal for high heat)
- 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
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet October 29, 2019
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Really want to try this recipe. We can’t use wine in cooking. Do you have recommendations for substitutes? Would not using it make a big difference?
Hi Shoaib, you can substitute more beef broth for the wine and it will still taste amazing! :)
Made it love it!
Fantastic, thank you Patti!
This recipe is perfection! I follow it (easily) to a T and am fortunate to be able to buy everything at a local market. Everyone at my house raves about it, and it makes my kitchen smell mouth-watering. I use a hand mixer on the gravy and mash up all the vegetables after removing the rouladen. Just remember to take out the bay leaf. It’s one of the best tasting meals that I cook, thanks to you! Danke!
That’s wonderful, Anne, I’m thrilled that you and everyone enjoyed it, thank you so much! <3
Perfect. Followed directions (except did not strain gravy) exactly. Wonderfully authentic, just like my mom used to make.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Brian, thank you very much!
This recipe is worth the gravy alone. But everything together is just pure heaven on a plate. So flavorful, so tender, and ohhhhh did I mention the gravy? Super duper lecker!
That’s wonderful! Thank you so much Jerry, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely and phenomenally delicious! As good as the rouladen themselves are, the gravy is to die for! Next time I’m going to double the recipe and freeze them to have on hand for another meal. For anyone wondering if they should make this recipe, do not hesitate!
Thank you so much, Deanna, I’m beyond thrilled to hear that and appreciate the feedback!
A really great recipe! Clear cut and easy to follow.
When I was in junior high school (1964-67), my dad was stationed in Germany and my mom learned to cook several German meals. Rouladen was always a favorite. This brought back a lot of great memories.
I made it for my wife tonight, short cutting with a dill relish (a much smaller jar….less leftovers) and also incorporated shredded carrots into each roll as we used to have years ago. For the gravy, as a shortcut, I used a packet of Pioneer Brown Gravy mix and used the Beef Broth n drippings (from cooking the beef rolls) into the gravy powder in lieu of water. Probably not as intensive and delicious on the flavor scale as in the recipe, but a nice quick-fix for a guy cooking meals while his wife recovers from surgery. We’ll follow the gravy recipe next time (although there was nothing wrong with our short-cut version).
Loved the recipe, the step-by-step photos and the results.
Many Thanks!
Hi Scott, I’m so glad you made and enjoyed this and that you were able to find shortcuts to help you create a delicious meal for you and your wife. Best wishes to her for a speedy recovery <3
My husband Andrew is German. His mother used to make the most delicious rouladen and red cabbage. She’s been gone now for 9 years, and I wanted to make the dish in her honor but had no recipe. I made your rotkohl yesterday, and the rouladen from this post for dinner tonight. It was incredibly delicious – savory with wonderful, complex flavors. It was absolutely brilliant, and came out perfectly without needing any adjustments right out of the oven. It brought back Omi to us, at least in memory. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! I’ll be making this again and again.
You’ve made my day, Wendy! I’m beyond thrilled that you made both the Rotkohl and Rouladen and that you and Andrew enjoyed them – thank you! <3
Absolutely exquisite! These were not only the best Rouladen I’ve ever had, it is the hands down the best gravy I have ever tasted. And that’s saying a lot because my friends and family know me to make some pretty darn good gravies, lol. But this was on a whole other level. For anyone reading this, I cannot recommend this recipe highly enough. Make it!
That’s wonderful, Miriam, I appreciate the compliment and am so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
No words, Kimberly. No words to describe how utterly delicious our Easter dinner was because of your recipes. I made these with your German potato dumplings and your Rotkohl and you’ve never heard such praise from around the table. Your recipes have never failed me. Much love, Pamela
Oh that warms my heart, Pamela <3 Thank you so much for those kind words. And I am so happy that your hard work in the kitchen paid off and that everyone enjoyed that special Easter dinner!
I’m German and these were absolutely the best Rouladen I have ever had. My mother would hit the ceiling to hear me say that but she also raised me to tell the truth so… This was a true taste of home. Danke liebe Kimberly.
Bitte schön, Tina, I’m so happy you enjoyed them and appreciate the generous compliment! <3
Can you make this ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes you can, Jean. Let it thaw slowly in the refrigerator overnight and then gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
This recipe was phenomenal! My Grandmother and Mom made rouladen often while I was growing up, but I’ve never thought to puree the veg and add it back to the gravy. What a difference! I then passed it all through a chinois to get the most velvety and flavorful gravy. It was divine! Will be making this recipe again I’m sure. Delicious!
Yay, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, RaeAnne, and appreciate the feedback, thank you! <3
I made this recipe today and it is absolutely delicious and the smell while it was cooking was wonderful! It reminded me of how the house smelled when my mother was still alive making all her wonderful German recipes. Thank you for sharing so many tasty recipes.
This is an excellent recipe. The gravy is truly what makes it. I dont have access to german pickles or german mustard….I use regular dill spears and dijon and it comes out fine all the time. Ive made this several times. Time consuming but worth it. fw
That’s wonderful, Rich, I’m so glad this has become a regular, thank you very much! <3