Our traditional German Rouladen recipe is a classic comfort food with thin slices of beef rolled around mustard, bacon, and vegetables, then braised until melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Rouladen is the Cozy Dinner You Didn't Know You Needed.
Rouladen is the Cozy Dinner You Didn't Know You Needed.My love for German food runs deep, thanks to my dad (who lived in Germany as a young adult) and some close family friends who shared their traditions and amazing food! One thing about Rouladen is, because it's just a few ingredients, the quality of the ingredients really matter. Start with a good quality round roast–I always ask my butcher to cut it thinly for me (saves so much time!). Then choose good quality bacon, and a good German mustard (or use Dijon mustard or stone-ground mustard). Then cook it low and slow, and prepare for your family to fall in love!
I serve Rouladen with mashed potatoes or spaetzle, and a light cucumber salad or German red cabbage.
And have fun browsing all of my international-insipired recipes like Porkolt (Hungarian Stew), Spanish Fideua, or Peruvian Lomo Saltado.
How to make Rouladen:
Add Fillings and Roll Up: Lay out each beef slice, pound lightly (optional, if needed), spread with mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Add a slice of bacon (optional) and top with matchstick-cut pickles, carrots, and onions. Roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks.
Cook: Brown all sides in a hot Dutch oven, then add a splash of water or broth. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
Make Gravy and Serve: Remove rouladen from pot and boil the juices. Thicken with cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water to make gravy. Serve beef rouladen smothered in gravy, reserving extra gravy for Spaetzle, rice, or mashed potatoes (or boiled yellow potatoes) and German Red Cabbage.
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Recipe
Beef Rouladen Recipe
Equipment
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs round roast* (have butcher slice thinly- length wise @ ⅛ “ thick)
- 8-12 slices bacon , optional
- 1 onion very thinly sliced
- 2 carrots very thinly sliced, julienne
- 2 whole dill pickles thinly sliced,
- 1/2 cup German mustard* or dijon or stone-ground mustard
- salt and Pepper
- toothpicks
- 2 Tablespoons butter or oil , or a combination
- 1 cup water or beef broth
Instructions
- Prep veggies: Cut the onion, carrot and pickle in match-stick style pieces.1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 whole dill pickles
- Prep meat: Lay out the thin slices of meat and each spread generously with mustard and sprinkle with salt and pepper.½ cup German mustard*, salt and Pepper, 2-3 lbs round roast*
- Assemble: Lay a slice of bacon on top (if using) and then pickle, carrot and onion along the meat. Roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks.8-12 slices bacon, toothpicks
- Sear: Heat a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add rolled meat bundles and sear, turning, until browned on all sides.2 Tablespoons butter or oil
- Braise: Add 1 cup beef broth (or water) to the pot and scape up any browned bits from the pan. Cover pot and simmer on LOW heat for 2 hours.1 cup water or beef broth
- Gravy: Remove Rouladen to a plate and bring juices in the pot to a boil. Thicken with cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon of water. Taste gravy and add additional salt, pepper, or beef bouillon granules, if desired.
- Serve: Remove toothpicks from the Rouladen and serve with gravy spooned on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe February 2021. Updated November 2025.
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Delicious and easy, but I forgot to put the carrots on even though they were on the counter right by me. I did use bacon and Dijon mustard. I’ll make this yummy dish again!
This sounds so good, but, I’m not able to go t store today and really want to make for dinner, have everything but the beef called for. Question: I have a couple of tenderloin filets, can I use my mallet and pound them to required thickness and follow and roll up? Thanks so much!
Growing up in Germany I had this a lot. This might be a variation of the original recipe but we don’t normally use carrots. In the typical German Rouladen we use: Mustard, Salt & Pepper, slice of pickle (German pickle), a few slices of onion and some good uncooked bacon. To make the meat nice and soft, I use our pressure cooker. Sear the rouladen first, then add beef broth and let it cook under pressure.
I’m sure using carrots was still yummy, it looks yummy.