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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.
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe February 2021. Updated November 2025.
My grandmother was German. She made this a few times when I was a kid. I have been looking for a recipe that is comparable to hers. I am definitely trying this one!
Recipe from my grandmother. Perfect except: forget the toothpicks and tie the rolanden wit butchers twine. You can’t properly brown the roladen with toothpicks sticking out!
My Mother, who is from Germany and came here in 1965, cooked this a lot growing up. I absolutely love this dish! (As does everyone in my family)… So I usually cook 2~4 a piece, I feed 6 of us. I’ve been making it in my electric skillet for years that is until I got my Instant Pot!!! I braise them and then I put in the trivet and cook them for 30-40 min and natural release for 20-30 minutes!! They come out so tender and juicy and the gravy is the best!! So much easier and quicker!!
Wow! I’m from Goa in India. Beef roulade is a well loved dish. Our version is similar yet different. Mainly because of the spices. I love cooking our version. Perhaps I will try out yours. It looks delicious
What recommendations would you make for cooking for 16 people in advance (Christmas)? Would an electric pan work or putting them in the oven (temperature?)? How many roladen for each person?
I made this for dinner yesterday. It was easy and quite delicious! I will definitely make it again.
Oma wouldn’t let my parents marry until she prepared this correctly ,it was Dad’s favorite,I grew up on this.I now make it and get better each time.This recipe is spot on.
I made this and it came out amazing! I did however make a few changes as my husband dislikes pickles. I fine chopped mushrooms as a filling along with the thin sliced onion and matchstick carrots. I also used about 2 tbls balsamic vinegar with beef stock. I browned them in bacon fat and a tsp of butter and pressure cooked them for 20 minutes with a 10 minute natural release. Oh mylanta! It was better than I hoped. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
I’m missing my stepmom & Oma who’s full German &my sister who’s half American & half German. Her Mom passed away last year on 02/08. Now our Daddy is about to pass away & there’s no way that my baby sister is able to fly home to be with her Daddy. I lost my husband 7yrs ago on 02/17 & my b-day will be 02/14 & now I’m already starting to eat through my emotions, just like I did when I lost my husband, 2mths later, my first cousin & best friend, 2wks later my Grandaddy. A year later, my Daddy had his massive brain stroke & I sold my house, packed up whatever me & my daughters could get, & we moved to be closer to him!! I wouldn’t trade these last 6.5yrs for NOTHING in this world, but I’m not looking forward to seeing the days of when I do not have my Daddy. So, I feel like Oma, who’s been gone for a VERY long time, visited with me for a VERY special reason. She has always known that I wanted to open up a family restaurant, cooking American & German food. I think after my Daddy passed on, this is going to be my time!!
I love Rouladen and this recipe is fantastic! I had never made it with pickles before but I loved the added flavor/crunch. I especially loved the gravy. It will be hard to beat this recipe for me – it’s a keeper.