Mushroom-stuffed beef olives are thin slices of beef wrapped around a filling of mushrooms, onions, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs, then slow-cooked in a rich tomato and red wine gravy until tender and succulent. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and your favourite vegetables, smothered in lashings of the tasty gravy.
Recipe at a glance
- How these beef olives are made: A filling of mushrooms, onions, parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs is wrapped in thinly sliced beef. The beef rolls are cooked in a slow cooker in a rich, red wine and tomato gravy until succulent.
- Main ingredients: Beef, mushrooms, onions, parmesan, breadcrumbs, herbs, red wine and passata
- Prep time: 30 minutes. Just make the filling and roll it in slices of beef. The sauce takes 2 minutes max to prepare - simply slice an onion, combine it with passata and red wine and pour it into the slow cooker with the beef olives.
- Cooking time: 3 to 4 hours on HIGH or 6 to 7 hours on LOW in a slow cooker.
- Yield: Serves 4 people. I've allowed 2 beef olives per person, which would be a standard adult portion. Younger children will probably only manage to eat one of them.
Jump to:
What is a beef olive?
A beef olive is a traditional dish, popular in Britain and South Africa, made from thin slices of beef rolled around a savoury stuffing - often breadcrumbs, onions, mushrooms and herbs. It is secured with twine or toothpicks and cooked until tender in a rich, tasty gravy.
A beef olive is normally made with the more economical cuts of meat, which can be quite tough, and relies on slow, gentle cooking to transform them into a succulent and hearty meal.
Despite the name, this dish doesn't contain olives. Instead, the name refers to the neat, oval shape of the rolled meat.
Different countries all seem to have their own version of these stuffed beef rolls: in Germany, they are known as rouladen; in Italy, they are called braciole; and in the US, they are simply beef roll-ups or stuffed beef rolls.
But no matter what you call them, they all have one thing in common - they use simple ingredients, require minimal preparation, and rely on slow cooking to create a dish that is far greater than the sum of its parts.
For these mushroom-stuffed beef olives, I followed the traditional British approach by stuffing the beef rolls with sauteed onions and mushrooms, with added breadcrumbs for texture. I then introduced an Italian twist by adding a little parmesan cheese to the stuffing and layering slices of prosciutto over the beef before rolling it around the filling.
The gravy consists mainly of tomato passata and red wine, with a little salt added for seasoning and a touch of oregano for extra flavour.
I served the beef rollups on a mound of creamy mashed potatoes, perfect for soaking up all that rich, flavourful gravy, and added a few simply steamed vegetables on the side. The result was absolutely mouth-watering, and the empty plates were proof that my family enjoyed it just as much as I did!
Why you should try these beef olives
- Cost-effective. With the price of beef skyrocketing in the UK, this is an economical recipe to make the most of the cheaper cuts of beef.
- Energy efficient. A slow cooker is one of the cheapest ways to transform a tough cut of meat into a succulent and delicious meal.
- Family-friendly. Tender beef olives served with mashed potatoes and smothered with tasty gravy make a meal that appeals to all ages.
- Impressive yet simple. This dish looks and tastes like a special Sunday roast, but is surprisingly easy to prepare, and guaranteed not to be tough or dry.
- Make-ahead convenience. You can prep the beef olives ahead of time, then let the slow cooker do the work while you get on with your day.
What are the ingredients for mushroom-stuffed beef olives?
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Meat
- Sliced beef. You can use any cut of stewing beef that can be sliced. I used a piece of brisket that I bought whole and sliced myself; otherwise, you could ask your butcher to slice it for you. It should be sliced approximately one-quarter inch thick, or about half a centimetre. Some supermarkets sell thinly sliced beef, which is normally labelled as sizzle steak or minute steak. If you buy this, make sure the pieces are large enough to enclose the filling. Other cuts of beef suitable for this recipe would be flank steak or topside.
- Prosciutto. This is optional. It melts away during the long, slow cooking process, giving a savoury depth of flavour to the dish. The prosciutto is arranged on top of the beef slices before the filling is added.
Filling
- Onions. I used white onions, but you could use red onions instead. They should be peeled and diced.
- Mushrooms. You can use either white or brown mushrooms (chestnut mushrooms or cremini), baby button mushrooms or even the larger flat portobello mushrooms. Wipe them with a damp piece of paper towel to remove any bits of dirt and cut them into small dice. Button mushrooms can just be halved.
- Garlic. The garlic should be minced or finely sliced. If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use ready-chopped garlic from a jar.
- Breadcrumbs. These help to hold the filling together. I used Panko breadcrumbs because they are ultra-absorbent and soak up all the juices from the onions and mushrooms. Substitute with fresh breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan cheese. This is optional - but adds a creamy flavour. Substitute with sharp cheddar or other hard cheese that can be grated.
- Thyme. A little dried thyme added to the filling complements the earthy flavour of the mushrooms. You can leave it out if you don't like the taste.
Gravy
- Tomato passata. This is simply tomatoes that have been cooked and sieved to remove any bits of skin and pips. You can buy it alongside the canned tomatoes in the supermarket, or make your own. See how to make homemade tomato passata for details. Whenever I have a glut of tomatoes, I make a huge batch of this passata and freeze it in cup-sized portions (240 grams) in freezer bags.
- Red wine. Use a nice, full-bodied red wine that you would actually drink. Poor quality/cheap wine won't improve in flavour as it cooks, and may actually spoil the finished dish. My motto is 'If you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it'. Pinotage, Shiraz or Malbec are my recommendations. If you don't want to cook with alcohol, substitute with beef stock and a tablespoon of vinegar.
- Onion. I like to add an extra chopped onion to the gravy.
- Oregano. This is dried oregano - for a slightly herby taste.
- Basil. The basil should be torn into pieces, added at the last minute and cooked just enough to allow it to wilt.
Other (not pictured)
- Salt. There is so much flavour in this dish, you won't need much. I like to divide a scant teaspoon of salt between the filling and the gravy. The beef olives are submerged in the gravy as they cook, so I don't bother adding salt to the meat - they absorb the seasoning from the gravy as they cook.
- Sugar. You may think this is a strange ingredient to add to a savoury dish, but a little sugar helps cut through the tartness of the tomatoes.
- Olive oil. This is used for softening the onions and mushrooms for the filling. Substitute with vegetable oil.
- Cornflour. To thicken the gravy. Combine one tablespoon of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water to make a smooth slurry.
How do you make beef olives?
Prepare the mushroom filling
💡Tip - Use a pan large enough to hold the ingredients comfortably. Mushrooms will steam and release their liquid rather than caramelise if they are too crowded.
1: Heat a splash of olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
2: Add the chopped mushrooms and thyme, and continue to saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.
3: Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. The heat from the mushrooms and onions should be sufficient to melt the cheese. Taste for seasoning and add a little salt if necessary. Set aside to cool.
Assemble beef olives
💡Tip - Don't overstuff the beef olives, or you will find it difficult to enclose the filling. Any leftover filling can be added to the gravy, so nothing will be wasted.
4: Place the slices of beef between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound them lightly with a meat mallet to thin them out slightly. This helps even them out for rolling and ensures an even cooking time.
5: Lay half a slice of prosciutto on top of each slice.
6: Add a heaped tablespoon of cooled filling to the meat. Don't overfill, or it will be difficult to form the rolls.
7: Roll up the beef to enclose the filling and secure with toothpicks. You could use kitchen twine instead to form neat parcels.
Cook beef olives in a slow cooker
💡Tip - cooking on LOW yields more tender meat than cooking on HIGH.
8: Arrange the beef olives in the slow cooker. It's fine if they seem crowded - they will shrink as they cook.
9: Combine the passata, red wine, chopped onion, sugar, salt and oregano in a jug. Stir in any leftover filling and pour it over the beef olives.
10: Cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
11: Transfer the beef olives from the slow cooker to a serving plate and keep warm. Stir in the torn basil and the cornflour slurry. Leave to cook on HIGH for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Taste and add sugar and salt as necessary.
12: Remove the toothpicks or string and pour the gravy over the beef olives in the serving dish. Serve with mashed potatoes and your choice of vegetables.
See the recipe card below for more tips and hints to ensure a perfect outcome every time!
How do you serve beef olives?
- Serve the beef olives on a mound of creamy mashed potatoes with a few steamed vegetables on the side.
- Instead of mashed potatoes, fluffy white rice or even polenta would soak up all the tasty gravy beautifully!
- I like to add a side dish of cauliflower cheese, because I think the cheese in the dish adds to the cheesy flavour of the beef olive filling.
Equipment
- The main item of equipment is a slow cooker. However, you could make this dish in a saucepan on the stove or in a casserole dish in the oven instead. See FAQ below for instructions.
- I used a meat mallet to pound the meat into an even thickness. You could use a heavy rolling pin instead.
- You will also need a small saucepan to make the filling, and of course, a spatula for stirring.
- To secure the meat around the filling, you will need toothpicks or kitchen twine.
- The only other equipment you will need is a sharp knife and a chopping board for cutting up the onions and mushrooms.
Top Tip
Don't forget to add any leftover filling to the gravy. The extra mushrooms and onions, along with the cheese, add tons of flavour to the gravy.
FAQ
Use gluten-free breadcrumbs, polenta or even ground almonds as a binder in the filling.
Check the labels of the stock, passata and prosciutto to ensure they are gluten-free.
The only dairy product in this recipe is the Parmesan cheese. You can omit it or replace it with a dairy-free hard cheese alternative.
Be sure to exclude dairy products from any side dishes you choose to serve.
Yes, the beef olives can be cooked on the stove. Follow the recipe instructions for the filling and assembly, then arrange the beef rolls in a deep saucepan and pour in the sauce.
Cover the dish with a lid, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Check the stock level occasionally and top it up with a splash of water if it appears to be drying out.
Yes, the beef olives can be cooked in a covered casserole dish in the oven. Follow the recipe instructions for the filling and assembly, then arrange the beef olives in a heavy casserole dish and pour in the sauce.
Cover with a lid and bake at 160C / 320F for 2 hours.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for 3 to 4 days.
You can reheat leftovers on a gentle heat in a saucepan on the stove until piping hot.
The cooked beef olives in the sauce freeze beautifully. Pack them into meal-sized containers along with the gravy. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a saucepan on the stove.
Yes, they are perfect for meal prep. Assemble the beef rollups and arrange them in suitable freezer containers. Mix the gravy ingredients in a jug and pour it over the uncooked beef rolls.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then transfer the beef rolls to the slow cooker and cook for the time and temperature given in the recipe.
Save for later
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Other similar recipes
These are a few beef recipes that make use of a slow cooker, but you can find all my beef recipes on the beef recipes page.
📋The recipe
Mushroom stuffed beef olives - slow cooker version
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Ingredients
Beef olives
- 8 thin sizzle steaks or minute steaks approx 100 grams or 3½ ounces each
- 4 slices prosciutto halved
Mushroom filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
- 2 medium onion finely chopped (roughly two cups by volume)
- 6 ounces / 150 grams mushrooms finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs fresh or Panko
- 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese finely grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
Tomato sauce
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 - 3 cloves garlic sliced or minced
- ½ cup / 120 ml red wine optional - substitute with extra passata
- 2 cups / 480 ml tomato passata
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil coarsely torn
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 tablespoons cold water combined with the cornflour to form a smooth slurry
Instructions
Mushroom filling
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 medium onion
- Add the chopped mushrooms and thyme, and continue to saute for another 2 to 3 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture.6 ounces / 150 grams mushrooms, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. The heat from the mushrooms and onions should be sufficient to melt the cheese. Taste for seasoning and add a little salt if necessary. Set aside to cool.3 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt
Assemble the beef olives
- Place the slices of beef between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound them lightly with a meat mallet to thin them out slightly. This helps even them out for rolling and ensures an even cooking time.8 thin sizzle steaks or minute steaks
- Lay half a slice of prosciutto on top of each slice.4 slices prosciutto
- Add a heaped tablespoon of cooled filling to the meat. Don't overfill, or it will be difficult to form the rolls.
- Roll up the beef to enclose the filling and secure with toothpicks. You could use kitchen twine instead to form neat parcels.
Make the tomato sauce and cook
- Arrange the beef olives in the slow cooker. It's fine if they seem crowded - they will shrink as they cook.
- Combine the passata, red wine, chopped onion, minced garlic, tomato puree, sugar, salt and oregano in a jug. Stir in any leftover filling and pour the whole lot over the beef olives.1 medium onion, 2 - 3 cloves garlic, ½ cup / 120 ml red wine, 2 cups / 480 ml tomato passata, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- Cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
- Transfer the beef olives from the slow cooker to a serving plate and keep warm. Stir in the torn basil and the cornflour slurry. Leave to cook on HIGH for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Taste and add a touch of extra sugar and/or salt as necessary.1 tablespoon fresh basil, 1 tablespoon cornflour, 2 tablespoons cold water
- Remove the toothpicks or string and pour the gravy over the beef olives in the serving dish. Serve with mashed potatoes and your choice of vegetables.
Notes
- Pound the meat. Even if you are using pre-sliced minute or sizzle steaks, a gentle pounding with a meat mallet ensures they are an even thickness, which helps with rolling and ensures they cook uniformly.
- Don't overfill the rolls. Excess filling will just burst out during cooking. If you have excess filling left over, add it to the gravy.
- Don't get too hung up about making neat parcels. As long as you push the filling into the roll and secure it with toothpicks or string, it will be fine. As the beef olives cook, the meat tends to hold its shape around the filling
- Go easy on the salt. Parmesan and prosciutto can add extra saltiness to the dish - we don't want to oversalt it.
- Keep the sauce generous. The beef olives should be fully submerged in the sauce so they stay moist and cook evenly. Leftover sauce can be frozen and used to enrich future soups and stews.</li
- Cook on LOW if you have the time. Whilst this dish does cook nicely on a HIGH setting, the longer, gentle heat from a slower cook is what really turns this meat into succulent perfection.
- Thicken the gravy to your liking. I like the pieces of onions in the gravy. If you want a smoother gravy, you could blend it with a stick blender to remove any lumps.
- Don't forget to remove the toothpicks or twine before serving!
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze leftovers in a plastic container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat in a saucepan over gentle heat on the stove, or use your microwave if you are in a hurry.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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