This pizzaiola sauce simmers crushed tomatoes with garlic, onions, peppers, mushrooms, white wine, oregano, parsley and a splash of balsamic for a bright, savory finish. Spoon it over seared sirloin, chicken cutlets, or flaky fish, then mop up with crusty bread.
Why You’ll Love This Pizzaiola
What’s not to love about a tomato-based sauce that tastes great on all proteins?
- Serve with anything – Use this versatile sauce with steak, chicken, fish or even roasted veggies.
- Layers of garlic-herb tomato flavor – With ingredients like crushed tomatoes, white wine, oregano and garlic, you get layers of sophisticated flavor.
- One-skillet, weeknight-easy – Even with the bold, sophisticated flavor, this sauce is made in one skillet and couldn’t be easier!
Gather This
The ingredients needed to make this pizzaiola sauce couldn’t be easier. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Sirloin steak – If using this sauce for steak, this cut works best. Be sure to trim the fat to avoid excess grease in the pan. A ribeye or New York strip would be good swaps is you can’t find or don’t want to use sirloin.
- Crushed tomatoes – These are the heart of the sauce, giving it a chunky texture. San Marzano tomatoes are typically a top choice, but you can choose your favorite, too.
- Coarse kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White mushrooms
- White onion
- Red and green bell pepper
- Fresh garlic
- White wine
- Dried oregano
- Flat parsley
- Balsamic vinegar
How to Make Pizzaiola Sauce (Step-by-Step)
Making this sauce couldn’t be easier- and you only need one pan!
- Season and cook steak. Sprinkle salt and pepper onto both sides of the steak. Pour olive oil into a large skillet and place the steak in it. Cook the steak briefly on both sides before transferring it to a plate.
- Sauté veggies. If needed, add more olive oil to the skillet before adding the mushrooms, onion and bell peppers. Sauté the vegetables until they become tender.
- Add garlic and wine. Sprinkle in the garlic and continue to cook, briefly. Pour the white wine into the pan to deglaze it, using a wooden spoon to incorporate any brown bits in the pan.
- Add tomatoes and seasonings. Then, add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and parsley and reduce the heat.
- Add steak to pan and cover with sauce. Transfer the steak to the skillet and spoon the tomato mixture over it.
- Allow the steak to continue to cook for the recommended time, flipping it halfway through. You may want to adjust the cooking time depending on the doneness you prefer.
- Transfer steak to cutting board to rest. When the steak has reached the desired doneness, transfer it to a cutting board. Allow it to rest briefly so that the meat can reabsorb its juices.
- Add balsamic to sauce and simmer. Add the balsamic vinaigrette to the sauce and allow it to simmer.
- Slice steak. Once the steak has rested, use a sharp knife to slice it against the grain into thin slices.
- Serve with crusty bread and enjoy. Place the beef slices on plates and spoon the sauce over top. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
Success Cues
Sauce is glossy and slightly thick, vegetables tender but not mushy, steak juicy and pink to preference.
Test Kitchen Tips
I’ve tested this pizzaiola sauce recipes to be able to bring you the best tips and tricks.
- Brown first, simmer second: Searing builds fond for a richer sauce.
- Don’t rush the veg: Lightly soften peppers/onions for sweetness without losing texture.
- Balance acidity: Balsamic at the end rounds the tomatoes and wine.
- Heat control: Keep the simmer gentle to avoid over-reducing or toughening the steak.
Completing the Meal
While we love to serve crusty bread to sop up the sauce, there are lots of other options for side dishes. Try whipping up a simple side salad, roasted root vegetables, or cauliflower mashed potatoes.
You can also add other starches on the side. Pasta, risotto, polenta, and mashed potatoes all work well!
Variations
There are plenty of ways for you to make this pizzaiola sauce your own.
- Spicy pizzaiola: add crushed red pepper with the garlic.
- Olive-capers: stir in some chopped olives or capers for briny depth.
- Herb swap: use basil in place of parsley; a pinch of dried thyme with oregano.
- Protein swap: try using chicken cutlets or cod/halibut instead of sirloin.
More Tomato Based Sauces
If you know me, you know how much I love sauces- especially pasta sauces. Here are some of my favorites.
Pizzaiola Sauce Recipe
Make pizzaiola sauce with tomatoes, garlic, peppers, onions & white wine- perfect over steak, chicken or fish. One skillet, bold flavor.
Servings: 2
Calories: 996kcal
Ingredients
- 1- 1.5 pounds sirloin steak trimmed of fat
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup white mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup white onion sliced
- 1 cup red bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup green bell pepper sliced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Crusty bread or focaccia
Instructions
- Season both sides of the 1- 1.5 pounds sirloin steak with the ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Heat the 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear the steak on both sides, approximately 1 minute on each side until lightly browned. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- If the skillet is dry, add 1 teaspoon of additional olive oil. Add the sliced 1 cup white mushrooms, 1 cup white onion, 1 cup red bell pepper and 1 cup green bell pepper to the skillet, sautéing for 3-4 minutes or until they start to soften. Add the minced 3-4 cloves garlic, sautéing for another 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with the ½ cup white wine and stir in the 15 ounces crushed tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon dried oreganoand 2 tablespoons fresh flat parsley Reduce the heat to low.
- Return the steak to the skillet, covering with sauce. Cook on each side for an additional 3 minutes (6 minutes total). Remove the steak to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes.
- Continue to simmer the sauce while the steak is resting, stirring in the 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.
- Slice the sirloin against the grain and plate on dishes. Top with the simmering sauce and serve with bread.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
Notes
Storage: You can easily store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three to four days.
Freezing: Freeze this dish for two to three months in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
Nutrition
Calories: 996kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 132g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 346mg, Sodium: 1205mg, Potassium: 3195mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 3411IU, Vitamin C: 189mg, Calcium: 288mg, Iron: 14mg
