Instant Pot Steak Pizzaiola Recipe (2024)

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Our Instant Pot Steak Pizzaiola Recipe is the perfect family meal! Made with seasoned steak and a delicious tomato pizzaiola sauce, this simple pressure cooker recipe is hearty and filling, with so much flavor. Kids and adults both love this classic, tender steak dinner!

What is steak pizzaiola?

Also known as carne pizzaiola or carne alla pizzaiola, steak pizzaiola is a traditional Italian dish - literally "meat in pizza style"!

This hearty family favorite grew popular thanks to The Sopranos, but its claim to fame is only part of what makes this dish so special. It's budget-friendly, kid-approved, and easy to whip up with hardly any effort and simple ingredients.

Especially this pressure cooker version - it's one of our favorite Instant Pot Beef Recipes!

Classic pizzaiola consists of meat, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. Sometimes, recipes use white wine and, in our case, we saute onions and peppers to give the sauce even more flavor!

Cooking meat in pizzaiola sauce tenderizes it, so you can use less expensive steaks (like chuck steak) to make an incredible meal.

Usually, you would pound out your steak with a meat tenderizer to make this dish, but for this Instant Pot recipe, you don't have to!

You'll find other varieties, like chicken pizzaiola and pork chops alla pizzaiola, but beef pizzaiola is our favorite. It is simply the most delicious!

Steak Pizzaiola Recipes Tips

• Thoroughly salt your steak on all sides.
• Browning your steak first gives the dish much more flavor.
• Don't clean the Instant Pot after searing the steak. Those browned bits at the bottom will add flavor to the pizzaiola sauce.

For this pizzaiola recipe, you don't have to pound out your steak. It will be pull-apart tender when it's done cooking!

Carne alla Pizzaiola Variations

• We use eye round steak in this recipe, but you can use any steak of your choice. Even the most budget-friendly steaks will work perfectly and come out so tender!
• Shredded cheese is a great addition to pizzaiola. Try using shredded mozzarella or Parmesan.
• Instead of mincing garlic cloves, you can also use garlic paste.
• Use any variety of bell pepper you like. We used green.

Steak Pizzaiola Serving Size

You can serve a family of 4 with our Instant Pot steak pizzaiola recipe.

We like to make extra for leftovers throughout the week or to freeze for future meals.

Can pizzaiola be frozen?

Steak pizzaiola can be frozen. Allow the dish to cool, then place in an air-tight container or freezer bags. You can freeze the steak with the pizzaiola sauce or even just freeze the sauce.

Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Label your container with the freezing date.

When ready to cook, remove from the freezer and let thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stove or in the Instant Pot.

How to Reheat in the Instant Pot

You can easily reheat steak pizzaiola in the Instant Pot.

• Keep warm function: If you want to reheat your pizzaiola over time to serve it for a quick dinner, place it back in the Instant Pot and use the keep warm function to slowly heat it up.
• Steam function: Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot and place your trivet over top. Store your leftovers in a heat-proof container, then wrap the top with aluminum foil. Place in the Instant Pot and steam for 5 minutes.

What size Instant Pot do I need?

We use a 6 qt. Instant Pot for all of our Instant Pot Beef Recipes! It's the perfect size for making family meals.

You can use a smaller or larger pot, but make sure to sear your steaks in batches.

Can I slow cook pizzaiola?

To make slow cooker steak pizzaiola, sear your steaks and prepare your sauce in a pot, then cook for 6 hours (up to 8) on low. You can also cook for 3 to 4 hours on high.

How to Make Steak Pizzaiola on the Stove

To learn how to tenderize steak for pizzaiola and how to cook pizzaiola on the stove, see our Carne Alla Pizzaiola recipe!

Steak Dinners

Try more of our favorite Instant Pot recipes using beef and steak dinner recipes, like my Steak Diane. Don't forget to check out What to Serve with Steak for side dishes!

Plus, try more of the best beef cuts according to your needs and budget by going here: Best Cuts of Beef. See my guides on Tenderizing Steak and Salting Steak, too!

Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!

📋 Recipe