Flank Steak Involtini with Smoky Tomato Sauce

If you want to impress your friends or family, these Flank Steak Involtini are your new secret weapon.
Involtini is the Italian answer to “let’s roll something up, stuff it with cheese, and throw it on the grill.”

Traditionally, involtini is made with veal, but we think flank steak has a more beefy flavour and is much easier to find

We grill these beef rolls hot and fast for that perfect crust, then let them soak in a homemade smoky tomato sauce on the grill.
Serve the involtini with a chunk of bread and some garlic butter, and everyone will ask when you’re cooking again.
No fancy chef skills are needed, but just a bit of patience and maybe a sturdy frying pan for pounding the meat.

Lay your thin slices of flank steak flat on a cutting board. If you started with a whole bavette, slice it as thin as possible, then give each piece a pounding with a heavy pan. The goal is to get it nice and thin so it rolls easily and stays tender after grilling.

Lay a slice of prosciutto along the length of each steak. Mix the parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, finely chopped garlic, and egg in a bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread a thin layer of this mixture over the prosciutto, leaving a bit of space at the edges. Fold the sides of the prosciutto over the filling before you roll them up. This way, the cheesy filling doesn’t escape when you grill the involtini.

Now, here’s the trick for the most tender result. Roll up the flank steak so the meat fibres (the “grain”) run along the length of the roll. When you eventually slice the involtini at the table, you’ll cut across the grain, making the steak much easier to chew.

If you want to prep ahead, you can make these involtini a few hours, or even a day, before grilling. Keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to fire up the grill.

If your butcher doesn’t have flank steak, you can use skirt steak, flat iron, or even thin-sliced sirloin. Just go for something you can pound thin and roll up.

Prepare your grill for indirect heat by placing hot charcoal on one or two sides of the grill. Leave the centre area free of coals. This creates an indirect zone where you can cook gently without burning your food.

Place the grill plate or cast iron pan directly above one pile of coals, and set your grill grates over the rest. This way, you have a hot zone for searing and an indirect zone in the middle for slow-cooking and making your tomato sauce.

Indirect grilling gives you more control and prevents your involtini or sauce from burning. Perfect for dishes like this where you want a good sear and a gentle finish.

Place the halved tomatoes, quartered onion, and whole garlic bulb in a roasting tray and set it on the indirect zone of your BBQ.

A simple tomato sauce made from fresh veggies is hard to beat. Slowly roasting everything on the grill brings out the tomatoes’ natural sweetness and gives them that rich, deep flavour you don’t get from a jar. Plus, a hint of smoke from the grill makes the sauce extra special.

Use just two roasted garlic cloves for your sauce and save the rest. You can make garlic butter or a roasted aioli, for example.

Once the veggies are soft and cooled, scoop the tomatoes, onion, and two roasted garlic cloves into a blender. Add the paprika powder and fresh basil, then blend everything until smooth.

You get a rich, smoky tomato sauce that’s better than anything from a jar. Super easy, but it tastes like you’ve been cooking all day.

If you want your sauce a bit chunkier, just pulse a few times and check the texture.

Place the involtini rolls on the hot grill plate or cast iron pan and sear them on all sides. You’re not aiming for a perfect core temp but a good, golden-brown crust.

This quick sear gives the meat that classic grilled caramelized flavour. Don’t be afraid to turn the rolls a few times to get an even colour.

Once the rolls are beautifully seared, put them into the warm tomato sauce. Let them gently heat through until they reach about 55°C (131°F) inside. The beef stays juicy and soaks up all those rich tomato flavours.

While the involtini is warming, put some slices of bread onto the grill plate. When the bread is nice and toasty, rub it with some of that leftover roasted garlic for easy homemade garlic toast. It’s simple, but it makes all the difference.

Serve your involtini in that rich tomato sauce, sprinkle with extra basil, and the toasted bread to mop it all up. Pair with a cold beer or a nice Italian red.

Have you made this recipe? Show it off. Because if you didn’t share it, did you even grill? Post a photo on your socials and tag @bbqhelden so we can check out your version.