Pan-fried sirloin steak in a rich gravy, crowned with a tangle of golden crispy fried onions. A Viennese restaurant classic served with roast potatoes and pickled gherkins.
A pillar of Swabian and Viennese cooking, Zwiebelrostbraten earned a permanent place on Vienna's menus beside Schnitzel and Tafelspitz during the imperial era. The crisp onion topping — non-negotiably crunchy — became the dish's signature flourish in the city's grand restaurants.
The beef is juicy and quickly seared, sitting in a glossy, savoury wine gravy. But the soul of the dish is the crown of onions: shatteringly crisp, sweet and almost caramelized, a textural foil to the tender meat.
A fast, high-heat sear drives the Maillard reaction for deep savoury crust while keeping the interior pink and juicy. Flouring the onions before frying creates a dry coating that crisps and browns without burning.
Variations
Esterhazy-style with root vegetables, served over spaetzle, with a fried egg on top, mushroom gravy version
On the Palate
Where Zwiebelrostbraten sits in the Austrian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
8 steps · 20 min
- 14 min
Snip the fat edge of each sirloin steak so it stays flat, then season with salt and pepper.
- 210 min
Slice onions into thin rings, toss lightly in flour, and fry in hot oil until deep golden and crisp; drain.
Watch outToss the rings in flour before frying — the dry coating crisps and browns them evenly instead of burning to a scorch.
- 36 min
Lightly flour the steaks and sear hard in a hot pan, about 2 minutes per side for medium; rest aside.
Watch outSear the floured steaks hard and fast, about two minutes a side — you want a deep crust with a pink, juicy center.
- 43 min
Deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine, scraping up the browned bits.
Watch outDeglaze with the wine and scrape up every browned bit stuck to the pan — that fond is where the gravy gets its depth.
- 55 min
Pour in beef stock and let the gravy reduce and thicken slightly.
- 62 min
Return the steaks briefly to warm them through in the sauce.
- 72 min
Plate each steak, spoon over the gravy, and pile the crispy onions on top.
- 81 min
Serve immediately with roast potatoes and gherkins.
