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Zwiebelrostbraten

Name: Zwiebelrostbraten
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 beef rump steaks (about 8 oz each); 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 3 large onions, 2 thinly sliced for the gravy and 1 cut into rings for frying; 3 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup dry red wine; 1 1/2 cups beef broth; 1 tsp tomato paste; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 tsp dried thyme; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for the onion rings; 1 cup neutral oil for frying the rings; 1 tsp sugar

Juicy pan-seared beef steaks in a dark, glossy onion gravy, crowned with a heap of crispy fried onions — the Viennese steakhouse classic.

⏱ 20 minPrep time

🔥 40 minCook time

🍽 4Servings

🏷 Austrian KitchenCategory

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Juicy pan-seared beef steaks in a dark, glossy onion gravy, crowned with a heap of crispy fried onions — the Viennese steakhouse classic.

Vienna’s answer to the steakhouse

Zwiebelrostbraten pairs a thick, pan-seared rump steak with two kinds of onion: a deep, wine-dark gravy from slowly cooked onions, and a crunchy pile of golden-fried rings on top. It’s been a favorite of Viennese taverns since the 19th century.

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Step by stepInstructions

Season the steaks with salt and pepper and let them come to room temperature.
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steaks 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare; remove and keep warm.
In the same skillet, cook the sliced onions over medium heat 12-15 minutes, until deep golden brown. Stir in the flour, then the tomato paste; cook 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and broth, add the bay leaf and thyme, and simmer 10 minutes until the gravy is glossy. Season with the sugar, salt, and pepper.
Meanwhile, toss the onion rings in flour, shake off the excess, and fry in 1 inch of hot oil at 350°F until golden and crisp; drain on paper towels.
Return the steaks to the gravy for 1 minute to warm, then serve each steak topped with plenty of gravy and crispy onions.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Cook the gravy onions until they're truly brown — that's where the color and sweetness come from. Slice the onion rings thin and fry them in small batches so they turn crisp, not oily.

Recipe details

Prep20 min

Cook40 min

Servings4

CategoryAustrian Kitchen

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Zwiebelrostbraten

Vienna’s answer to the steakhouse

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

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Zwiebelrostbraten

Vienna’s answer to the steakhouse

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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