Spinach Beef Roll-Up with Alexia Premium Side Dishes
This post is sponsored by Babblebox.com on behalf of Alexia makers of delicious starch-alternative premium side dishes that pair perfectly with the spinach & sage beef roll-up recipe I’m sharing today. I received free product plus monetary compensation for this post.
I’m the first to admit when it comes to dinner the first priority is always the main dish and any side dishes (if there are any at all – we are in the age of one-pot/one-pan dinners, after all) often fall to the wayside as a mere afterthought. Maybe a salad or a simple roasted something, but, let’s face it unless it’s a special occasion like a holiday or other “big deal” dinner sides often get the shaft.
And even if sides are planned they’re often a source of stress. I know for me the dreaded thought, “will it all finish at the same time” has haunted many special dinners and, sadly, many times the answer was “no” resulting in a dinner of varying temperatures depending on my cooking miscalculations. Would you like some cold brussels sprouts with your overcooked chicken? I can own it, it happens.
Alexia Premium Vegetables
But, I am happy to report there is a solution. A short-cut, if you will, that doesn’t compromise on quality yet delivers a result that leaves people wondering if the side dishes are in fact homemade. I’ve been a fan of Alexia products for a while (Potato puffs! Sweet potato fries!) so when I found out they have a new line of premium vegetable side dishes I thought maybe there is a solution for anyone who wants a delicious side to go along with their main dish, but prefers less stress in making it happen.
I tried two different sides: a Cauliflower Risotto with Parmesan and Sea Salt and a Mashed Butternut Squash with Butter and Brown Sugar. I served them alongside a beef roll-up stuffed with a simple spinach, sage, and Parmesan filling and as I prepared the beef I had a sort of smug feeling dinner would finish at the right time.
And this pasta-lovin’ girl (my side of choice most of the time) loved these gluten-free sides. Yes, gluten-free! I think this is the first time I’ve typed those words. There are other good-to-know facts such as these sides have organic dairy ingredients and are non-GMO project verified, but, as was the case with the mashed butternut squash, I didn’t feel like I was eating something gluten-free. They’re creamy without a weigh-you-down denseness you get from more starchy sides like mashed potatoes. Both sides tasted wholesome and homemade with a big dose of veggie-goodness.
The fact you don’t need anything besides what’s in the package to get them on the table and (and!!) they are ready to go in less than ten minutes, is just icing on the proverbial dinner cake. I warmed them up while the beef roll-up rested and, as I write, I realize I’ve barely touched on the main dish 485 words into this post. Alexia complete side dishes are a bit of spotlight stealer and just might take center stage at your dinner, too.
Some Ingredients You’ll Need
But I’d be remiss to leave it here without sharing a bit about the main because it really is a perfect complement to the premium side dishes.
- Top round steak: Pound it out thin (my favorite kind of stress release activity). A good meat mallet makes this an easy job, but a heavy skillet works well, too. The roll-up is first seared on the stovetop and then finishes in the oven. One note: the inside of the roll-up will be less cooked than the outside which means everyone gets a piece of meat of varying doneness. If you slice it after it roasts and the center is not cooked enough for your tastes, you can sear each piece in a pan with a little olive oil before you serve it. Leave the toothpicks in place and use a pancake flipper to turn it and the pieces should hold together fine.
- Fresh spinach: Cook the spinach with garlic, shallot, a little white wine (I used Chardonnay) and fresh sage. It’s simple and looks so pretty after you’ve cooked the roll-up and sliced it.
- Parmesan cheese: Sprinkle some over the filling before rolling it up.
- For the Alexia vegetable sides: I think I’ve mentioned it, but these are seriously easy to get ready for the dinner table. Each side serves about three people, so for the beef roll-up, I made both the cauliflower risotto and the mashed butternut squash. While the beef rests, prepare the sides – they take less than ten minutes. Find them in the frozen section at Giant Eagle, Kroger, Meijer, and other fine grocers.
More Dinner Recipes
PrintSpinach and Sage Beef Roll-Up with Alexia Premium Side Dishes
This beef roll-up is filled with a simple spinach, sage, and Parmesan filling. Serve it alongside your favorite Alexia vegetable side dishes!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1/2 shallot, finely dice
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 sage leaves chopped (about 1 generous teaspoon)
- 1 tablespoon dry white wine
- 3 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 pound top round steak, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness and seasoned on both sides with salt
- 1 package Alexia Cauliflower Risotto with Parmesan and Sea Salt
- 1 box Alexia Mashed Butternut Squash with Butter and Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, sage. Cook it all just until fragrant, about a minute or so.
- Add the white wine and the chopped spinach. Saute the spinach, stirring frequently, until it has wilted and cooked down. Transfer it all to a plate and turn off the heat.
- Spread the spinach mixture in an even layer on the beef and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Roll the beef in the direction of the grain (see note 1) into a spiral and secure it with a few toothpicks at the seam.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in the pan you used to cook the spinach and sear the beef roll on all sides. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook the beef for 20-30 minutes or until the center of the beef reaches 135-140 degrees for medium rare (see note 2).
- Let the beef rest for ten minutes before slicing. While the beef rests prepare the side dishes following the package instructions.
Notes
- When you look at the beef you’ll notice lines running through it, which is called the grain. When you roll-up the beef it’s important to roll it in the same direction as the grain so when you slice it you will be slicing against the grain, which will ensure tender slices.
- The inside of the roll-up will be less cooked than the outside which means everyone gets a piece of meat of varying doneness. If you slice it after it roasts and the center is not cooked enough for your tastes (but the outside is), you can sear each piece in a pan with a little olive oil before you serve it. Leave the toothpicks in place and use a pancake flipper to turn it and the pieces should hold together fine.
- Nutrition estimate includes information for the beef roll-up only.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 342
- Sugar: 1.2g
- Sodium: 483.2mg
- Fat: 18.3g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4.8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 37.5g
- Cholesterol: 88.5mg