This traditional Italian Osso Buco Recipe highlights succulent braised veal shanks topped with a gremolata, a lively combination of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. This osso bucco recipe is an authentic Italian dish you must try!

Enjoy with creamy polenta. You will also love Steak in a Pan (Perfect Recipe), Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce), and Small Prime Rib Roast Recipe.

Italian Osso Buco Recipe

This recipe is specific to the Tuscan region of Italy. It is typically called Osso Buco alla Maremma, a mountain region in Tuscany. Ossobuco or Osso Buco is Italian for “bone with a hole” (osso “bone”, buco “hole”), a reference to the marrow hole at the center of the cross-cut veal shank.

The rich meat stews in the sauce until it is fork tender and falls off the bone. Warm your spirit and heart with this dish all season long. Make for your friends and family and enjoy the leftovers the next night (if there is anything left!)

You will also love Best Italian Stuffed Chicken Thighs (Involtini di Pollo). For more beef recipes: BEST Italian Beef Short Rib Ragu, and Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe. 

Tradtional Italian Osso Buco Recipe

Need a delicious and hearty dinner? All the more reason to have something rich, intensely flavored, and aromatics such as this Tuscan Style Traditional Osso Buco Recipe.

This recipe highlights the spirit of the Tuscan coast with a Maremma-style lamb osso buco, slowly cooked with tomatoes, celery, garlic, and onions until you can pierce the meat with the side of a spoon, and then finished with a scattering of garlic, chopped parsley, and lemon zest.

This is a beautiful recipe for special occasions. Make this delicious recipe for your friends and family, and enjoy the leftovers the next day (if there is anything left!)

What is Osso Buco?

“Osso Buco” means “hole of bone” because this marrow provides a rich flavor to the tomato-based sauce. The meat traditionally used for the dish comes from the top of the shin. These cross-cut veal shanks get cut into about one-inch thick slices.

It has a savory and rich meaty taste from the broth and the veal or beef shank. You’ll love the right amount of tartness from the tomato-based sauce with a distinct taste of fresh herbs.

Extracting the succulent shank marrow can be tricky- you can use the end of a teaspoon or a little spoon. Don’t skip this part. Bone marrow is a delicious and nutritious part of the bone veal shank.

Italian braised veal shanks is a fine Italian restaurant meal you can make at home without much effort. Osso bucco is rich and rib-sticking and perfect for a cool winter night. This is one of my favorite dishes!

Simple Ingredients for Osso Buco

• Veal osso buco center cuts (6 pieces)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• All-purpose flour
• Olive oil
• Fresh sage
• Bay leaves
• Garlic, cut in half 
• Small onion
• Celery stalks
• Carrots
• Tomato paste
• Red wine
• Crushed tomatoes 
• Vegetable stock (you can use beef stock, beef broth, or chicken stock)
• Lemon Zest or orange zest
• Fresh Parsley 

* See the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe and instructions.

How to Make Traditional Italian Osso Buco Recipe (Step-by-step)

The hardest part about making Italian osso buco is waiting to cook. The cooking process is mainly hands-off and requires very little hands-on effort as this is a slow cooking recipe.

1. Pat the veal dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture, ensuring it’s at room temperature—Season well with salt and pepper. Coat the veal in flour and shake off excess.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven pot, or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Cook the veal in batches until browned, 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pot and set aside to rest.
3.  Add the extra virgin olive oil without cleaning the pot. Cook onion at medium heat until translucent, 5 minutes, scraping up the remaining pieces of meat with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic, celery, and carrot (soffritto) and stir until the vegetables soften. Increase the heat and add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. 
4.  Place the veal back in the pot. Add the wine and let it cook for 2 minutes. Add the sage, bay leaf, and vegetable stock, ensuring the veal is immersed in the liquid. Let the liquid boil (liquid boils for a few minutes), then cover and simmer for 5 hours until the veal is soft and you can break it with a fork.
5. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for gremolata. Stir to combine.  
6. Serve osso buco over polenta, adding some of the juice from the cooking and topping it with the gremolata. 

Substitution for Veal Shanks

While osso buco is traditionally made with veal shanks, you can use these meat substitutes:

• Beef shank: This is the same cut of meat, just on a full-grown cow, so it is the ideal substitute for veal. …
• Short rib: Short ribs are from the cow’s underbelly and are usually sold with the bone in.

How to Store Italian Ossco Buco

Refrigerate leftover cooked osso buco and sauce in an airtight container within 2 hours, and consume within three days.

Freeze. Transfer the cooked osso buco to a freezer container or resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost frozen osso buco in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheat. To reheat the leftover osso buco, place it in a sauté pan. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat until the center reaches at least 165 F.

What to Serve with Italian Osso Buco

Osso Buco is a delicious option for any meat main course. Here are some sides to accompany any similar meat main courses.

• Sautéed Zucchini and Onion (Italian Recipe)
• Easy Polenta Recipe Authentic Italian Style
• Simple Italian Petite Peas (Side Dish)
• Best Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
• Saffron Risotto

Traditionally, Italian Osso Buco is served as the second course (with a simple green salad). The first course is a simple pasta dish, or ravioli. Don’t forget dessert (il dolce)- Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe.

Make sure to leave a ⭐️star rating on the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.

I would love for you to tag me on Instagram @cucinabyelena so I can see your delicious Italian recipes. To get more ideas, follow me on Pinterest.

Print