Easy Portuguese Prego Rolls
Delicious and succulent, these Portuguese prego rolls are made with juicy steak grilled in a flavorsome marinade served on a fresh bread roll.
Portuguese prego rolls are a beloved South African street food staple with Portuguese origins. “Prego” means “nail” in Portuguese, referring to how quickly these steak sandwiches are prepared – fast as hammering a nail. Thinly pounded steak is marinated in garlic, peri-peri and spices, then grilled until caramelized and served in a fresh roll with chili butter. Think of it as Portugal and South Africa’s answer to the Philly cheesesteak, but with bolder, spicier flavors.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Steak. I used sirloin, but rump or ribeye work beautifully too. The key is slicing the steak thinly (about 1cm/⅓ inch) so it cooks quickly and stays tender. Flank steak or skirt steak also work well. Ask your butcher to cut thin steaks if you prefer, or slice thick steaks in half horizontally yourself.
- Peri-Peri sauce. This Portuguese chili sauce is what gives prego rolls their signature flavor. I make my own peri-peri sauce, but store-bought works perfectly.
- Tomato puree. Adds depth and helps the marinade cling to the steak. Use tomato paste (concentrated) or passata (thinner).
- Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and helps tenderize the meat. Don’t use bottled.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is essential – it’s one of the defining flavors of a prego. Don’t skimp.
- Bay leaf. Adds subtle herbal notes to the marinade. If you don’t have bay leaves, the recipe still works.
- Olive oil. Helps the marinade coat the steak and adds richness.
- Sugar. Optional, but balances the acidity and heat. Use white or brown sugar.
- Salt.
- Bread rolls. Traditional Portuguese rolls (pão) are soft inside with a crispy crust. If you can’t find them, use ciabatta rolls, sub rolls or crusty hoagie rolls. The roll should be sturdy enough to hold the juicy steak without falling apart.
- Chili butter. (Optional) Fresh chilies mixed with butter add heat and richness. Use jalapeños, bird’s eye chilies or whatever fresh chilies you can find. Adjust the amount based on your heat tolerance.
- Toppings. Sliced tomato and onion are traditional, but you can also add lettuce, cheese, or pickles.
Variations
- Cheese prego. Add sliced cheddar, mozzarella or provolone cheese on top of the hot steak so it melts slightly.
- Extra toppings. Try adding crispy lettuce, pickles, jalapeños or caramelized onions.
- Chicken prego. Use chicken breasts pounded thin instead of steak. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through.
- Vegetarian option. Use thick slices of portobello mushroom marinated and grilled the same way.
- Spicy mayo. Mix peri-peri sauce with mayo for an extra creamy, spicy spread.
How to Make Portuguese Prego Rolls
- Prepare the steak. If using thick sirloin or rump steaks, slice them in half horizontally to create two thinner steaks, or ask your butcher to do this for you. Using a meat mallet, pound each steak until it’s about 1cm (⅓ inch) thick. This ensures the steak cooks quickly and stays tender.
- Make the marinade. Combine the peri-peri sauce, tomato puree, lemon juice, garlic, bay leaf, olive oil, sugar (if using) and salt in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Pour the marinade over the prepared steaks, making sure each piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
- Cook the steak. Heat a large griddle pan, cast-iron skillet or outdoor grill until it’s scorching hot – you want serious heat for that beautiful caramelization. Remove the steaks from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Cook the steaks quickly, about 1-2 minutes per side, until deeply caramelized and cooked to your preference. Don’t overcook, these thin steaks cook fast. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Make the chili butter. While the steak rests, finely chop your fresh chilies (remove seeds if you want less heat). Mix the chopped chilies into room temperature butter until well combined.
- Assemble the prego rolls. Slice the bread rolls in half and spread generously with the chili butter on both sides. Place the rested steak on the bottom half of each roll. Top with sliced tomato and onion, then close the sandwich. Serve immediately while the steak is still warm and the roll is crispy.
Tips for Perfect Prego Rolls
Get the pan screaming hot. The key to that caramelized crust is high heat. Don’t be afraid, you want the pan so hot the steak sizzles immediately when it hits.
Don’t skip the meat mallet. Pounding the steak thin is essential. It tenderizes the meat and ensures quick, even cooking.
Marinate for maximum flavor. While 30 minutes works in a pinch, overnight marinating gives you the deepest, most developed flavor. The acid in the lemon juice also tenderizes the meat.
Use fresh bread rolls. The roll makes a huge difference. Look for rolls with a crispy crust and soft, airy interior. Stale bread ruins an otherwise perfect prego.
Adjust the heat. If you’re sensitive to spice, use mild peri-peri sauce and reduce the chilies in the butter. If you love heat, add extra chilies or use spicy peri-peri.
Let the steak rest. Those 5 minutes after cooking let the juices redistribute. Skip this and your steak (and sandwich) will be dry.
Toast the rolls. For extra texture, lightly toast the inside of the rolls on the grill or in a pan before assembling.
Can I Make This Ahead?
Prego rolls are best assembled and eaten immediately. The juices from the steak will soak into the bread if it sits too long. However, the separate elements can be prepared in advance:
Marinating ahead: The steak can marinate for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. This is actually ideal for flavor development.
Make the chili butter ahead: The chili butter can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using.
Storing leftovers: Cooked steak can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan over medium heat.
Freezing: Raw marinated steak can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. The steak will continue marinating as it thaws.
What To Serve With Prego Rolls
Prego rolls are great on their own but adding fries, potato wedges or a salad is a great way to turn them into a meal.
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 3 tbsp Peri-Peri sauce
- ½ cup tomato puree
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1-2 tsp salt
For the prego rolls
- 4 sirloin steaks sliced in half, to result in 8 thin steaks
- 4 bread rolls
- sliced tomato
- sliced onion
For the chilli butter
- 1-2 fresh chillies finely chopped
- ½ cup butter room temperature
Instructions
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Flatten the steak with a meat mallet until each steak is around 1cm/third of an inch thick.
- Pour the marinade over the steak and allow to marinade for at least 30 minute and up to 24 hours, covered in the fridge.
- To cook the steak, heat a large griddle pan, skillet or outside grill until scorching hot then cook the steaks quickly on both sides until caramelized and cooked to your preference. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- For the chilli butter, combine the chopped chillies and butter and mix well.
- To serve, half the bread rolls and spread on the chilli butter. Top with the cooked steak and add sliced tomatoes and onion.
Nutrition
FAQ
“Prego” means “nail” in Portuguese, referring to how quickly these sandwiches are made – as fast as hammering a nail. It’s also sometimes used as slang for “you’re welcome” in Portuguese.
Prego rolls originated in Portugal but became hugely popular in South Africa, where they’re a beloved street food and restaurant staple. The South African version often features peri-peri sauce, reflecting the country’s love of spicy Portuguese-African flavors.
Yes! Sirloin, rump, ribeye, flank steak or skirt steak all work well. The key is slicing it thinly and pounding it to about 1cm thickness. Avoid very tough cuts like chuck or brisket.
You can substitute with sriracha, hot sauce, or a mix of paprika and cayenne pepper. The flavor will be different but still delicious. Or make your own peri-peri sauce! It’s easier than you think and so much more delicious.
Absolutely! A cast-iron skillet or griddle pan on the stovetop works perfectly. You want high, direct heat to get that caramelization.
Portuguese rolls (pão) have a crispy crust and soft, airy interior. If you can’t find them, use ciabatta, sub rolls, hoagie rolls or any sturdy crusty roll.
These thin steaks cook very quickly—1-2 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium. They should be caramelized on the outside and still juicy inside. Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure: 57°C/135°F for medium-rare, 63°C/145°F for medium.
Yes! Use mild peri-peri sauce, reduce or omit it entirely if you can’t handle heat. I would just increase the rest of the marinade ingredients and perhaps add two teaspoons of smoked paprika for a boost of flavor.
Steak recipes
- Grilled sirloin steak with caper herb sauce
- Steak salad with tomatoes and goat’s cheese
- Grilled steak with blistered tomatoes
- Steak sandwich with goat’s cheese butter
I have made this for dinner for my family 👪 😋, the compliments I got, my son said I should make one for his lunch box for work. The flavors 😋 &its tender. Thank you for this recipe.
The Prego sauce is very good.
I also made the peri peri as per your instructions, which is absolutely fantastic! Never will I buy a peri peri sauce again!
Hi there, you said you make your own peri-peri sauce, do you have a recipe I could use for that please?!
Thanx x
You can find it here: https://simply-delicious-food.com/home-made-peri-peri-sauce/
What kind of chili’s do you use for the butter?
Any fresh chillies will work. Jalapeno, bird’s eye, etc. You can even use hot sauce or chilli relish if you want.
Fantastic recipe. 5 stars!
Wow! Thanks Christine. 🙂
Scrumptious! I used rib eye because that’s all I could find but it turned out delicious. Great weekend food.
Delicious. So glad you liked it.
So juicy and delicious and that marinade is absolutely perfect.
Yay! So happy you liked it Camilla. 🙂
Made these prego rolls for lunch and OH MY GOD! Had never heard of them before and I can’t believe what I’ve been missing out on. As a lover of spicy food, this is a dream!
So happy I could introduce you to one of my personal favs. 🙂