Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches are a 5-ingredient crock pot recipe version of the popular hot sandwich recipe. This easy dinner recipe is a crowd-pleaser!
“All I can say is WOW!!!! … My husband, who doesn’t get all that worked up about food and doesn’t care for roast, LOVED this recipe!! After we finished our dinner, he asked me if I could make it again soon for his men’s group!”
Recently I asked my Facebook and Instagram friends if they’d like to see a crock pot recipe on the site sooner vs later. There were so many exclamation marks in the comments, which I took to mean, ‘heck yes!’ that I immediately started brainstorming.
Everyone knows crock pot recipes are a busy person’s best friend but many of them can be heavy and unappealing at times. While brainstorming a new and interesting crock pot combo I decided the recipe would have to meet the following criteria:
- Beef-based, as I have many chicken-based crock pot recipes already.
- Easy. Nobody likes crock pot recipes with several cooking steps before you even plug the dang thing in.
- Very delicious, unique, and not gloopy whatsoever.
With the aforementioned criteria in mind, I settled on Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches. A mouthwatering, 5-ingredient flavor combo that has just the right amount of zip and zing!
Watch How to Make It
Slow Cooked Italian Beef
Chuck roast is slow cooked for 10 hours in a mixture of pepperoncini peppers, Giardiniera, Italian dressing mix, and beef broth then shredded and served on a chewy hoagie bun with melted provolone cheese.
Crazy (CRAZY) good, and did I mention that it’s made with just 5 ingredients?!
My husband was skeptical about eating the crock pot version of one of his favorite sandwiches, which is typically made with thinly sliced beef.
“Oh…I’ve never heard of a shredded Italian beef sandwich before…” he said in a tone that I knew meant, I am definitely going to hate this.
But guess what? He didn’t! While I stood eating the shredded beef straight out of the crock pot like the refined woman that I am, he inhaled an entire sandwich in under 2 minutes. That is to say, this dish is a total hit!
How to Make Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches:
Start by trimming any large pieces of fat off a chuck roast then cut the roast into seven or eight big hunks and place them in the bottom of a 6 quart crock pot.
Next sprinkle in a packet of gluten free Italian Dressing Mix like Good Graces brand, or Simply Organic. If you don’t need to eat gluten free, you can use Good Seasons Zesty Italian Salad Dressing Mix.
Add sliced pepperoncini peppers plus a splash of pepperoncini juice, and Chicago-Style Giardiniera which you can find in the olive/pickle aisle at the grocery store. I love Mezzetta brand for both, which is gluten free.
If you’ve never had Chicago-style Giardiniera, a type of relish made with pickled olives and vegetables that’s packed in herbs and oils, you are in for a treat! It’s typically served over Italian beef sandwiches, but I love infusing the beef with the mixture from the get-go.
Because this style of giardiniera is packed in oil, drain the mixture using a fork or fine mesh sieve before adding to the crock pot. You can get Giardiniera that’s packed in vinegar, but I find this style to be a real treat.
Finally, add beef broth then place a lid on top of the crock pot and let it cook on low for 9 hours, or until the beef can be easily shredded with a fork.
Once the roast is extremely tender, shred with two forks then slip the meat back into the slow cooker to cook in the juices for 1 more hour on low.
Lastly, scoop the meat onto hoagie buns then slap a slice of provolone on top to melt from the heat of the beef. Serve with extra pepperoncini peppers and Giardiniera, and you’re set!
This is one of my all-time favorite crock pot recipes. Could not be easier to make and the flavors from the pickled vegetables, pepper rings, and Italian dressing mix really made the beef sing. SO GOOD. Enjoy!
More Crock Pot Recipes You’ll Love
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
- Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Crock Pot Mojo Pork with Cuban-Style Black Beans
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
- Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of large pieces of fat then cut into large pieces
- 1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix, see notes
- 8 oz pepperoncini pepper slices + splash of juice, plus extra peppers for serving
- 8 oz Chicago-Style Giardiniera, drained, plus extra for serving
- 14.5 oz can beef broth
- provolone cheese slices
- buns
Directions
- Place chuck roast into the bottom of a 6 quart crock pot then sprinkle with salad dressing mix. Add pepperoncini peppers plus a splash of juice, drained Giardiniera, and beef broth then lift up chuck roast pieces to get broth underneath. Place a lid on top then cook on low for 9 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred then place meat back into juices inside crock pot and cook on low for 1 more hour.
- Split buns in half then scoop the shredded meat mixture on top and add provolone cheese slices (if using gluten free buns, toast/broil first). Top with additional pepperoncini peppers and Giardiniera, if desired, then serve.
Notes
- I like Simply Organic or Good Grace’s gluten free Italian Dressing Mix. Good Season’s Zesty Italian Salad Dressing Mix is a good option if you do not need to eat gluten free.
- Adapted from Pioneer Woman
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Oops! Got started on this AFTER church so i only have 6.5 hours before kickoff! Going to try doing it on HIGH for 4.5 hours plus the one hour on low. Will let you know it goes!
I hope it worked out for you! :)
This is my favorite italian beef recipe! Was looking for this because I knew I had it before at a party. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you found it again, Rene – hope it’s just as good the second time!
You have made me a hero in the kitchen! Easily my family’s favorite meal and I can’t make it enough for them. Five stars doesn’t do this justice! Thank you thank you!
Oh my gosh, I am SO THRILLED to receive this feedback, Steve! Thank you so much – I’m so, so glad you and your family loved this meal!
I am making this for the second time. The first time I made it, I had an eye of round on hand and it was great! I had to buy bottom round this time, and so far, I think I liked the eye of round better. It’s so good though! I buttered the rolls with garlic butter and toasted them in the oven, and then melted the cheese on the rolls. Kept the bun from getting soggy too fast. Anyways, I like this recipe a lot and it’s going to be heavy in the meal rotation for a long, long time.
Thank you so much for your star rating and feedback, Cindy! I am SO glad this recipe is a hit for you, and you’re able to play around with what cut of meat you like best!
If I’m using cubed stew meat is there any reason to brown meat first??
Love this recipe so much. It is a staple in my house. Very good over rice if you don’t want to use bread.
Great tip, Jenna! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Absolutely easy and delicious!
So glad you loved this recipe, Linda!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This is an absolute core recipe in our house. This is the best beef recipe ever! I would eat this for every meal. You can add root veggies and serve over mashed potatoes when you get tired of bread. Does that ever happen? Just make it!!
I loooove hearing this, Rebecca!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Curious how many hoagies to buy?
I would plan on 8!
Made tonight. This was a hit for my 2 boys, and husband who are picky eaters!!!
Fabulous! So glad it was a hit, Mikal!
Do you have any thought on how this would turn out with pork roast instead of beef roast?
I think it’d be totally delicious!
Our weekly Sunday, noon, family, meal needed a new option so my daughter found and shared this. I must say it was very easy for me , I used my instant pot. While we had some suggestions like some fresh raw veggies everyone ask when I was going to make it again. Thank you. We lover it.
So glad it was a hit, Chuck!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This recipe was such a hit. The meat was spicy! I will definitely make it again and again.
I’m so glad you loved it, Myrna! I know there is hot Giardiniera out there – the Chicago-style Mezzetta one is mild if you want a more mild experience next time!
What type of peppers are we supposed to use the picture shows peeper rings and recipe says Pepperoncini. Thanks
They can be used interchangeably in this recipe (once pickled, they are almost identical in flavor.) I’ve used both!