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.
This stuff was awesome! And trust me being raised in Chicago I know a good Italian beef sandwich. Unfortunately where I currently live down south they have some crazy versions of a true Chicago style Italian beef. Won’t be trying any more of those when they can be so much healthier and better tasting. Great job!!!
Oh my gosh, your comment and feedback made my day, Wayne! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Our family likes looking for new recipes to cook or grill and there are so many delicious looking recipes here. The Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches looks so good and easy to make, we can’t wait to try. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you love it, Bryan! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Absolutely love this. I pepper the meat but don’t salt it, and use low sodium broth. I pour some of the broth in first, so you don’t have to lift up the meat. If using Packaged provolone, thin sliced melts faster.
Sounds awesome, Kevin! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Hi! I by accident bought pork shoulder butt instead of chuck roast. Can I use that in the recipe instead of chuck roast?
Oh shoot! Though yes, a pork shoulder will cook in the same amount of time as the chuck roast — 8-10 hours on low!
Can I cook this recipe on high? And if so for how long? Would the beef be less tender?
Hi Laura! I really prefer cooking chuck roast on low. You could try 4-5 hours on high!
They have changed the name of the Mezzetta spread mix, here is the new name, Mezzetta Italian Olive Salad & Sandwich Spread, I checked their website.
Hey Rob! This is the Mezzetta Chicago-style Giardiniera this recipe uses: https://www.mezzetta.com/products/chicago-style-italian-sandwich-mix-mild-giardiniera
I cant find Giardiniera anywhere I went to 5 stores 😫
Oh nooo – here’s a link to the product on the Mezzetta website! https://www.mezzetta.com/products/chicago-style-italian-sandwich-mix-mild-giardiniera
Walmart is where I found the Mezzetta brand here locally, but it was renamed Mezzetta Italian Olive Salad & Sandwich Spread, 16 fl oz Jar for $4.78 Also I saw the exact same thing under a different name in another link, but that’s what I found near me. They did sell at Walmart online the exact name & bottle as it appears in this recipe photo, but it was $26.78 for a case & another $13 shipping, I’ve never found a single Jar with the exact name of Mezzetta Chicago Style Italian Sandwich Mix, even on their own website.
Hy Vee no longer has the packet & Simply organic is impossible to find. I bought everything already so I’m going to have to try bottled dressing but expecting too much oil/fat even w/ a good trim of the roast. Could tweak your recipe using individual ingredients instead of an impossible to find packet? (An online search of a copycat recipe is overwhelming 10-15 ingredients, gotta be something easier!)
I have made this recipe many times for my family. I want to know how much to make to feed a crowd of about 25 people. Could you help me with this? Thanks!
I’m so glad to hear that, Marcie!! I might recommend making 3-4 batches ahead of time, then reheating in a roasting pan with the juices just prior to serving.
I’ve played with this recipe several times. First, I did exactly as written. I didn’t drain the gardeneria. Bad move. Added too much oil to the mixture.
After the first attempt, my wife suggested I leave the finished product in the refrigerator overnight and skim off the fat that had risen to the top. She’s not a fan of grease/fat, but personally I think it adds greatly to the flavor. The mixture also was too salty. Next time I used low sodium broth. Much better. I’m making the sandwiches as I write now. I couldn’t believe the gardeneria. . It had four huge crowns of cauliflower which took up most of the space in the jar. Next time, I’ll save the money and make my own. I do now add a few skinny slices of green peppers and add a few slices of banana peppers.
All in all, it’s a great recipe! Very tasty!!
So happy to hear that, Ed! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
The Mezzetta Jar of Italian Mix that has Cauliflower in it is not the one pictured here in the recipe, it’s Chicago Style Italian Sandwich Mix which they no longer seem to make as it’s not found on their own website at Mezzetta
My husband and I made these sandwiches for a Christmas gift exchange originally, we are making it a second time to entertain some friends! We love the flavor and intend to keep using this recipe! I am not a fan of spicy food usually either, but the pickled veggies do not contribute to make the dish overly so.
I’m so glad they’re a repeater recipe, Jacqi! I agree – there are spicy giardinieras out there, but the Mezzetta chicago-style is mild. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This recipe is my absolute favorite, I’ve made it many times, I have taken it to parties and I’ve taken it to work, and there’s always lots of ooh’s and ahhh’s. I use 1/2 package of italian seasoning cuz I think it make it a bit salty for the full package.
I love to hear that, Lisa!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
literally impossible to use this page because of all the ads.
I’m sorry to hear about your experience, ag, I am working on reducing the number of ads on my site while being able to keep all my content free across all platforms. Thank you so much for your feedback!