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.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was AWESOME!! So delicious and couldn’t have been easier! Can’t wait to have (multiple days of) leftovers :)
We rarely have beef in our home because I just always seem to cook it poorly. However, I tried this tonight because it seemed like the perfect thing to eat with playoff football. My fiance and i both loved it! Please do more crock pot recipes soon! They truly are sanity savers
It totally is the best food for playoff football! That’s why we made it too. And I couldn’t agree more about crock pot recipes!
This sounds perfect for Super Bowl. I agree, it’s all about the food.
Also, just wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog. I have tried many of your recipes and have never been disappointed. And being a mother of 2, I love reading about Lincoln. He is so adorable. And I enjoy watching him grow.
I wanted to tell you that I made this recipe for just my husband and I knowing it would be too much food. Before I even served up the sandwiches, I scooped out enough meat and broth to make THIS recipe.
This Italian beef was so easy and wonderful, and then two days later we had another great meal with it! Thank you!
We tried this last night and it was AMAZING. This is a keeper for sure!
Hello – I want to try this recipe out this weekend but I can’t find the Mezzetta chicago-style Italian sandwich mix! Cub doesn’t carry it and I researched online for Target and Walmart grocery and it said it wasn’t carried there… any suggestions?? Thanks!
I would try looking in the olive bar section at your grocery store. If you still can’t find it, I’d just leave it out!
There are other brands, Bella is one of them. I find it in the pickle section. It’s packed in water, and it’s labeled California style, perhaps because its in water not oil? It’s not as good as the Chicago style when I can find it, but it is better than leaving it out!
Thank you for an awesome crock pot recipe! It was a big hit tonight in our house.
These were amazing! Better as leftovers!!
I’ve made several of your recipes recently and loved them, but this sandwich is over the top amazing! My husband already packed his lunch for tomorrow and is talking about how jealous his coworkers will be. Thanks for the awesome dinner!!
Looks great! I’m having trouble finding the sandwich topper too…I found some that is whole vegetables in vinegar. Should I just cut those up or leave them out all together? Love your blog! My husband loves everything I make of yours (at least a few a week!!) He thanks you :)
Yeah maybe try draining them then chopping up the veggies and throwing in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Let me know how it turns out – I’d love to add a note to the recipe for others who can’t find the Giardiniera!
What hyvee did you buy the Chicago style mix at?! We can’t find it anywhere!
I’ll email you!
First, let me start off by saying that I love your blog! Thanks for all the awesome recipes!
I’d been dying to try the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, but with cooking for two, I try not to make too much and have been having a hard time finding a small roast. I was curious about making it in the crock pot, then I saw your recipe.
I made this yesterday and it exceeded my expectations!
I made fries along with them, so while I was waiting for those to cook I wrapped the sandwiches in foil and baked them for about 5 minutes. The buns got steamy & the cheese melted nicely. Heavenly!
Zoo Wee Mama!! This was AWESOME!! I could not find the sandwich mix so I substituted some spicy peppers but all I can say is wow. When I gave a small sample to my husband in a ramekin bowl, he was literally drinking the broth. He said it was the best he ever had (and just ate it over rice) – I had the sandwich and it was fantastic.