These easy slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches make dinner time a breeze! Perfectly seasoned beef is slow cooked to tender perfection, with Italian spices, sweet pepperoncinis and tangy giardiniera. Served on hoagie rolls with provolone cheese and a side of savory au jus for dipping, it’s a hearty and satisfying meal with minimal effort!
Why I Love These Italian Beef Sandwiches
I don’t know if there’s anything more satisfying than biting into an Italian beef sandwich dipped in au jus! Will you make a bit of a mess and have to wash your hands afterwards? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely! There’s so much flavor and the combination of textures really makes for the best bite. While I love a good sandwich for lunch, this one’s so hearty it’s also great for dinner. Check out why we’re both so obsessed:
- Effortless: Just set it and forget it! Add everything to the crockpot and let the juicy chuck roast slow cook until tender, then shred it and serve.
- Italian flavors: Tangy giardiniera veggies, sweet pepperoncini peppers, and a packet of Italian seasonings give this Italian beef recipe an irresistible flavor!
- Budget friendly: Chuck roast is a fairly inexpensive cut of meat. It’s all dressed up with a handful of bold ingredients that won’t break the bank either.
- Great for prepping ahead: You can prepare the shredded beef and toppings in advance. That way, you just need to assemble the sandwiches and heat them up throughout the week.
Looking for more easy crockpot beef recipes? Try our tender crockpot Swiss steak in rich gravy, easy crockpot pot roast, or crockpot London broil with carrots and potatoes!
Key Ingredients
I love how such a small amount of ingredients can make such a flavorful impact. Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this recipe for crockpot Italian beef sandwiches. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Beef Chuck Roast: Make sure it’s boneless and remove any large pieces of excess fat.
- Beef Broth: I like to use low-sodium stock. That way, I can add more salt if needed and better control the amount of sodium in the dish.
- Italian Dressing Mix: You will add the dry packet directly to the crockpot. Any brand works just fine!
- Pepperoncinis: I like to use the sliced pepperoncinis for the perfect balanced bite, but you can use the large whole peppers. Roasted peppers also work well if preferred.
- Giardiniera Italian Mix: While options, these Italian pickled veggies add a lot of flavor to the beef. They come in regular or spicy, use whichever you prefer!
- Hoagie Rolls: Fresh bread from the bakery section of your grocery store is always best! If it’s slightly hard or stale, simply sprinkle it with 1/2 tsp water and microwave it in 5-second intervals.
- Provolone Cheese: While provolone is the classic choice, any melty cheese will all work well.
How To Make Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
Thanks to the slow cooker, this Italian sandwich recipe couldn’t be any easier to make. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.
- Fill the Crockpot: Pour the broth into a 7-quart slow cooker. Add the pepperoncini, giardiniera, chuck roast, pepperoncini juice, Worcestershire sauce, Italian dressing mix and butter.
- Cook it: Add the lid and let the roast cook until fork-tender and easy to shred.
- Shred the meat: Remove the beef from the crockpot and shred the cooked roast by pulling two forks in opposite directions. Reserve the cooking juices – that’s our au jus for dipping!
- Assemble the sandwiches: Toast the hoagie buns under the broiler. Add cheese and return them to the broiler until melty. Add shredded meat on top with more pepperoncini and giardiniera to taste. Serve with the warm au jus on the side.
Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Swap the bread: Use baguettes, ciabattas, sourdough, or even hot dog buns for this easy recipe.
- Add a spread: Spread the buns with fresh basil pesto, mayo, melted butter or creamy aioli before adding the cheese for more flavor in every bite.
- More veggies: Mix 1/2 cup diced roasted peppers or sauteed mushrooms into the shredded beef for a heartier sandwich.
- Swap the dressing mix: Add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning into the Crockpot instead of the dressing mix. You can also make your own with 3 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried parsley, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp dried thyme and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.
- Make them spicy: Drizzle chili oil all over the sandwiches, or add sliced Calabrian chilis on top, to taste.
What To Serve With Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Fries: A bag of potato chips or French fries (try my air fryer zucchini fries!) are always classic with a sandwich! You also can’t go wrong with some air fryer fried pickles!
- Salad: For something lighter, a refreshing cucumber salad is perfect! If hosting a potluck, a big bowl of this cherry tomato caprese salad or fresh broccoli salad are always crowd favorites.
Yield: 10 Servings
Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
This easy Slow Cooker Italian beef sandwiches recipe with pickled veggies and melty provolone cheese will be your new favorite sandwich for the week.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pound boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 (.7 oz) packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix, add this in dry
- 1 (12 oz) jar sliced pepperoncinis, reserve the liquid, plus more for serving
- 1 (16 oz) jar Giardiniera Italian mix, chopped, optional
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter, sliced, optional
For the Sandwiches:
- Hoagie rolls
- Sliced provolone cheese
- Sliced pepperoncini peppers
- Chopped giardiniera
Instructions
For the Beef:
- Optional: If desired, you can season the beef with salt and pepper and sear it in a hot skillet with oil before adding it to the crockpot. This will help deepen the flavor of the beef and seal in the juices.
- Pour the broth in the bottom of a 7-quart crockpot. Add half of the pepperoncini and giardiniera to the broth.
- Place the roast on top of the pepperoncini mixture, pour 1/4 cup pepperoncini juice and Worcestershire sauce over the top of the beef. Add the remaining pepperoncini and giardiniera to the crockpot.
- Sprinkle the Italian dressing mix over the top and then place the sliced butter on top of the roast.
- Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 6 to 7 hours.
- When you are ready to serve, place the cooked roast on a large tray, use 2 forks to shred the meat. Keep the broth that is in the crockpot, you will use it to dip the sandwiches in and to add more flavor to leftovers. The reason you want to remove the cooked roast from the crockpot before shredding is to prevent the meat from becoming too wet/soggy.
To Assemble the Sandwiches:
- Toast the hoagie buns under the broiler (keep an eye on them as they will burn quickly). Remove the toasted hoagie from the broiler and layer the cheese on the buns and pop back under the broiler just long enough to melt the cheese.
- Add the shredded meat then top with more pepperoncini and giardiniera, to taste. Serve immediately with a bowl of some the cooking juices from the crockpot for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
Store: Don’t store the assembled sandwiches because the bread will soften too much and break. Store the meat, sandwich bread and toppings separately. Store the cooled beef and cooking juices in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Transfer cooled leftover beef and cooking juices to an airtight freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat: Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons cooking juices over the beef and then microwave in 30-second increments until warm.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving of beef with au jus, Calories: 421kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 103mg, Sodium: 1543mg, Potassium: 566mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 240IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 3mg
These sandwiches are amazing!! The beef is so tender and delicious and easy to make we loved them.