This Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe creates incredibly tender, shredded beef with pepperoncini, piled onto toasty sandwich rolls and topped with melted provolone cheese. With just a few minutes of prep, you can have this comforting meal on the menu, even on your busiest days.

Three Italian Beef Sandwiches on a wood cutting board shot from over the top.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

A Note From My Kitchen

Versions of this Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe have been making the rounds for decades. It’s one of those recipes a co-worker scribbles on a piece of paper for you, or a neighbor brings to a potluck and then you beg for the recipe. It has made its way through countless kitchens, where home cooks have added their own special touch and made it their own.

This is my take on this delicious classic. Inspired by the classic Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich, this easy home-cooked version swaps the traditional thinly sliced beef for fall-apart tender shredded beef and uses tangy pepperoncini instead of spicy giardiniera.

I’ve included both slow cooker and oven methods, but I almost always make it in my trusty Crock-Pot. It takes just minutes to get everything started, and then it’s completely hands off until it’s time to assemble the sandwiches at dinner. The low, slow cooking creates incredibly tender, flavorful shredded Italian beef with almost no effort. If you prefer the oven, you’ll find those directions below too.

Pin this now to find it later

Pin It

A Note From My Kitchen
Ingredient Notes
How to Make Crock-Pot Italian Beef for Sandwiches
Conventional Oven Method
Storage Tips
Serving Suggestions
A Family Favorite

Ingredient Notes

Chuck roast, pepperoncini and other ingredients for Italian Beef with overlay text.

Boneless chuck roast: I use a boneless beef chuck shoulder roast (sometimes labelled as chuck shoulder pot roast) for this recipe. This cut is typically pretty easy to find but any boneless chuck roast will do. I pick up two-packs at Costco when they’ve got them in stock.
Low sodium beef broth: It’s important to use low sodium broth in this recipe since there is plenty of salt in the dressing mix to season the beef.
Italian dressing mix: One packet of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing and Recipe Mix.
Pepperoncini: You’ll find jars of these pickled yellowish-green pepperoncini peppers in the condiment section of your grocery store. They add a tangy bite, great flavor and they’re not at all spicy.
Italian seasoning: A store-bought blend like McCormick.
For serving: To assemble the sandwiches you’ll need some nice, crusty hoagie buns and sliced provolone cheese.

Three Italian Beef Sandwiches on a wood cutting board.

How to Make Crock-Pot Italian Beef for Sandwiches

Big chunks of chuck roast in a slow cooker insert.

Broth added to a slow cooker insert with chunks of chuck roast.

Cut the roast into chunks, trimming any large pieces of fat from the edges of each piece. Transfer the beef to a 6 quart Crock Pot.
Whisk together the beef broth, packet of the Italian salad dressing mix, and the Italian seasoning and pour it over the beef in the slow cooker.
Add the stemmed and chopped pepperoncini and some of the liquid from the jar. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours.
You’ll know the Italian Beef is ready when it easily shreds with a fork. Mix the shredded meat into the luscious cooking juices.
Use tongs to load toasted hoagie rolls with the tender shredded beef and pepperoncinis and place them on a baking sheet.
Top with sliced provolone cheese and place under the broiler for just a minute or two to melt the cheese.

Pro Tip

To prevent soggy sandwich rolls, spread the empty rolls with softened butter and place them on a baking sheet. Place them under the broiler for a couple of minutes to lightly toast them before adding the shredded beef and cheese.

Conventional Oven Method

This Italian Beef recipe cooks up very well in the oven too. It’s good to have options!

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
Follow as directed above, but place the ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 4 ½ to 5 hours or until the meat is very tender and easy to shred.
Shred the meat and assemble the sandwiches as directed.

Two Italian Beef Sandwiches stacked on a cutting board.

Storage Tips

Store leftover Italian beef and pepperoncini in an airtight container with some of the cooking liquid to keep it moist and transfer to the refrigerator promptly. It will stay fresh and tasty for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat leftovers gently on the stove or in the microwave.

Serving Suggestions

Tortellini Broccoli Salad (pictured with the boys below the recipe card)
Macaroni Coleslaw
Orzo Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Spinach and Feta
California Coleslaw
Old Fashioned Potato Salad

Italian Beef Sandwiches on rolls with melted provolone cheese and pepperoncini.

Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe

5 from 69 votes

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Servings:

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 8 10

Pin Print

Ingredients

▢ 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
▢ 2 cups low sodium beef broth
▢ .7 ounce packet Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing and Recipe Mix
▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
▢ 16 ounce jar pepperoncini, stems removed and cut in half
▢ ⅓ cup liquid from pepperoncini jar
▢ 8 sandwich rolls
▢ 8 ounces sliced provolone cheese
▢ 8 tablespoons softened butter or butter spread

Instructions

Slow Cooker Method

Cut the roast into 4 large chunks. Trim the fat from the edges of each chunk with a sharp knife and transfer them to the slow cooker.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the beef broth, salad dressing mix, and Italian seasoning. Pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker. Toss in the pepperoncini and ⅓ cup of the liquid from the jar.
Cover, and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. When the meat is very tender and easy to shred, turn off the slow cooker and use two forks to shred the meat into the cooking liquid.
Set your oven to BROIL. Split open and spread the sandwich rolls with the softened butter and place them on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and toast the rolls for about 2 minute or until just lightly toasted (watch closely to avoid burning). Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
Use tongs to transfer the shredded beef and peppers to the toasted buns. Top sandwich each with a slice of provolone. Return the baking sheet to the oven to melt the cheese.

Conventional Oven Method

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Follow as directing, but place the ingredients in large Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 4 ½ to 5 hours or until the meat is very tender and easy to shred.
Follow as directed above to toast the buns and assemble the sandwiches.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.

Like this? Please rate & comment below!

A Family Favorite

Proof positive that this Italian Beef for sandwiches is a family favorite. Way back in 2013, I somehow managed to get all four boys over to the house at the same time so I could take the annual Christmas photos. This is never an easy task to accomplish! They all have busy lives, college, work, etc., but I wisely promised them lunch if they came and jackpot! They all arrived, on time, nicely dressed, with smiles on their faces. This, my friends, is the power of food.

Four young men making sandwiches at a kitchen counter.

These Italian Beef Sandwiches are just the ticket on a day like this. They’re warm, substantial, and absolutely delicious.

All the work is done in advance. Just set out some sandwich rolls and a side dish or two and get out of their way! I love an assembly line style meal.

Four young men lined up with two of holding Boston Terriers.

The boys, with the pups, on a gorgeous, sunny California day in December.

This post was originally published December 28, 2013. It has been updated with new text and images.

5 from 69 votes (62 ratings without comment)