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Slow Cooker Italian Beef

written by Ashley Fehr

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5 from 53 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 hours 10 minutes
Servings 12 servings

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Last updated on December 19, 2024

Easy shredded Italian Beef made in the crockpot, just six ingredients! Tender chuck roast is simmered in a tangy broth for fall-apart goodness, perfect for serving on sandwiches. Includes Instant Pot method and step-by-step video.

tongs lifting italian beef out of white crockpot.

Looking for more easy slow cooker recipes? You’ll love Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef, Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup, and Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings!

Table of Contents

As much as I love a classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast or a big bowl of Honey Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef Stew, slow cooker Italian Beef is a fun and flavorful twist on crockpot beef that everyone loves!

This low-effort twist on a Chicago classic involves tender beef infused with savory flavors from the Italian dressing mix and pepperoncini peppers for a tangy, flavorful comfort meal.

The result is fall-apart shredded beef that’s perfect for sandwiches, quesadillas, and more — see my list below of ways to store it for later or use it up!

Why you’ll love this Italian Beef recipe:

  • Classic copycat: This recipe gives you that same iconic Chicagoan sandwich flavor without ever leaving your kitchen!
  • Feeds a large crowd: This recipe makes up to 12 servings, so it’s perfect for large families or for eating leftovers throughout the week!
  • Perfect make-ahead meal: This crockpot Italian Beef is the perfect make-ahead meal because it needs 10-12 hours of cook time to break down and become tender, so get it started early in the morning, and you won’t have to think about making dinner!
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Italian Beef ingredients:

ingredients needed for crockpot italian beef.
  • Beef roast (chuck, blade, or round recommended): This cut of beef is loaded with fat and flavor! As it slowly cooks in the crockpot, it becomes super tender and easily shreds with a fork!
  • Salt and black pepper: Just a pinch for flavor. 
  • Italian dressing mix or garlic herb seasoning: This is the “Italian” part of the recipe! Use your favorite Italian dressing mix or garlic herb seasoning.
  • Low-sodium beef broth: This is the cooking liquid for the beef, giving it that beefy flavor and adding moisture to the beef. 
  • Pepperoncini peppers with juice: Grab the whole peppers with juice. 
  • Sub or hoagie buns: Use your favorite brand or make your own!
  • Provolone, havarti, or mozzarella cheese: Use any kind you like. 

How to make Italian Beef in a slow cooker:

This low-effort recipe only has a few basic instructions! Jump down to the recipe card for the full list of instructions!

  • Place the roast in the crockpot and season thoroughly.
  • Strain some of the pepper brine into a measuring cup.
beef roast and liquid in white crockpot.
Add roast, spices, and broth to the crockpot.
pouring the juice out of pepperoncini pepper jar.
Strain the pepper brine.
  • Pour beef broth and pepper brine into the crockpot, adding a few peppers if desired.
  • Let it cook in the crockpot for several hours until it’s tender. Shred as desired.
beef roast in white crockpot with pepperoncini peppers on top.
Add the brine and peppers to the crockpot.
italian beef cooking in slow cooker with lid on.
Cover and cook for several hours.

Recipe Tip

For extra flavor, you can brown the roast in a skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side to form a nice crust!

How do I store leftover shredded Italian Beef?

You can store leftover Italian Beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or place it in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave. 

Need some creative ideas to use up your leftovers? Try these:

  • Quesadillas
  • Tacos
  • Sliders
  • Pizza
  • Over pasta or Buttered Noodles.
  • Nachos
  • Shepherd’s Pie
  • Beef Pot Pie
shredded italian beef in crockpot with peppers on top.

Where did Italian Beef originate?

Believe it or not, Italian Beef is not an Italian recipe (spoiler: most Italians probably don’t use a whole lot of Italian dressing mix 😉 ).

Italian Beef is a Chicago-style recipe, and there are piles and piles of places to get an amazing authentic Chicago Italian Beef sandwich. Traditional Chicago Italian Beef sandwiches are made with thin slices of beef, but this recipe is more of a shortcut using shredded beef. 

I also I don’t generally load mine up with pickled vegetables like many are down in Chicago, but you definitely could!

What is the best cut of meat for Italian Beef?

Because we are cooking this roast beef low and slow, there are many different cuts of beef that will work just as well.

Typically, most pot roast or shredded beef recipes call for “chuck roast,” which can be difficult to find labeled in Canada.

The chuck roast is from the shoulder of the cow, is leaner, and has a lot of connective tissue. When cooked quickly, it’s not that appetizing, but in the slow cooker? It develops amazing flavor!

In Canada, look for “blade” or “cross rib” roasts, though I have used almost any roast in this recipe — the long cooking time breaks down the meat that would otherwise be tough.

If you don’t have a blade or cross-rib roast, a round roast would be your next best bet!

Can I make this shredded Italian Beef in a pressure cooker?

You can easily make Instant Pot Italian Beef by combining all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot and cooking for 70-90 minutes, depending on the size of your roast.

If you want to cook it more quickly, or you have a very large roast, you may want to break the roast down into 1-1.5 lb chunks just to ensure it is tender when you pop it out!

Serve with buns and cheese as desired.

hands holding a crockpot italian beef sandwich over a plate.

Serving suggestions:

This shredded Italian Beef makes one amazing sandwich, which is normally how it’s served, with crusty rolls and provolone cheese.

Not into sandwiches?

Try serving with some of my favorites:

It’s also wonderful over plain cooked egg noodles or rice!

More comforting slow cooker recipes you’ll love:

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Italian Beef recipe

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 53 votes
Easy shredded Italian Beef made in the crockpot, just six ingredients! Tender chuck roast is simmered in a tangy broth for fall-apart goodness, perfect for serving on sandwiches.
italian beef being lifted out of white crockpot with tongs.
Review
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 hours
Total Time 10 hours 10 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 12 servings
Calories 433.66cal

Ingredients

  • 3-4 lb beef roast (chuck, blade or round recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 package Italian dressing mix or garlic herb seasoning
  • 1½ cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 jar pepperoncini peppers with juice*
  • 12 sub or hoagie rolls
  • 12 slices provolone, havarti or mozzarella cheese
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Place roast in a 4-6 quart crockpot. Season all over with salt, pepper and Italian dressing mix.
  • Pour beef broth and ¾ cup brine from the jar of pepperoncinis into the bottom of the crockpot. Add ½ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers on top. (*For less spice, use only the brine and no peppers)
  • Cook on low for 10-11 hours until fall apart tender (if you want it to cook more quickly, cut into 3-4 smaller pieces and cook for 8 hours).
  • Shred beef in juices and serve on buns with cheese and additional pickled pepperoncinis as desired.

Notes

  • Spice level: With ½ cup pepperoncini juice and no peppers, this beef has good flavor but is not spicy. You can up the spice level by adding more juice or adding in the sliced peppers. 
  • For serving: Italian beef is commonly served with giardiniera, but we love it just with the pepperoncini and some cheese on a toasted ciabatta bun. 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 433.66cal | Carbohydrates: 26.97g | Protein: 34.35g | Fat: 20.86g | Saturated Fat: 10.72g | Cholesterol: 97.56mg | Sodium: 896.13mg | Potassium: 495.12mg | Fiber: 0.62g | Sugar: 0.16g | Vitamin A: 261.14IU | Calcium: 230.96mg | Iron: 2.5mg
Keywords italian beef, shredded beef

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. John says

    Try pan frying up some Italian sausage and throwing those in for the whole cook time and you now have the COMBO.. 😁😁

    Reply

  2. Nicole says

    How long would cook a 2.37 lb roast in the crockpot? I didn’t realize that my roast was on the smaller side than needed for this recipe. Thanks!

    Reply

  3. Bennylou83 says

    Can’t wait to make this. I am from Illinois, not Chicago, but we still love the stuff in Central Illinois. We also like the whole sandwich to be dipped in gravy. Very common option at restaurants.

    Reply

  5. Nellie Tracy says

    This is one of my all time favorite recipes and ways to make a beef roast. Such a delicious recipe loved by every member of my family!

    Reply

  6. Natalie says

    Mmmm…this is one of our favorite recipes to make when hosting a party! It makes plenty & the meat is so juicy & tender!

    Reply

  9. Kristyn says

    This is a hit with everyone! We love it on hoagie buns! Paired with the perfect side, it’s a delicious meal!

    Reply

  11. Audrey says

    Ashley! You make me look so good! I used your pressure cooker instructions and it came out fantastic! If I’m cooking for my in-laws, I always come to you for an easy and delicious recipe. Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Janie says

      I have a Ninja Foodi cooker- similar to instapot. I made a similar recipe of Italian beef using aprox 4.5 lb of roast- I pressure cooked on hi for one hour, let it slow release pressure for 15 min. then quik released the rest of pressure. Took tender pieces of meat out and shredded it. Then dumped juices on meat and served on buns- I didn’t have hoagie buns but they wud have been yummy! This turned out great! Fast, easy and delish!?I’m assuming you could do the same with this recipe and it would taste awesome too!!

      Reply

  17. Erin says

    I was skeptical, but we loved this recipe! The flavor is amazing. My husband is a fan of Pepperoncini, so this recipe suited him!

    Reply

  19. Susan M says

    So good! I made this for our Superbowl party and it was fantastic. Super tender, great flavor with just a little spice. Loved the pepperoncini’s! Lots of compliments…Will definitely make again!

    Reply

  20. Dave T says

    Looks horrible. Chicago italian beef is NOT stewed in a pot or (God help us) shredded, it is roasted and sliced thin. It is not served with cheese. The ‘pickled vegetables’ you so vacuously refer to is giardinara, which is mostly spicy Serrano peppers and other vegetables steeped in oil, no vinegar, no pickling – and used as a topping, not cooked with the meat. Your recipe is the equivalent of making authentic Italian spaghetti with egg noodles and ketchup – blech. This recipe is an abomination of all that is good and holy about Chicago fast food.

    Reply
5 from 53 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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