Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

These Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches are made with flavorful slow cooked beef, shredded to perfection, and placed in a buttered bun, and topped with melted provolone cheese, caramelized onions, and pepperoncini peppers.

This is one of those meals that my family goes crazy for. When they see that I am making these Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches for dinner, they come running to the dinner table and devour every bite.

These beef sandwiches are easy to make because you throw the beef into the slow cooker and it does most of the work for you. You end up with tender, mouthwatering beef ready for your sandwiches. You can tailor-make your toppings depending on preference, which makes these the perfect sandwiches for a crowd.

Italian Beef Ingredients:

• Boneless Beef Chuck Roast — this has the perfect amount of beefy flavor and marbling and is perfect for the slow cooker/crockpot
• Italian Dressing Mix — this can be found in the dressing aisle and I suggest the Good Seasons Brand. It is the dried Italian dressing mix and adds the perfect amount of tang and flavor
• Salt and Pepper — add a generous amount of pepper for extra flavor
• Pepperoncini Peppers — use both the pepperoncini peppers and the juice to add that vinegar tang to the roast while cooking
• Beef Broth — this helps to keep the roast moist while infusing flavor
• Oil — this is what is used to sear the beef before placing into the slow cooker
• Onions — I love to caramelize these in butter and place on the sandwich
• Butter — use salted butter to cook the onions low and slow in a skillet
• Provolone Cheese — use a generous amount of provolone cheese on each sandwich
• Hoagie Buns — use a hearty hoagie bun or French bread loaf.

You can find a list of optional toppings ideas below.

What meat is best to use for Italian Beef Sandwiches?

There are many different types of beef roasts at the grocery store to use for this Crockpot Italian Beef. Since slow cooking beef is very forgiving and will usually create a tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, there are many cut of beef that you can use.

My preferred cut of beef is always going to be a boneless chuck roast. It has the perfect amount of fat to beef ratio and incredible flavor.

You can also use a bottom round or top round beef roast as well.

What bread should I use for Italian Beef Sandwiches?

Since this is a hearty sandwich, it needs a hearty bread to be able hold all of the meat and cheese. I suggest using a bakery hoagie roll or a loaf of French Bread.

I suggest buttering each side of the buns and toasting it in the oven before adding the meat and cheese. This helps to keep it from getting soggy.

How to make Slow Cooker Italian Beef:

1. Start by searing the beef in a hot skillet with oil (be careful!). This helps to begin the cooking process and sear the beef which brings out the flavor.
2. Place the beef roast in the slow cooker and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian dressing mix. Pour in beef broth and pepperoncini peppers with juice. Cook on low for 8 hours. Once it done cooking, shred with two forks.
3. When the beef is almost ready, prepare the caramelized onions. Add butter to a skillet on medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and cook low and slow for about 15-20 minutes, stirring often until the onions are softened and a golden brown color. If the onions are browning too quickly, you can always reduce the heat.
4. To prepare the hoagie buns, spread butter on each sides. Place in the oven to toast on broil for 2-3 minutes (watch carefully). This helps to create a barrier to keep the sandwiches from getting soggy.
5. To prepare sandwiches, top each hoagie buns with a generous amount of beef. Place slices of provolone cheese on each bun. If the beef is hot, it should melt the cheese. If not, you can place the sandwiches under the broil setting in the oven to melt the cheese.
6. Top with caramelized onions and sliced pepperoncini peppers. Serve warm. May serve with au jus for dipping.

What toppings to put on Italian Beef Sandwiches?

There are so many different toppings you can put on Italian Beef sandwiches. Here are some suggested toppings:

• Cheese — I would suggest using provolone cheese. It has the perfect amount of smoky flavor and creaminess and it melts beautifully. You can also use pepper jack cheese for a touch of spice.
• Pepperoncini Peppers — these yellow, tangy peppers are an essential ingredient in Italian beef sandwiches. They add the perfect amount of tang, crunch, and flavor. I would suggest adding a generous amount of sliced pepperoncini peppers.
• Caramelized Onions — if you want to elevate your sandwich, caramelize some onions in butter and place on top of the sandwich.
• Giardiniera — these are an assortment of pickled, marinated vegetables, usually found in a jar. There is an assortment of vegetables which are usually carrots, celery, cauliflower, onions, red bell peppers, and olives. This adds color, texture, and tangy flavor. You can find this is both mild and hot varieties so if you want to add extra spice, go for the hot giardiniera.

What sides to serve with Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches:

There are so many different types of sides from salad to pasta salad to a french onion dip with potato chips.

Italian Chopped Salad

Italian Pasta Salad

Macaroni Salad

French Onion Dip Recipe