• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Home About Contact

The Cooking Jar

Cooking made easy

  • Recipe Index
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Casseroles
    • Dips and Sauces
    • Main Dishes
    • Quick and Easy
    • Sides and Salads
    • Soups and Stews
  • Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pasta
    • Seafood
  • Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Oven
    • Sheet Pan
    • Slow Cooker
    • Stovetop
Home About Contact
  • Appetizers
  • Breakfast
  • Casseroles
  • Dips
  • Main Dishes
  • Quick and Easy
  • Sides
  • Soups
Home » Ingredient » Beef

Beef

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

Published: June 5, 2022   |   Updated: August 1, 2023   |   48 Comments

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.

5 from 12 reviews
Pin80K
Share
Email
80K Shares

These 5-ingredient slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches have mouthwatering chuck roast on a toasted hoagie roll with melted provolone cheese.

A slow cooker Italian beef sandwich being dipped into a bowl of au jus.

Today we’re making some slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches. These hot sandwiches deliver big on flavor with fork-tender chuck roast slow cooked with pepperoncini peppers and Italian seasoning. Serve them dry, wet, or dipped in au jus on crusty rolls with lots of melty cheese and some giardiniera, if that’s your thing.

I like to joke that these crock pot Italian beef sandwiches are like Mississippi pot roast and French Dip sandwich had a baby with its tangy broth and lots of sloppy sandwich action from all the au jus dipping. Make them for parties, game day, or just as fun, family meal.

It’s an easy 5-minute prep recipe with only 5 ingredients for the ultimate convenient meal. For more no-fuss recipes with 5 ingredients or less, try this meatball pasta bake, honey garlic chicken or shrimp, slow cooker three packet pot roast, or these slow cooker grape jelly meatballs.

How To Make Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches (1 Min Video)

Ingredients in Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients to make slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches in prep bowls.

Are Pepperoncini Peppers Spicy?

These Greek peppers, also known as sweet Italian peppers, are mild in flavor and usually found pickled. They are more tangy and zesty than spicy or hot.

Two slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches stacked on each other with pepperoncini peppers and a bowl of au jus.

SLOW COOKER ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES RECIPE TIPS

Cut of meat – A good chuck or rump roast works well with slow cooking.

Seasoning – You won’t need need to season the roast or use any additional salt for this recipe because there’s plenty of sodium in the Italian dressing mix.

Sear the meat – Searing the meat before putting it in the slow cooker is one of the best ways you can get a juicy, flavorful pot roast. It is highly recommended! Sear the roast for about 5 minutes per side until nicely browned. I have a 6 qt. Hamilton Beach slow cooker that lets me sear the meat in the insert directly to make things easier.

Side by side preparation shots of slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches in the slow cooker and on a baking sheet.

Browned bits – If you decided to sear the roast, you should have some leftover stuck-on bits in the pan. Use the beef broth to deglaze the pan and scrape off these yummy browned bits into the broth. These browned bits, also known as fond, will add a ton of flavor to your roast.

Slow cooker – For big roasts like these, you will need a 6 qt. slow cooker to comfortably fit all the ingredients.

Beef broth – You can substitute this with equal amounts of beef consomme. You can also use low sodium beef broth to cut down on sodium.

Italian dressing mix – This is the dry seasoning mix in the envelopes. I used the Good Seasons Italian Dressing & Recipe Mix which is about 0.7 oz per packet.

Several slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches on a baking sheet with pepperoncini peppers and a bowl of au jus.

Pepperoncini – I used the Vigo brand of pepperoncini peppers. These Greek peppers add a tangy bite to the meat and aren’t spicy at all. I got whole pepperoncini, cut off the stems and cut them into 1″ slices. I also added a little pepperoncini juice to flavor the broth; about 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of pepperoncini juice should be enough without it being too overpowering.

If you want crisp pepperoncini to add to your sandwiches later, set aside a few of them from the jar. They tend to break down and lose their crispness and texture while cooking for a long time in the slow cooker.

Sandwich bread – Hoagies work great to make a sandwich but you can also use French or Italian rolls. I like buttering the rolls and toasting them to give the sandwich more flavor.

Several slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches on a baking sheet with pepperoncini peppers and a bowl of au jus.

Cheese – Any kind of melting cheese will work with the sandwich such as provolone, mozzarella, swiss, or Monterey Jack.

Giardiniera – Giardiniera is a medley of pickled vegetables like peppers, carrots, celery, cauliflower and gherkin in some vinegar and olive oil. I used a mild version of the brand Marconi, but they also have it in medium and hot.

Leftovers – Leftovers can be stored for up 4 days in the fridge.

Freeze – Leftovers can be frozen safely for up to 3 months.

And that’s about it. Enjoy your sandwiches and let me know how you liked them in the comments below!

MORE MEATY SANDWICHES TO TRY

  • Homemade Sloppy Joes
  • Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich
  • Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
  • Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich

Did you make this recipe? Rate it!

♡ If you liked this recipe, giving it a star rating ★★★★★ in the comments below really helps! For more recipes, subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and  Pinterest.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
A slow cooker Italian beef sandwich being dipped into a bowl of au jus.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 12 reviews

  • Author: The Cooking Jar
  • Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 sandwiches 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

These 5-ingredient slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches have mouthwatering chuck roast on a toasted hoagie roll with melted provolone cheese.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3–4 lbs. chuck roast
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 (0.7 oz.) packet dry Italian dressing mix
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 (16 oz.) jar pepperoncini with juice, stems removed and cut into 1” slices

SANDWICH ASSEMBLY

  • Hoagie rolls
  • Butter
  • Sliced provolone/mozzarella cheese
  • Giardiniera (optional)

Instructions

  1. [Optional step] Over medium-high heat in a skillet, sear the roast in some oil on both sides until browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Pour some beef broth or wine to deglaze the pan and scrape the yummy browned bits to mix in with the rest of the broth.
  2. Add the roast to a 6 qt. slow cooker and sprinkle with the dry Italian dressing mix and Italian seasoning.
  3. Add beef broth, sliced pepperoncini and 1/2 cup of pepperoncini juice.
  4. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low heat or 4-5 hours on high heat.
  5. Remove cooked roast to a cutting board. Shred into bite-sized pieces with two forks and discard any fatty bits.
  6. Split the rolls lengthwise and butter them. Add some provolone cheese and toast or broil until the cheese has melted.
  7. Top with shredded beef and pepperoncini peppers then dish and serve hot with/without the au jus and giardiniera(see notes for three ways to enjoy the sandwich)
  8. Enjoy!

Notes

Three ways to enjoy the sandwich:
Dry – Let most of the juice drip off from the meat before putting it on the roll.
Wet – Top the roll with meat still dripping in juices. You can also spoon some au jus over the sandwich before serving.
Dipped – The sandwich is dipped into the au jus for a soggy but delicious sandwich.

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 8 hours

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know how you liked it, what substitutions you made, or what you paired it with in the comments below. If you enjoyed it, help me out with a  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating!

Leave A Review

posted in: Beef, Main Dishes, Popular Recipes, Slow Cooker

Previous
Tuna Pasta Salad
Next
Homemade Garlic Bread

Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Share your thoughts and rate the recipe!
    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    Comments & Reviews

  1. Jennie says

    January 27, 2024

    So delicious! My kids loved it. Left pepperoncinis out but added them to the adult sandwiches.

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 5, 2024

      Good to know this is kid-friendly – even if you have to leave out the pepperoncini. This might help others wanting to customize the recipe for both adults and kids. It’s also good to know that the roast tastes great even when slow-cooked without the pepperoncini and that adding the pepperoncini to individual sandwiches before serving works well! Thank you for sharing, Jennie!

      Reply
  2. Tracy says

    January 15, 2024

    I made this recently and it turned out absolutely delicious! There’s so many dimensions to the flavor…the beef, the pepperoncini, the provolone and even the toasty bread! It’s restaurant worthy for sure!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 28, 2024

      The melty provolone on the warm toasty bread is the best! Thank you for sharing how great this recipe worked out for you, Tracy 🙂

      Reply
  3. Neisha says

    January 1, 2024

    These sandwiches are amazing!!!
    And you can’t beat a crockpot recipe that cooks all day while at work.
    This time I’m doubling the meat because my footballer is home from college and he’s a hungry kid. 🙂

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      January 2, 2024

      I hope he has fun digging into this. I love meals that are easy to make but last for days. Perfect for those lazy days or in your case, a very hungry family member!

      Reply
  4. Karen says

    December 16, 2023

    OMGosh 😮!! I just found this recipe in Pinterest, yes I’ve pinned it 😃. I have roast beef from this afternoon I made. I added your other ingredients, heated it on the stove and it’s sitting in front of me as I type 😮😮😮. This is DELICIOUS 😋. Thank you so much for the recipe 💕

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      January 2, 2024

      I have to say this is the most colorful, emoticon-filled comment I have ever got and I thoroughly loved reading it! You have managed to convey just how much you love this recipe 🙂 You are very welcome, thank you for trying it out and for sharing your love of the outcome!

      Reply
  5. Sue Doane says

    December 9, 2023

    Absolutely delicious as directed! No changes needed to this recipe

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      December 11, 2023

      I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it so much! Thank you for sharing, Sue 🙂

      Reply
  6. Carla says

    November 19, 2023

    What is an alternate for a no heat (spicy) pepper? Thanks

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      December 11, 2023

      I can’t think of any substitute since this is a big part of the flavor. You can skip the ingredient but the pepper is really not that spicy, more tangy than anything.

      Reply
  7. Janet says

    October 27, 2023

    This recipe is amazing !
    I made it for my family and they all loved it.
    I am making a huge batch for a pre-Halloween party tomorrow!!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      November 10, 2023

      I hope it made everyone happy at the party. I never thought of this being party food so thanks for sharing! This is one of my favorite recipes so I really need to make it again soon!

      Reply
  8. Gina says

    October 7, 2023

    I made this nearly exact except I doubled it and it turned out SO good! Super easy to shred because its was so tender. The flavor was incredible. Made my own Giardiniera for topping. What a hit!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      November 10, 2023

      Kudos on making your own Giardiniera! Thank you for trying this recipe out and letting me know how it worked out – reading your comment has made me hungry 😀

      Reply
  9. Kathie says

    August 14, 2023

    Very good. I added sautéed onions with red Cherry peppers. Will make again

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      August 30, 2023

      Those sound delicious! I’m a big fan of sauteed onions. Thanks for sharing, Kathie!

      Reply
  10. Diane Dutko says

    May 13, 2023

    Great taste
    Easy to prep

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      May 16, 2023

      That’s great to hear, Diane. Easy to make but good flavor is always a win for my recipes 🙂

      Reply
  11. Margie says

    February 8, 2023

    Yum

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 18, 2023

      Thank you, Margie! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Grammasue says

    February 5, 2023

    We have been making these since the late 1970s. They are so good and so easy to make. I sometimes make it in the oven bc my crockpot is very small. It works just as good and a lot quicker. I also add one thinly sliced yellow onion. Th e au jus is to die for! Leftovers are great also. (if there are any left )

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 5, 2023

      I had no idea this was such a vintage recipe! Thank you for sharing and I’m with you on the au jus. It’s such a good dippable sandwich.

      Reply
  13. Todd says

    January 19, 2023

    I’m making this now and the liquid is at the top of my roast. Should there be that much liquid? Seems like it’s just goiy to boil.

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      January 19, 2023

      If you used 2 cups of beef broth and 1/2 cup of pepperoncini juice it should be fine. You’ll want the liquid to dip your sandwiches into later.

      Reply
      • Todd says

        January 19, 2023

        Perfect, thank you for the reply.

        Reply
        • The Cooking Jar says

          January 19, 2023

          Absolutely. I might add some process step-by-step photos so people can see how much liquid they should have to start with. Just incase they have the same question!

    • Hannah Pilgrim says

      April 2, 2023

      Does the roast need to be thawed before cooking in crockpot?

      Reply
      • The Cooking Jar says

        April 2, 2023

        Yes, it does. I don’t cook from frozen, so all my recipes assume the meat has been thawed.

        Reply
  14. Ronesha says

    December 31, 2022

    This was absolutely delicious! I made it for my boyfriend and he loved it! I will definitely make it again 🙂

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      January 2, 2023

      That’s fantastic 🙂 I love that he enjoyed them too. Thanks, Ronesha!

      Reply
  15. Brittani says

    December 30, 2022

    Delicious! My toddler loved this recipe as well. Easy to make and will make again.

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      January 2, 2023

      Wow, your toddler has adventurous tastes! I love it 🙂

      Reply
Newer Comments »

Primary Sidebar

Grilled shrimp on plate.
Farah - Author of The Cooking Jar.

Here at The Cooking Jar you'll find recipes that focus on practical everyday food using everyday ingredients. Each recipe is tried and true from my kitchen to yours. Happy cooking!

More About Me
The Cooking Jar eBook - Readers Favorite Recipes.
The Cooking Jar eBook - Readers Favorite Recipes.

FREE eCookbook!

Subscribe to the newsletter + get a free copy of our most popular recipes!

Thank you!

Check your email to confirm and activate your subscription.

Kitchen Essentials - The Basics.

Summer Favorites

  • A plate of salmon pasta with fresh basil and lemon wedges.
    Light Lemon Garlic Pasta with Salmon
  • A generous serving of creamy honey butter skillet corn topped with freshly cracked black pepper on a wooden spoon.
    Honey Butter Skillet Corn
  • Hibachi rice, chicken and veggies on a white plate with some yum yum sauce on the side.
    Hibachi Chicken
  • A creamy potato salad topped with fresh dill in white bowl.
    The Best Creamy Potato Salad
  • A top down picture of air fryer honey garlic salmon in a bowl with rice and broccoli.
    Air Fryer Honey Garlic Salmon
  • A hand holding a hamburger bun generously stuffed with homemade Sloppy Joes.
    Homemade Sloppy Joes
  • Featured On
  • Buzzfeed Logo.
  • the kitchn Logo.
  • delish Logo.
  • The Huffington Post Logo.
  • CountryLiving Logo.
The Cooking Jar eBook - Readers Favorite Recipes.
The Cooking Jar eBook - Readers Favorite Recipes.

FREE eCookbook!

Subscribe to the newsletter + get a free copy of our most popular recipes!

Thank you!

Check your email to confirm and activate your subscription.

The Cooking Jar Logo

Recipes

  • Appetizers
  • Beef
  • Breakfast
  • Chicken
  • Casseroles
  • Dips and Sauces
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta
  • Seafood
  • Sides and Salads
  • Slow Cooker
  • Soups and Stews
©2025, The Cooking Jar. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Nutrition Disclaimer
Back To Top
×
The Cooking Jar eBook - Readers Favorite Recipes.
The Cooking Jar eBook - Readers Favorite Recipes.

FREE eCookbook!

Subscribe to the newsletter + get a free copy of our most popular recipes!

Thank you!

Check your email to confirm and activate your subscription.

80K Shares
Pin80K
Share
Email