These Italian Beef Sandwiches are perfect for sandwich night! An easy, tender beef roast recipe is made in the slow cooker, then served on rolls with an easy Ranch Horseradish sauce.
Sandwich lovers – raise your hand! I’m always up for sandwich night. If you are looking for more sandwich recipes, make sure to also check out these Monte Cristo Sandwiches, this Club Sandwich, or these Toasted Cheese Sandwiches. Or for another Italian-inspired sandwich, try this Italian Sub.
The older my kids get, the busier things seem to be getting. I thought life was crazy with toddlers, but now, it seems like my time is stretched even more.
Through all the craziness, there is something that has been saving dinner time lately – the slow cooker.
As I was searching my site for dinner ideas recently, I came across these Italian Beef Sandwiches and couldn’t believe how long it had been since I had made them. So they instantly went onto the menu. And then we ended up having them twice in one month because we loved them so much!
The beef does take a long time to cook, so keep that in mind. You can even prep everything the night before (it only takes minutes!) and then throw it all into the slow cooker early in the morning. Or cook the beef one day and have it for dinner the next night. I have also included instructions below on how to make the beef in the Instant Pot, which saves even more time!
How to Make the Italian Beef
If you love a dump and cook recipe, this is one for you!
- Set the chuck roast in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Sprinkle the Italian dressing mix over the top of the beef.
- Add chopped onion and chopped green bell pepper. Pour in the beef broth and pepperoncini juice.
- Cook on low for 12 hours, or until the beef shreds easily.
- Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks, or wait for it to cool slightly and shred it with your hands.
- Return the beef to the slow cooker so that it can soak up the juices. (If you don’t want the extra moisture, you don’t have to add it back into the slow cooker.)
Ranch Horseradish Sauce
One thing that I think sets this sandwich apart from others is the Ranch Horseradish Sauce. I love horseradish, so I seriously want to slather this on everything! It’s super simple and only takes a few ingredients:
- sour cream
- dry ranch dressing mix
- horseradish
All you need to do is combine all three ingredients and stir to mix. These ingredients should all be easy to find. You can usually find grated horseradish in the produce section. You don’t want the creamy horseradish, it will have horseradish, vinegar, and salt.
Assembling the Sandwiches
- When the beef is done, set the oven to broil.
- Spread some of the ranch horseradish sauce on one side of your hoagie roll. Add some of the beef, then add 1 1/2 slices of provolone to the top. (I like to cut the slices in half to make them fit well.)
- Broil just until the bun is toasted and the cheese is melted.
I like to add more of the sauce to the other side of the roll, as well, but that is totally optional.
Instant Pot vs Slow Cooker
If you don’t want to take all day making this recipe in the slow cooker, you can easily change it to the Instant Pot. Here are the changes you’ll need to make.
- Cut the beef into 4-6 pieces and add them to the Instant Pot. Sprinkle the seasoning, onions and pepper over the top and stir to combine.
- Add the beef broth and the pepperoncini juice.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock the lid, making sure the vent is closed.
- Select manual and set the time for 60 minutes.
- When the time has elapsed, let the Instant Pot to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure.
- Shred the beef and continue the recipe as indicated in the recipe card.
More Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
Crock Pot Chili
Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Slow Cooker Black Beans
Slow Cooker Cuban Ropa Vieja
Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip
Italian Beef Sandwiches
Ingredients
- Beef
- 1 2-3 lb beef chuck roast
- 1 package 0.6 oz dry Italian dressing mix
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini juice
- Ranch Horseradish Sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 teaspoon horseradish
- For serving
- 8 Hoagie rolls
- 12 slices provolone cheese
- Pepperoncini peppers or banana peppers
Instructions
- Place the beef roast in a large slow cooker. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the top, as well as the onion and green pepper. Pour the beef broth and the pepperoncini juice over the top, cover, and cook on low for 12 hours, or until the beef easily shreds.
- When the beef is done, remove from the slow cooker to a cutting board and shred. Return to the slow cooker and stir into the juices.
- Make the Ranch Horseradish Sauce: Stir together all of the ingredients.
- To make the sandwich: Turn the oven onto broil. Spread one side of the bun with the Ranch Horseradish sauce. Top with some of the shredded beef, then cover with provolone cheese. Put under the broiler until the cheese melts. Top with pepperoncini peppers.
Jessica says
This is delicious and so easy to prepare. I made it last night and we didn’t end up having it for dinner but I had to sneak a taste. I will make horseradish sauce today and serve it up to the family tonight. I used a grass-fed roast and herbs de Provence. I cooked it on high since I didn’t start it until afternoon, but switched to *warm* when I knew we weren’t going to be eating it right away. Let this roast cook as long as possible – it shreds beautifully and melts in your mouth.
Also, I love the idea of using the crock pot in the summer. We do not have central a/c so I avoid turning the oven on at all costs. Thank you!
Deborah says
So glad it worked out so well for you! I hope you loved it just as much on the sandwiches.
Joanne says
It is definitely hard to figure out what to cook in the summer…because even all that produce often requires turning on the oven! Love the idea of a summer of sandwiches.
Liz says
Nice recipe. Thanks so much and have a great weekend!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea says
I am with Matt—-well I probably like slow cooked pork THE best, but slow cooked beef is right on the heels. It makes wonderful sandwiches. Its fun to have a crock pot full of this and then let everyone make their own sandwich.
Matt Robinson says
Nothing better to me than slow cooked beef. And on a sandwich like this, so great!
Chels R. says
This looks yummmm-e! I love my slow-cooking. In fact, I’m using it right now 🙂 But I am more of a cooler weather kind of girl. The hubs is a complete opposite, lol!
bev @ bevcooks says
Those peppers on top. YESSS MAMA.
cheryl illinois says
I, too, love soup and all the stuff we cook only in the Winter. I will definitely try this beef recipe and I plan to try using the slow cooker instead of the oven for some of the things I cook in Winter. Love to eat outside no matter what I am eating.
Catherine says
I still crave cold weather food too. I love comfort food and most of that means using the oven….This is a wonderful dish. Blessings, Catherine
Debbie says
I, too, love my soups (and even chili!) year round! These sandwiches look just yummy and I’ll be trying them as soon as I get a roast and hoagie rolls. Thanks for a great sounding recipe!
Jennifer @ Mother Thyme says
This looks delicious! I love using my slow cooker year round, especially in the summer when I spend most of my time outdoors. It’s great having dinner going all day and after a day outdoors I can come in and dinner is ready to go! This will definitely be cookig in my slow cooker this summer! 🙂