Italian Beef Sandwich

5 from 36 votes
33 Comments

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This Italian Beef Sandwich is tender and full of flavor. Tender beef, slow cooked in savory juices paired with spicy fixings make a savory melt in your mouth meal!

Three Italian Beef Sandwiches lined up with au jus dipping sauce.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in this Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe
  2. How to Cook the Perfect Italian Beef
  3. Best Cuts of Meat for Italian Beef
  4. Variations for this Sandwich
  5. Frequently Asked Questions
  6. More Delicious Sandwich Recipes
  7. How to Make an Italian Beef Sandwich
  8. Italian Beef Sandwiches Recipe

This Italian Beef Sandwich recipe is officially my new favorite way to cook a roast! So not only does it make what will sure to be one of your favorite sandwiches, you can serve this beef as a main course and use the savory drippings to make gravy. Then cut the leftover beef into thin slices for some delicious sandwiches. This has a bit of a kick to it, with simple seasonings and smothered in pepper jack cheese. It’s a full meal on a bun, that’s for sure! Serve with some potato chips, fruit or a simple salad and let this sandwich be the star of the show.

Ingredients in this Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe

Grab your crock pot, some of your favorite seasonings and a good roast and you’ll be feasting on hearty sandwiches by suppertime! Here’s what you need:

  • Beef roast – the entire roast should be 3-4 pounds. Read more below on what type of roast is best for this recipe.
  • Beef consommé – you can find cans of consommé in the soups section of your grocery store. Or you can use beef broth with extra bouillon added in.
  • Pepperoncini peppers – 16 ounces sliced peppers WITH the juice
  • Italian seasoning mix – I like to use an envelope of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix. It’s made with oregano, salt, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, black pepper, basil, thyme, and celery salt all in one easy packet.
  • Fresh minced garlic – mince one or two cloves of garlic or use a teaspoon pre-minced garlic.
  • Kosher salt – to taste
  • Hoagie Rolls – I also like to use small French rolls, but you can use any type of buns you like.
  • Pepper jack cheese – I love the spicy kick of this cheese, but you can use deli sliced provolone cheese too.
  • For an extra kick, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Italian Been Sandwich ingredients including roast, bread rolls, peperoncini, Italian recipe mix, garlic, beef consommé and pepper jack cheese.


How to Cook the Perfect Italian Beef

There are many schools of thought when it comes to making the most tender, flavorful roast. Whether you’re a fan of the slow cooker, with this Slow Cooker Roast Beef, the instant pot for our Instant Pot Sunday Pot Roast or the oven, follow some simple steps to ensure tender, fall apart meat every time.

  • Bring the meat to room temperature. Take it out of the fridge and let it relax a little before roasting.
  • Start with the right pan or pot. A heavy duty roasting pan or a Dutch oven works best. It needs to be able to transfer from stove top to oven.
  • Sear that meat! Using hot vegetable oil or olive oil, sear all sides of your roast on medium-high heat until there’s a nice brown crust. This step will ensure all those delicious juices stay locked in and give it a gorgeous color.
  • For tantalizing fall-apart meat remember these two words: LOW and SLOW. Simmering at a lower heat for a longer period of time will give even tougher types of meat that tender texture your family will die over!
  • Slow cook for at least six hours, until the meat is fork tender.
  • Make sure your meat never roasts dry. Keep it covered in its natural juices and beef broth for maximum juicy tenderness.
Fork shredding the cooked beef roast for Italian Beef Sandwiches.

Best Cuts of Meat for Italian Beef

Choosing a cut of meat can seem confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. With the low and slow method, most any cut can be roasted to tender perfection. But here are a few options to look for at the grocery store:

  • Boneless Chuck Roast
  • Rump Roast
  • Chuck Shoulder Pot Roast
  • Rib Roast
  • Ribeye Roast
  • Tenderloin Roast
  • Tri-Tip Roast (try this Rosemary Tri-Tip Roast!)
  • Round Tip Roast
  • Bottom Round Roast

Variations for this Sandwich

Not a huge fan of pepperocini peppers? Leave them off. Love red onions? Throw some on! The beauty of this recipe is you can add or take off any toppings you like.

  • I usually swap out the pepper jack cheese for a more mild flavor for my kids, something like Monterrey jack or melted provolone cheese.
  • Add any vegetables you like! Throw in some sweet peppers, hot peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, olives, just about anything you like.
Dipping an Italian Beef Sandwich in au jus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What goes well with Italian Beef Sandwiches?

This sandwich stands on its own, but is delicious served with pasta salad, fruit salad, potato chips or some baked parmesan fries.

What is the difference between Italian Beef and Philly Cheesesteak and French Dip Sandwiches?

A Chicago style Italian beef sandwich is sliced beef on a roll, served with beef juices. Philly cheesesteaks are made with slices of ribeye that have been cooked on a grill and served on hoagie buns. French Dips are served with the juices from the meat but typically on French bread.

What cut of beef is best for an Italian Beef Sandwich?

Boneless chuck roast is the best cut of meat for this Italian beef recipe because it has the right amount of fat to help keep the beef tender and delicious.

What should I serve with an Italian Beef Sandwich?

If you want to serve something authentic to Italy, serve giardiniera (or Italian pickled vegetables) with your sandwich. Looking for something more suitable to kids, serve with potato chips, fruit, or fresh veggies and dip.

More Delicious Sandwich Recipes

How to Make an Italian Beef Sandwich

Close up of an Italian Beef Sandwich on a lightly toasted bun and melted pepper jack cheese.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

5 from 36 votes
This Italian Beef Sandwich is tender and full of flavor. Tender beef, slow cooked in savory juices paired with spicy fixings make a savory melt in your mouth meal!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Course Lunch
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Video

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beef roast
  • 10.5 ounces beef consomme
  • 8 ounces sliced pepperoncini peppers with juice
  • 1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
  • 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 6 French rolls
  • 6 slices Pepper Jack cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 275. Place beef roast in a large roasting pan, then pour the can of beef consomme over the top.
    Roasting pan with a Roast and Beef Consommé for Italian Beef Sandwiches.
  • Pour ½ of the pepperoncini peppers, including juice, over the top. Then sprinkle the dry italian dressing mix, minced garlic, and kosher salt over that.
    Roasting pan with a Roast topped with peperoncini for Italian Beef Sandwiches.
  • Cook for about 6 hours, roast should easily shred, if not cook a little longer.
    Fork shredding the cooked beef roast for Italian Beef Sandwiches.
  • When the roast is done, shred the beef into the juice and pepperoncinis.
    Bowl of Shredded beef roast with juices for Italian Been Sandwiches. Two forks in the bowl for shredding.
  • Open the french rolls and place open face up on a cookie sheet. Layer one side of each roll with sliced pepper jack cheese.
    Four rolls with beef and pepper jack cheese on a baking sheet for Italian Beef Sandwiches.
  • Place pan under the broiler on high until cheese starts to melt. Remove pan from oven and line each sandwich with shredded beef, using a large fork or slotted spoon. Ladle additonal beef broth into a small cup to use as au jus for dipping.
    Four lightly toasted rolls with shredded Italian beef and melted pepper jack cheese for Sandwiches.

Notes

  • Bring the meat to room temperature. Take it out of the fridge and let it relax a little before roasting.
  • Start with the right pan or pot. A heavy duty roasting pan or a Dutch oven works best. It needs to be able to transfer from stove top to oven.
  • Sear that meat! Using hot vegetable oil or olive oil, sear all sides of your roast on medium-high heat until there’s a nice brown crust. This step will ensure all those delicious juices stay locked in and give it a gorgeous color.
  • For tantalizing fall-apart meat remember these two words: LOW and SLOW. Simmering at a lower heat for a longer period of time will give even tougher types of meat that tender texture your family will die over!
  • Slow cook for at least six hours, until the meat is fork tender.
  • Make sure your meat never roasts dry. Keep it covered in its natural juices and beef broth for maximum juicy tenderness.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 39gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 720mgPotassium: 694mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 310IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 231mgIron: 5mg

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About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

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Comments

  1. After cooking let cool and slice thinly … Italian beef is not Shredded beef. Reheat broth add beef cover turn off heat and let it warm up.

  2. 5 stars
    AWESOME. Husband loved it. We made sandwitches first and since its just the two of us we are going to use the little leftovers as a roast. It will go in my favorite recipe book.

  3. 5 stars
    I made this as written, but put it in the crockpot instead of the oven. It was DELICIOUS!!! My husband raved about it and asked me to make it again soon. Thanks for a great recipe!

      1. You can cook it on high in the crockpot, it just cooks up a little faster. With all the juices it doesn’t burn. It is done when the beef easily shreds into the juices.

  4. if i were going to make stew out of this roast would I add the potatoes celery onion etc in the beginning? Seemed like a long cook time for those….

  5. 5 stars
    Ooh I can definitely see why this is your new favorite way to cook a roast. It looks absolutely fantastic. I love that melty pepper jack cheese.

  6. 5 stars
    Such a simple and flavorful recipe! Your tips about roasting meat are very welcomed. I’m dying to try this sandwich asap! Thanks for sharing.

  7. 5 stars
    This beef looks mouthwatering! Just a question do you mean spicy peppers (peperoncini in Italian) or sweet peppers like bell peppers (peperoni in Italian)?

  8. 5 stars
    this is so delicious! we used to have roast beef sandwiches when we were kids, they’re so delicious! great recipe, thank you!

  9. We have been making a similar recipe for years but ours has the addition of giardinera also (oil drained but saved for use in other recipes!)

    1. I made this exactly how the directions said and it came out REALLY dry and no juices at all. Flavoring seems good, but way to dry 😑

      1. Oh no! I’m not sure what could have gone wrong. There should definitely be juices. Could it be a difference in elevation?

    1. It is approximately 4 cups (12-14 oz. each can). They are very similar– consomme is clarified and maybe slightly more reduced (rich)

  10. 5 stars
    Just made this for dinner tonight and there are no leftovers-I repeat NO LEFTOVERS! Definitely a keeper 🙂

    1. We used a chuck roast, but feel free to use whatever kind you like best. And yes! You can do it in the crockpot on high for about the same amount of time (check it at 6 hours).

      1. 5 stars
        I have made this same recipe for several years in the crock pot. It is a family favorite. I always brown my meat coating it in flour, salt and pepper in a little oil on the stove before putting it in the crock pot. You will want to make plenty for left overs!