By Becky Hardin
Updated Feb 25, 2025
I love these slow cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches. This is the way to up leftover beef Rib Roast. Make the beef in the slow cooker and serve it on hoagie buns. These sandwiches really make the best out of the roasted beef! Homemade Italian Beef Sandwiches are so delicious and juicy, I just know you’re going to love them!
5-Star Review
“What a genius way to use up leftovers. I love the juiciness of the meat and that it tastes nothing like leftovers!” -Natasha
Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
This Chicago-born classic sandwich features thinly sliced, slow cooked beef piled on hoagie buns, soaked in rich meaty juices and topped with melty Provolone cheese. The beef is cooked with Italian seasoning and served with a pickled relish. I’m using my leftover Prime Rib Roast to make these sandwiches. These are so good as easy leftovers!
Tips For Beginners
- In a classic Italian beef recipe, sirloin cut is used. This cut is leaner, more flavorful and thinly sliced. However, you can’t cut the paper-thin slices at home without a commercial slicer. I prefer to use Chuck roast for this reason.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 6 pound rib roast cooked according to these instructions
- ▢ 1 ounce Italian Seasoning mix 1 packet
- ▢ 1/2 ounce beef au jus seasoning 1/2 packet
- ▢ 8 oz pepperoncini pepper slices + 2 tablespoons juice from jar use more juice if you like things spicier
- ▢ 12 ounces roasted red peppers drained and diced
- ▢ 1/2 red onion sliced
- ▢ 14.5 oz beef broth
- ▢ provolone cheese sliced
- ▢ hoagie buns
- ▢ horseradish sauce for serving
Instructions
- This is a recipe for using your leftover roast to make sandwiches. You can find my roast recipe here . 1 6 pound rib roast
- Take your leftover roast and chop into cubes, removing any excess fat.
- Place roast cubes into a large crock pot. Sprinkle with the Italian Seasoning Mix and au jus seasoning. 1 ounce Italian Seasoning mix, 1/2 ounce beef au jus seasoning
- Add in the pepperoncini, juice, roasted red peppers, and sliced onion. Pour the beef broth over everything. Stir to combine/coat. 8 oz pepperoncini pepper slices + 2 tablespoons juice from jar, 12 ounces roasted red peppers, 1/2 red onion, 14.5 oz beef broth
- Cover with lid and cook on low for 2 hours or until everything is hot and the beef is easy to shred with two forks (or chop with a sharp knife). This recipe is using COOKED roast, it is an idea for leftovers. If cooking a roast from raw, you would cook on low for 9 hours. After shredding, cook on low for another hour or until ready to serve.
- 15 minutes before ready to serve, scoop the shredded meat on half of the hoagie buns and top with Provolone cheese. Spread horseradish sauce on the back of the top piece of bun. Place the top half of the bun on the sandwich. You can serve as is, or I like to wrap it tightly in foil and cook in the oven (350°F) for 10-15 minutes or until cheese and bun are hot. Serve and enjoy! provolone cheese, hoagie buns, horseradish sauce for serving
Becky’s Tips
- Remove excess fat from leftover roast beef before cooking in the slow cooker.
- Choose sub style sandwich rolls. They are crusty and hold the shape well with the roast and juices. Soft rolls will get mushy.
- Giardiniera (relish made with pickled vegetables) is the topping for the traditional Italian beef, but choose any pickle that is available.
- I use chuck roast, but top/bottom round and sirloin will also work
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Store and Reheat
Transfer any leftover beef to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
If you freeze the beef, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it on the stovetop. Assemble Italian beef sandwiches whenever you want!
Serving Suggestions
Italian Beef Sandwiches are great for a hearty lunch or as a main meal. You can serve them up with my Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing or vegetable Kale Caesar Salad . And enjoy my Mozzarella Sticks as an appetizer with boozy Raspberry Cream Soda .
more beef recipes that you’ll love
Denver Steak
Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup
Beef Bourguignon (Beef Burgundy)
Beef Stew Seasoning
Instant Pot Pot Roast
Air Fryer Steak Bites
Cowboy Beans
Beef Barley Soup
Best Italian Beef Sandwiches (Leftover Roast Recipe Idea)
Ingredients
- 1 6 pound rib roast cooked according to these instructions
- 1 ounce Italian Seasoning mix 1 packet
- 1/2 ounce beef au jus seasoning 1/2 packet
- 8 oz pepperoncini pepper slices + 2 tablespoons juice from jar use more juice if you like things spicier
- 12 ounces roasted red peppers drained and diced
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 14.5 oz beef broth
- provolone cheese sliced
- hoagie buns
- horseradish sauce for serving
Instructions
- This is a recipe for using your leftover roast to make sandwiches. You can find my roast recipe here . 1 6 pound rib roast
- Take your leftover roast and chop into cubes, removing any excess fat.
- Place roast cubes into a large crock pot. Sprinkle with the Italian Seasoning Mix and au jus seasoning. 1 ounce Italian Seasoning mix, 1/2 ounce beef au jus seasoning
- Add in the pepperoncini, juice, roasted red peppers, and sliced onion. Pour the beef broth over everything. Stir to combine/coat. 8 oz pepperoncini pepper slices + 2 tablespoons juice from jar, 12 ounces roasted red peppers, 1/2 red onion, 14.5 oz beef broth
- Cover with lid and cook on low for 2 hours or until everything is hot and the beef is easy to shred with two forks (or chop with a sharp knife). This recipe is using COOKED roast, it is an idea for leftovers. If cooking a roast from raw, you would cook on low for 9 hours. After shredding, cook on low for another hour or until ready to serve.
- 15 minutes before ready to serve, scoop the shredded meat on half of the hoagie buns and top with Provolone cheese. Spread horseradish sauce on the back of the top piece of bun. Place the top half of the bun on the sandwich. You can serve as is, or I like to wrap it tightly in foil and cook in the oven (350°F) for 10-15 minutes or until cheese and bun are hot. Serve and enjoy! provolone cheese, hoagie buns, horseradish sauce for serving
Notes
- Remove excess fat from leftover roast beef before cooking in the slow cooker.
- Choose sub style sandwich rolls. They are crusty and hold the shape well with the roast and juices. Soft rolls will get mushy.
- Giardiniera (relish made with pickled vegetables) is the topping for the traditional Italian beef, but choose any pickle that is available.
- I use chuck roast, but top/bottom round and sirloin will also work
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
