This Slow Cooker Italian Beef is classic comfort food the whole family will love. A chuck roast simmers low and slow with Italian seasoning and pickled giardiniera for a tender, flavorful main. Serve it over mashed potatoes and green beans or pile it on an Italian roll with provolone cheese and use the savory broth for dipping.
Make something special for Father’s Day or any night you want an easy, impressive meal. This slow cooker Italian beef requires little hands-on time but delivers generous flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is a true set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker dish—simple to prepare and reliably delicious.
The long, slow cook makes even a modest chuck roast exceptionally tender and juicy.
It’s extremely versatile: enjoy the beef as a sandwich with provolone and au jus, or serve it as a plated main with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- beef chuck roast (about 3½–4 lb)
- olive oil
- yellow onion, roughly chopped
- garlic cloves, minced
- Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and black pepper
- red cooking wine
- low-sodium beef broth
- giardiniera, drained
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Season and sear the roast. Generously season the chuck roast with kosher salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in the slow cooker on the sauté setting or in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast about 5 minutes per side until nicely browned. Transfer the roast to a plate.
2. Sauté the aromatics. Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook with the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until the onions soften, about 5–6 minutes. Add a bit more olive oil if needed.
3. Deglaze and combine. Pour in the red cooking wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits, and simmer until the wine is reduced by about half. Stir in the beef broth, then nestle the seared chuck roast back into the pot along with any juices from the plate and the drained giardiniera.
4. Slow cook until tender. Cover and cook on low for 8–9 hours, or until the roast shreds easily with two forks. After shredding, continue to cook on low for another 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
If your slow cooker has a sauté function you can complete the searing and onion steps right in it; otherwise use a large skillet and transfer everything to the slow cooker to finish. Shred the meat in the cooker with the broth—shred fine for sandwiches and leave some larger pieces if serving with sides.
This recipe was a hit with friends when served both as sandwiches and plated with mashed potatoes and green beans. The rich broth makes a great dip for rolls or to spoon over potatoes.
Because it cooks slowly in one pot, this dish is ideal for special occasions or busy days—prepare it in the morning and enjoy a relaxed dinner with minimal fuss.
Try it for Father’s Day or any time you want a comforting, hands-off meal. Happy cooking!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Slow Cooker Italian Beef
My roast was just over 3½ pounds; adjust cook time slightly for larger or smaller roasts.
Shred directly in the slow cooker with the juices. For sandwiches, shred finely; for plated servings, leave some larger pieces for texture.
The recipe works well whether you brown and sauté in the slow cooker (if it has a sauté function) or in a separate skillet.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Try other comforting slow cooker mains like beef and noodles, gumbo, or honey chipotle chicken for more easy family dinners.
Slow Cooker Italian Beef
Ingredients
- 1 3 1/2-4 lb. chuck roast
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 cup red cooking wine
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 12 oz. jar giardiniera, drained
Instructions
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Season your roast generously with salt and pepper on all sides, then sear your meat in your slow cooker or a large skillet over medium-high heat on both sides in the olive oil until nicely browned, about 5 minutes per side. Once the meat is seared you will remove it to a plate.
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Cook your onions over medium heat with your minced garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and pepper until the onions are somewhat softened, about 5-6 minutes, adding more olive oil, if needed.
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Deglaze with the red wine and cook until it’s reduced by half, then add in your beef broth followed by the chuck roast with any accumulated juices from the plate and the drained giardiniera.
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Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until the meat is easily shredded with two forks. Once you shred your meat continue to cook on low for 30 minutes and then it’s time to serve.
Notes
You can shred your meat with two forks right in the slow cooker with the broth. Shred it as fine as you prefer. I usually leave some bigger chunks in mine if I’m serving with sides. If I serve it on a roll, I usually shred it finer.
I made my Italian Beef in my new Original GreenPan Slow Cooker which I highly recommend.