Easy Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches made from chuck roast and pepperoncini are ready in just over an hour — faster than the Crock-Pot and so good!
Loaded with tender, juicy shredded beef and topped with tangy pepperoncini and melted provolone cheese, these Instant Pot Italian beef sandwiches are simply the best! It’s one of our favorite Instant Pot recipes to make for an easy dinner or game day!
I love Portillo’s Italian beef sandwiches, and Polish sausage, but since we don’t have a restaurant close by, we don’t go there that often. Since it’s hard to get a decent Italian beef sandwich near me, I started making this quick Italian beef recipe in the Instant Pot.
This Instant Pot Italian roast beef is super simple — It’s pretty much a dump and start recipe with practically no prep. It does take about an hour to cook, so while it’s not the fastest Instant Pot recipe on the planet, it’s much faster than making Italian beef in the Crock-Pot!
And that’s what I love most about the Instant Pot — You can cook a roast in just an hour or two. Incredible — especially if you’re like me and forget to plan ahead!
How to make easy Instant Pot Italian beef sandwiches
Like I said, this recipe requires hardly any prep, but I do like to cut the roast in 3 large pieces to help it cook evenly, especially if it’s a thick roast.
What kind of meat do you use for Italian beef?
I use chuck roast because it shreds beautifully and has a melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes the best shredded beef sandwiches. You could also use a rump roast or round roast.
I like to avoid seasoning packets to keep the sodium level down, so I just throw in Italian seasoning, garlic and a few other ingredients. I also use low-sodium beef broth and, of course, pepperoncini peppers!
You can use as many peppers as you want here. I used about a half of a 16-ounce jar, which is roughly 1 cup, plus some juice. If you want extra spice, use the entire jar and as much of the juice as you want.
After the roast is done, use two forks to shred the meat — honestly, it practically shreds itself. It’s so tender! Then, you can use the meat for Italian beef sandwiches or eat it with a fork for a low carb, keto dinner.
If you make Italian beef sandwiches, add some extra peppers and plenty of provolone cheese — yum! Then, pile on the juice or dunk the sandwich in the juice. Double yum!
You can even add giardiniera for a more authentic Chicago style Italian beef.
More Instant Pot sandwich recipes
Recipe for Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 3 pound chuck roast
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning mix
- 1 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers with juice (about 1/2 of a 16-ounce jar)
- hard rolls
- provolone cheese
Instructions
- Cut chuck roast into 3 pieces, and place in the Instant Pot
- Season with Italian seasoning, sea salt, garlic powder, onions and pepper
- Pour beef broth around the meat, and top with pepperoncini peppers and small amount of juice
- Place lid on Instant Pot, turn vent to Sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 50 minutes. Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure, then cook for 50 minutes and beep when done. Allow 10 to 15 minutes natural release, then do quick release to release remaining pressure
- When pin drops, open lid, and shred beef -- you can do this on another plate. Return meat to pot to soak up more juice, or make sandwiches, and serve with juice on the side
- To make sandwiches, place sliced provolone cheese on both sides of a cut roll, add shredded beef, place on baking sheet, and bake in 350 degree oven until cheese melts. Top with additional pepperoncini and more juice, if desired
Video
Notes
Nutrition
My family loves these easy Instant Pot Italian beef sandwiches. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
How spicy are the peppers? My husband doesn’t like anything that’s really spicy.
If you get the mild peppers, they aren’t spicy at all.
Can I add a can of beer to the instapot ,this recipe?
Yes, you can use beer, although the flavor might be different.
YUM This was wonderful!. I’ve never tried it with beer (not a drinker) but have made a similiar version with ….ketchup!! Yes you heard it here first. Just add 2-3 cups (or more) of ketchup (it’s gotta be Heinz) before sealing the instant pot. This way it comes out fork tender … there might not even be seconds to have for leftovers!!!
Love it! Entire family loves it!
That’s wonderful, Janice! Thanks so much!
Made this and it was a HUGE HIT! Even with my picky kids. I used jar of hot and sweet peppers instead. YUM!
I’m so happy to hear this, Jody. Thank you! 🙂
Holy cow — this is the best Italian beef recipe I have ever made! I actually made this two nights in a row – once for dinner with all the kids and then again tonight for me and the husband because we didn’t have any leftovers — even though I had made it with about 5 lbs of chuck roast! BTW – the recipe worked beautifully with the larger amount of meat. I like to sear mine first on the stove, then I cut each roast into 3 pieces and layered it in the Instant Pot (I didn’t cram it full). I added an extra 20 minutes to the cook time and jeez … fall-apart tender, the house smelled great… and it was so easy. Great recipe! (the only child with an Instant Pot requested the recipe 🙂 — now that’s a win!)
You totally made my day! Thank you so much — so happy you liked the recipe!
These Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches look so zesty and tasty! Absolutely love your creative idea! Thanks, Dee for sharing!
Thanks so much, Bella! We just love them. 🙂
I’m going to try this recipe later today as it sounds really good! I used to work right down the street from Portillo’s and their sandwiches used to be awesome! I don’t know what happened but they changed their meat or something and then they just became kind of so-so. So now I live in Pennsylvania where are the nearest italian roast beef sandwiches are 400 miles away! 🙁
I hope you like the recipe! I had to start making my own since we don’t have Portillo’s near around here, either.
I would like to double the recipe and make a 6 pound roast. Should I double the cooking time?
If you’re using a chuck roast that’s cut into smaller pieces, you can use the same cooking time.
I would like to double the recipe, but still cook it in a 6 qt pot. Would I double the amount of broth or leave it at 1 cup? Thanks!
I would keep the broth amount the same since the roast will release plenty of liquid.
WHAT CHANGES IF YOU HAVE A BOTTOM ROUND ROAST 7 LBS
I’ve never used that cut before in the IP, so I can’t say for sure. But, for a round roast at that weight, I would try 90 minutes.
Making this for the second time tonight. We loved them the first time and ate the sandwiches three dinners in a row 😁 hoping to freeze some this time so I can make some Italian beef/Italian sausage combo with red sauce in a week or 2. Thanks very much for sharing this!
Thanks, Paula! So glad you liked the recipe! We’re actually making this tonight, as well. 🙂
Hi! The last package of beef the store had was 1.5 pounds. Should I just cook for half the time do you think? Looks delicious, can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
I would personally stick with 50 minutes for the texture to bee just right. But, you can try a shorter cook time and add more time if it’s not tender enough.
Thank you!
Really good! The “juice” left after cooking was pretty salty, but I just added some water. I’ve often made beef in the slow cooker or the oven that’s tender but the flavor didn’t really penetrate the meat – this beef has flavor all the way thru. This one’s a keeper! Thank you!
Thanks! The IP makes roasts taste amazing! So happy you enjoyed it. 🙂
Q: I don’t have an “instant pot” but have a 6qt slow cooker. What cook times would you recommend for a slow cooker with HO/LOW and AUTO settings? (This will be my 1st Italian beef sanwich)!
I haven’t made this particular recipe in the Crock-Pot, but when I make my Mississippi roast in there, I usually do it on high for 4 hours, and this is very similar. You can see that recipe here: https://www.meatloafandmelodrama.com/crock-pot-mississippi-chuck-roast/
Thank you for the quick reply! I’m making my shopping list now and will make this for an upcoming visit next month. It looks like you may have seeded the peppers or did you use the entire pepper? Anxious to try your recipe….!
I used a jar of mild sliced peppers to make it easier, so there were not that many seeds inside. 🙂
I’d love to get some guidelines for doubling this if possible, as I will be making it for a crowd. Is it safe to use 1 cup broth plus 1 cup pepperoncini juice if I’m going to put a 6-pound roast into an 8-quart IP, and would all the dry ingredients also be doubled? Just want to be sure!
You’ll get added juice from the extra meat, so 1 cup of broth should be fine. I would double the dry seasonings, though.
Looking forward to trying this out but who in Chicago puts cheese on beef? It’s not a Philly Steak 😦
True. But, some people like to put cheese on everything! 🙂
My husband won’t eat the peppers but I still made it with the peppers and juice and just took the peppers out when done. I added the peppers to mine but not his. It was so tasty!!
That’s wonderful, Jenna — so glad you liked it. My husband isn’t a huge fan of the peppers either. 🙂
What a deeeeeelicious recipe! It takes me back to when my wife and I had an Italian beef sandwich from Johnny’s, in Chicago! Do you think doubling the recipe will work/fit in a 6-quart Instant Pot?
Thanks so much! You should be able to double this in the 6 quart as long as it’s not past the fill line. 🙂
My husband hates the peppers any suggestions for replacement or can it be omitted
You can omit the peppers — it just won’t taste the same. I have had Italian beef with bell peppers at a restaurant, so you could dry that. 🙂