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    Home » Budget Recipes

    Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe ($2.14 each)

    Published: Sep 11, 2021 · Modified: Feb 8, 2023 by Jessica Fisher

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches are easy to make and packed with flavor from a homemade Italian Seasoning Mix. Top them off with your favorite giardiniera for the ultimate hot sandwich.

    Serve these sandwiches alongside Baked Zucchini Fritters or a simple Cabbage Slaw for an amazing supper.

    italian beef sandwich in a checked lined basket with a metal sauce cup. this …
    Jump to:
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Recipe Costs
    •  More Instant Pot Recipes
    • Tell us what you think!
    • Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

    The Italian Beef sandwich is a classic sandwich with Chicago origins. It’s traditionally served as sliced beef in a roll topped with pickled peppers and vegetables. You can get the whole sandwich dipped in the flavorful jus or dip the sandwich bite by bite into the tasty drippings.

    While Chicago is more than a day trip for most of us, you can still enjoy this classic hot sandwich at home — with your instant pot!

    Yep! Instant Pot Italian Beef comes together in less than an hour and tastes amazing!

    Why Make This

    It’s easy! Making this bad boy was not difficult. In fact, it was a matter of tossing a few ingredients in the instant pot to sauté and then pressure cooker. Later slice up some sub rolls and dish up.

    It’s so yummy! Man, these are good! You’re going to want this recipe on repeat.

    The filling is freezer friendly. Make extra so that you can freeze it for later. It’ll make a quick dinner on a busy night down the line!

    Ingredients

    ingredients for instant pot italian beef on a black table top.

    Here’s what you need for Instant pot Italian Beef:

    boneless beef chuck roast – Look for a marbled roast for best flavor. Boneless is easiest for serving and quickly cooking in the instant pot.

    olive oil – For best flavor and that good old Maillard reaction, you’re going to brown the meat in the pot before pressure cooking.

    onion – Onion adds great flavor to the meat filling as well as the jus.

    spices – You’ll need Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Super simple, yet packed with flavor.

    beef broth – This along with the cooking juices and seasonings of the meat make a flavorful jus for dipping your sandwich in. Yum!

    sub rolls – You can bake your own Homemade Sub Rolls or buy them from the bakery.

    giardiniera – Traditionally Italian beef sandwiches are served with pickled vegetables. There are a number of commercial options that are quite good.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    • browning meat cubes in oil in the instant pot.
    • browned meat in pressure cooker.
    • sauteing onion in drippings in skillet.
    • stirring together seasonings and broth in pot.
    1. Heat the oil in the pot of your pressure cooker on sauté. Brown the beef chunks in the hot oil, turning to sear all sides. Don’t crowd the meat cubes in the pan; you may need to do this in batches. Transfer the meat to a bowl.
    2. Add the onion to the drippings in the pan and cook, stirring, until tender. Add the Italian seasoning and cook for another minute. Stir in the beef broth and cook, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pressure cooker.
    3. Add the meat back in. Stir well to combine. Secure the cover and close the pressure valve. Set the pressure cooker to manual high pressure for 45 minutes. Release the pressure when the cycle ends.
    4. The meat will be tender and shred easily. Shred the meat. Split the buns lengthwise and toast lightly, if desired. Divide the meat among the buns and top with pickled vegetables.
    • meat ready to cook in pot.
    • shredded beef in serving dish next to boat of jus with buns and pickled vegetables.

    FAQs

    What is Italian beef?

    Italian beef is a sandwich consisting of seasoned beef, simmered and served au jus.

    Is Italian beef really Italian?

    Italian beef is a traditional sandwich popularized among Italian-American immigrants in Chicago. Its history goes back to the 1930s.

    What is giardiniera?

    From the Italian word for “gardener”, giardiniera is a type of pickled vegetables, often including peppers, onions, cauliflower, carrots, celery, and sometimes spicy chiles.

    Recipe Costs

    Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

    • chuck roast – $7.98
    • oil – $0.20
    • onion – $0.40
    • seasonings – $0.25
    • sub rolls – $3.00
    • pickled vegetables – $1.00

    While your prices may vary depending on where you shop, you can expect to pay somewhere around $12.83 or $2.14 each.

    sandwich cut in half in basket with cup of jus.

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    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    Italian beef sandwich in black checked basket with jus cup.
    Print Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    5 from 3 votes

    Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

    Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches aren’t difficult to make. They taste amazing, are very freezer-friendly, and can easily be doubled to feed a crowd.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time45 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 483kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $12
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Electric pressure cooker
    • cooking tongs

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 lb boneless, beef chuck roast cut into chunks
    • 1 onion sliced
    • 1 cup beef broth
    • 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning Mix
    • salt
    • black pepper
    • 6 Italian sub rolls split lengthwise
    • optional toppings for Italian beef sandwiches Giardiniera, sautéed bell peppers, or sliced pepperoncini
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    To make the filling in the electric pressure cooker:

    • Heat the oil in the pot of your pressure cooker on sauté. Brown the beef chunks in the hot oil, turning to sear all sides. Don’t crowd the meat cubes in the pan; you may need to do this in batches. Transfer the meat to a bowl.
    • Add the onion to the drippings in the pan and cook, stirring, until tender. Add the Italian seasoning and cook for another minute. Stir in the beef broth and cook, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pressure cooker.
    • Add the meat back in. Stir well to combine.
    • Secure the cover and close the pressure valve. Set the pressure cooker to manual high pressure for 45 minutes. Release the pressure when the cycle ends. The meat will be tender and shred easily.

    To make the filling in the slow cooker:

    • Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the beef chunks and brown on all sides to caramelize. Remove the meat to the crock of a slow cooker.
    • Add the onion to the drippings in the pan and sauté until lightly browned. Stir in the Italian seasoning mix and heat about 1 minute. Add the beef broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer the liquid to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
    • Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Meat should be tender and shred easily.

    To assemble the sandwiches:

    • Slice the rolls lengthwise and toast them well.
    • Shred the meat with two forks or small tongs. Divide the meat among the rolls. Top with the optional toppings and serve with jus on the side.

    To freeze the Italian beef:

    • Portion the meat into meal-size containers. Seal, label, and chill the meat completely before freezing. To serve: thaw and reheat before assembling the sandwiches.

    Notes

    Nutritional values are approximate and are based on ⅙ of the recipe. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 4 days.
    Toppings: Italian beef sandwiches are similar to French dip sandwiches in that they are often served with the cooking juices from the meat, sometimes even drenched. The classic version is served with giardiniera, sweet peppers, and/or pepperoncini. Cheese is not traditionally added, though cheddar, Swiss, and mozzarella are sometimes mentioned on menus.
    To make the giardiniera easier to eat in a sandwich: drain it well and chop the larger chunks of vegetables into more manageable, bite-sized pieces.
    To make a freezer kit: Prepare the Italian beef as directed. Remove from the pot and divide into meal-size containers, adding the jus. Chill this completely prior to storing it in the freezer alongside a pack of Italian rolls. Wrap the bread well for freezing.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 565mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 15mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tell us what you think!Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.

    The post was originally published on October 16, 2013. It has been updated for content and clarity.

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    Comments

    1. Adrienne

      October 21, 2021 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! When I took it out of the instant pot after the designated time it didn’t shred easily so I stuck it back in for 10 min longer and it was perfect! Huge hit! My kids want to pack these for homeschool group from here in out!

      Reply
    2. Jen

      October 20, 2013 at 2:09 pm

      I use this recipe, with less salt and no dried celery:
      http://www.food.com/recipe/italian-dressing-seasoning-dry-mix-63812

      Reply
    3. Lee

      October 18, 2013 at 2:12 pm

      Ummm…meant to say *like it too

      Reply
    4. Lee

      October 18, 2013 at 2:11 pm

      I’m curious about your homemade dressing mix too. Please share :). This looks so yummy. I think all of my people would it too, so, bonus!

      Reply
    5. Jen

      October 17, 2013 at 4:18 am

      We just finished up the last of our Italian Beef last night. I also use a chuck roast, cut slits into it and place whole garlic cloves in the slots. I then sprinkle homemade Italian dressing mix all over the roast, and cook it on low in the slow cooker for around 8 hours. We eat it on homemade crusty buns with provolone cheese. My mom has been making this recipe for as long as I can remember.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        October 18, 2013 at 9:54 am

        Curious about your homemade Italian dressing mix. What do you put in it?

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter their budget.

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