Slow Cooker Italian Beef

This slow cooker Italian beef calls for pantry-ready ingredients and requires almost zero hands-on time. The recipe notes include directions for cooking in the Instant Pot, as well.

One of the longest standing recipes on my website, this delicious beef recipe is loved by many!

Gina, a reader, commented: Mel-I’ve made this twice already and we still want more!!! Soooo good!! I love the concept of throwing everything together into the crock pot and walk away!! Soooo simple yet soooo delicious!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Recipe

• It ditches pre-packaged seasoning mixes in favor of every day pantry-ready spices.
• The prep is incredibly fast with almost zero hands on time. The slow cooker does all the hard work!
• The recipe also gives instructions for how to make this in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker.
• The beef is incredibly flavorful and fall-apart tender!

We almost always serve this delicious slow cooker Italian beef on buns or rolls with sliced Provolone cheese. If I’m feeling extra motivated, I make these easy hamburger buns. The combo of homemade bread + this beef is heavenly!

How to Make Italian Beef

This recipe is one of the easiest slow cooker recipes you’ll ever make.

1. Place the roast in a slow cooker.
2. Whisk together the beef broth and all the seasonings (except the bay leaves) in a bowl or liquid measuring cup.
3. Pour the mixture over the roast, turning the roast once or twice to coat in the mixture.
4. Cover and cook until fall-apart tender, 8 to 10 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high.
5. Shred the beef and keep warm with the juices in the slow cooker.

What cut of beef is best for this recipe? This slow cooker Italian beef turns out best using a chuck roast, arm roast or rump roast. All of those cuts of beef do well cooked low and slow so the meat is ultra-tender and shreds easily.

Make-Ahead Freezer Tips

This slow cooker beef can be made ahead of time and frozen to reheat later. If doing so:

• Cook and shred the beef.
• Freeze with the juices in bags or airtight containers.
• Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, if possible.
• Reheat in the slow cooker on low for 2 to 3 hours or in the oven in a dish covered with aluminum foil for 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

It can also be made a day or two ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated when needed to serve. The flavor will get even better with time!

I posted this recipe within the first year of starting my food blog (back then it was called My Kitchen Cafe and was hosted on blogspot.com; if you’ve been around that long, you deserve an award). That was 17 years ago! And after all these years, we still make this Italian beef all the time. It is truly a tried-and-true favorite! Those are the very best kinds of recipes.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Yield: 10 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 8 hours hrs

Total Time: 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

4.84 stars (112 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup water (can replace with beef broth)
• 1 teaspoon salt (see note)
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper (see note)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 to 5 pounds boneless chuck roast (see note)

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Instructions 

• In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine beef broth, water, salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Whisk to combine.
• Place roast in slow cooker and pour seasoning mixture over the meat. Turn the meat once or twice to coat in the mixture.
• Cover, and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.
• Remove bay leaves, and shred meat, discarding any fat. Toss the shredded meat with the juices in the slow cooker. Keep warm.
• Serve as desired. We love serving the warm beef on rolls with Provolone cheese. To elevate the sandwiches, toast the inside of the rolls in butter and garlic seasoning before filling with meat and cheese.

Notes

Updated Note: this recipe has been on my website for almost 20 years. Over the years, I’ve reduced the salt in favor of adding salt, to taste, at the end, if needed. Also, I almost always use 2 1/2 cups beef broth instead of using broth + water. Final note, I also add 1 tablespoon beef bouillon paste to the spice mixture before pouring over the meat. It boosts flavor! 

Beef: I’ve found the meat is most tender using a chuck roast, arm roast, or rump roast.

Instant Pot Variation: this beef can be made in the Instant Pot. No adjustments to ingredients are necessary. Place the roast in the Instant Pot and pour the liquid/seasoning mixture in, turning the roast to coat. Cook on high pressure for 60-65 minutes for a 3-pound roast and around 75 to 80 minutes for a 5-pound roast. Let the pressure naturally release for at least 10 minutes. Follow the shredding and serving instructions in the recipe.

Author: Mel

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Method: Slow Cooker

Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 125mg, Sodium: 448mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 0.1g

Recommended Products

Liquid Measuring Cup

8-Quart Slow Cooker

Wire Whisk

Recipe Source: inspired by allrecipes.com (ditched the Italian seasoning packet for pantry-ready ingredients)

Recipe originally published December 2008; updated October 2025 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.

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