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This Instant Pot Italian Beef turns a chuck roast into incredibly tender, flavorful shredded beef with very little hands-on work. Pepperoncini, garlic, and Italian herbs give the beef a rich, tangy flavor as it pressure cooks until it practically falls apart. Serve it piled onto toasted rolls for sandwiches or spoon it over mashed potatoes for an easy comfort-food dinner.
Why This Instant Pot Italian Beef Works
This Instant Pot Italian Beef is one of those recipes I turn to when I want a dinner that delivers big flavor without a lot of work.
- No seasoning packet needed. Just like my Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast, I skip the packaged mix. Instead of ranch-forward flavor, I season this beef with garlic and robust Italian herbs.
- Tangy, not spicy. Pepperoncini peppers add a bright, tangy flavor without making the beef hot. Their brine also adds acidity to the cooking liquid and helps to tenderize the beef.
- So many ways to serve it. Pile the shredded beef onto a toasted roll, much like my Instant Pot French Dip, spoon it over mashed potatoes for pure comfort food, or pair it with roasted vegetables for a lower-carb dinner.
Notes on Ingredients Needed
- Chuck Roast: Chuck roast is my first choice because its marbling breaks down during pressure cooking, giving you tender, juicy beef that shreds easily.
- Italian Seasoning: Many Italian Beef recipes rely on a packet of Italian dressing mix. I use my homemade Italian seasoning instead, along with fresh garlic. It gives you plenty of flavor while letting you control exactly what goes into the recipe.
- Pepperoncini Peppers: You will need an 8-ounce jar, or about 1 cup of peppers plus ⅓ cup of the brine. Whole or sliced pepperoncini work, but I prefer sliced peppers because they distribute more evenly throughout the beef and are already the right size for sandwiches.
- Beef Stock: Use low-sodium beef stock. The pepperoncini brine adds plenty of seasoning on its own, so regular stock can make the finished beef overly salty.
How to Make Italian Beef in the Instant Pot
This is one of the easiest recipes to make in the Instant Pot, but if you're nervous or unsure how to use an electric pressure cooker, I recommend starting with my Instant Pot 101.
Step One: Layer Ingredients
Even though this is a dump-and-cook recipe, the order matters. Layering the ingredients correctly helps prevent a burn notice and allows the beef to cook properly.
Start by pouring in the beef stock. Add the beef, then sprinkle with the garlic and prepared Italian Spice blend. Top with the sliced pepperoncini peppers, then pour in ⅓ cup of the juice from the pepperoncini peppers.
Step Two: Pressure Cook
Secure the lid, turn the vent knob to the sealed position, and cook on HIGH pressure for 75 minutes.
When the cooking time has finished, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure.
Kristen's Key
Don't rush the pressure release. A quick release can cause the meat to tighten up, leaving you with beef that is drier and tougher rather than fall-apart tender.
Step Three: Shred the Beef
Transfer the chuck roast to a large bowl or cutting board and shred it with two forks. It should practically fall apart on its own.
Return the shredded beef to the flavorful cooking liquid before serving so it can soak up even more of that pepperoncini-infused broth.
How to Serve Italian Beef
The most traditional option is to make an Italian Beef Sandwich. Pile the shredded beef onto toasted rolls and top with extra pepperoncini. You can also add provolone cheese, giardiniera, or a drizzle of zesty Italian dressing. My husband also likes adding homemade coleslaw to his.
- For an easy sandwich night, pair the Italian Beef Sandwiches with crispy air fryer fries, baked oven fries, or homemade baked beans.
- Don't want a sandwich? Spoon the shredded beef and its juices over Yukon Gold mashed potatoes or creamy cheesy grits. This is my daughter's favorite way to enjoy the beef and is great for anyone who is gluten-free.
- For a lower-carb meal, serve Italian Beef alongside roasted parmesan asparagus or roasted broccoli, or a spinach and avocado salad.
Slow Cooker Italian Beef
No Instant Pot? Layer the ingredients in a large crockpot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, until the beef falls apart.
How to Store and Reheat Italian Beef
I recommend storing and reheating the beef with some of the cooking liquid. That moisture helps keep the shredded beef from drying out.
- Refrigerate: Let the beef cool slightly, then transfer it along with some of its cooking liquid to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Extra Cooking Liquid: Freeze to use in place of beef stock for added flavor in soup. It is especially delicious used in my vegetable beef soup or Instant Pot beef and barley soup. Just keep in mind that you may want to reduce the salt slightly, as the cooking liquid is quite seasoned.
- Reheat: If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat individual portions in a microwave-safe bowl in 60-second intervals until warmed through.
More Instant Pot Chuck Roast Recipes
If you're looking for more easy ways to turn a beef roast into dinner in the Instant Pot, try:
- Instant Pot Pot Roast: My absolute favorite pot roast recipe of all time! This is a classic for a reason!
- Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa: A Tex-Mex spin that makes delicious tacos or burritos.
- Instant Pot Beef Stew: Cubed chuck roast and a flavorful broth filled with veggies and potatoes.
- Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon: A French classic made in record time.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Instant Pot Italian Beef
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (3 lb) chuck roast
- 1½ cups beef broth, low sodium
- 1 cup pepperoncini peppers, sliced or whole
- ⅓ cup juice from pepperoncini peppers
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Italian Spice Blend
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the spices with the salt and pepper to make the Italian seasoning blend and set aside.
- Pour the beef stock into the inner pot. Place the chuck roast in the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Add the chuck roast to the inner pot. Top the roast with the minced garlic and prepared seasoning blend. Place the pepperoncini peppers on top of the beef, then pour in the pepperoncini liquid.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Set to cook for 75 minutes on HIGH pressure using the Manual or Pressure Cook function.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release for at least 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, you can do a quick release to release any remaining pressure, or allow the pressure to continue to release naturally.
- Remove the chuck roast from the Instant Pot, place it into a large bowl, and use 2 forks to shred the beef.
- At this point, you can serve the beef on toasted rolls with some of the pepperoncini peppers, or you can stir the beef back into the cooking liquid and serve as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Your recipe goes back and forth between beef stock and beef broth. Which do you recommend?
Either works 🙂
Our pressure cooker’s timer only goes to 30 minutes. Have you heard of that before?
Hi Skyler! Can I ask what brand/model you are using? Also are you using a specific function (like meat or cake or rice) or simply hitting the manual or pressure cook button?
Hi, do you use thyme or rosemary in this recipe? Your YouTube video calls for thyme, but here it states Rosemary. Thank you!
Oh goodness! That was a mistake on my Ytube video. I didn't catch that one! Either will work, but rosemary was the intended spice 🙂
Wow… there are no better words! Yum, so easy and super delicious! One question, my chuck was fresh, how do you adjust the time for frozen?
I am so glad you enjoyed Saylee. For a frozen pot roast, cook for 90 minutes on high pressure.
I cooked mine for 60 minutes and it’s really tough. Did I cook it too long or not enough?
Hi Brandi! If you did a quick release of pressure, that would cause the meat to be tough regardless of cooking time. If you let pressure release naturally, it may have been undercooked or the cut of meat. Can I ask if you used a chuck roast or did it happen to be another cut of beef (like a rump roast)? And how many pounds was it?
Delish! My roast was about 3.5 lbs and I’m wondering if I use a 6 lb’er next time, is it ok to double everything else? We barely had enough for our family of 6 - they cleaned their plates soo fast!! Lol
I am so glad you enjoyed so much! Yes, you can double this recipe. I would recommend cutting the beef into 2 roasts and cooking for 75 minutes instead of doubling the cooking time.
Made this for my family tonight and they all loved it! My dad is on a low sodium diet, so the only salt was from the pepperoncini and juice. It was perfect! (I used a no sodium beef broth and omitted the tsp. of salt.)