Easy Italian ground beef recipe makes a quick sandwich of seasoned beef, onion and garlic in a toasted roll with giardiniera, ready in 35 minutes. It makes 4 sandwiches and gives you the flavor of an Italian beef sandwich on a weeknight.
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking the beef over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes gives it real browning. Break it up as it cooks so you get small crumbs with crisp edges, which add flavor that plain steamed beef never has. Draining the extra fat keeps the filling from turning greasy inside the roll.
The broth is what makes this taste like Italian beef. Simmer it with the Italian seasoning and oregano until most of it has cooked off. The beef soaks up the seasoned liquid and stays juicy, and the sandwich doesn’t fall apart.
Giardiniera does two jobs. Its pickled crunch and heat cut through the rich beef. Drain it first so the brine doesn’t soak the bread. A light toast on the rolls adds a thin crisp layer that holds up to the juicy filling.
Easy italian ground beef recipe Ingredients
For the beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the sandwiches
- 4 Italian rolls or hoagie rolls
- 1/2 cup giardiniera, drained
- Provolone cheese, optional
How To Make Easy italian ground beef recipe
Cook the beef
- Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it into small crumbs as it browns. Drain the extra fat so the filling stays light.
- Soften the onion: Stir in the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until it turns soft. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it.
- Season the beef: Mix in the Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Stir for a moment so the dried herbs coat the meat.
Simmer in the broth
- Add the broth: Pour in the beef broth and let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Stop when most of the liquid has reduced. The beef should look juicy but not soupy.
Build the sandwiches
- Toast the rolls: Slice the rolls open and toast them lightly in the oven or in a pan. The crisp surface keeps the bread from going soft under the juicy beef.
- Fill the rolls: Spoon the beef into each roll. Add provolone if you like. For melted cheese, slide the filled rolls under the broiler for 1 minute. Then top with the drained giardiniera.
- Serve hot: Serve right away. Dip the roll into the juices left in the skillet for the classic Italian beef style.
Recipe Tips
- Melt the cheese first: Put the provolone on the beef and slide the roll under the broiler for 1 minute. Add the giardiniera after, so it stays crunchy.
- Drain the giardiniera well: Extra brine turns the bread soggy. Pat the giardiniera dry on a paper towel if it looks wet.
- Watch the simmer: If the liquid cooks off too fast, add a splash of broth. If it stays too thin, cook it a minute or two longer.
- Choose sturdy rolls: Soft rolls fall apart when you dip them. Hoagie or Italian rolls with a firm crust hold up best.
What To Serve With Easy italian ground beef recipe
Serve the sandwiches with a bowl of the leftover juices for dipping. A simple green salad or a pile of crisp fries goes well on the side.
How To Store
- Fridge: Keep the cooked beef and its juices in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Store the rolls and giardiniera separately.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooked beef with its juices for 2 to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, not on the counter.
- Reheat: Warm the beef in a skillet over medium heat until hot all the way through, adding a splash of broth if it looks dry.
FAQs
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?
Yes. Ground turkey works in the same amounts and steps. It is leaner, so add a little more olive oil when you brown it and watch that it doesn’t dry out in the simmer.
Is this Italian ground beef recipe gluten free?
The beef filling can be, but the rolls are not. Serve it in gluten-free rolls or over rice, and check that your beef broth, Italian seasoning and giardiniera have no gluten.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes. Cook the beef up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge with its juices. Reheat it in a skillet, then toast the rolls and build the sandwiches fresh.
Why is my beef watery?
The liquid did not cook down enough. Keep simmering for a few more minutes over medium heat until most of the broth has reduced and the beef looks juicy rather than soupy.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 520 kcal
- Total Fat: 24g
- Total Carbohydrate: 43g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 33g
Easy italian ground beef recipe
4
servings10
minutes25
minutes35
minutesSeasoned ground beef with onion and garlic, simmered in beef broth and piled into toasted rolls with giardiniera. A fast Italian beef style sandwich that makes 4.
Ingredients
- For the beef
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- For the sandwiches
4 Italian rolls or hoagie rolls
1/2 cup giardiniera, drained
Provolone cheese, optional
Directions
- Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it into small crumbs as it browns. Drain the extra fat so the filling stays light.
- Soften the onion: Stir in the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until it turns soft. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it.
- Season the beef: Mix in the Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Stir for a moment so the dried herbs coat the meat.
- Add the broth: Pour in the beef broth and let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Stop when most of the liquid has reduced. The beef should look juicy but not soupy.
- Toast the rolls: Slice the rolls open and toast them lightly in the oven or in a pan. The crisp surface keeps the bread from going soft under the juicy beef.
- Fill the rolls: Spoon the beef into each roll. Add provolone if you like. For melted cheese, slide the filled rolls under the broiler for 1 minute. Then top with the drained giardiniera.
- Serve hot: Serve right away. Dip the roll into the juices left in the skillet for the classic Italian beef style.
