It’s made with a hearty shredded beef tomato sauce, ziti pasta, and lots of melty cheese. The best part is that the ragu sauce is made from leftover beef roast, so you can use the same ingredients for two great dinners.
As a busy mom and recipe developer, I’m always looking for ways to give new life to leftovers. And when it comes to leftover Italian beef – juicy, thinly sliced roast dripping with giardiniera – the possibilities are endless!
In this article, I’ll share over 30 mouthwatering recipes for transforming leftover Italian beef into totally new dishes. With just a splash of creativity, you can stretch leftovers into handy weeknight dinners, satisfying lunches, and even party-ready apps.
So read on for tips, tricks and ideas for making the most of extra juicy, flavorful Italian beef!
The Dynamic Flavors of Italian Beef
Before diving into recipes, let’s briefly touch on what makes Italian beef such a versatile leftover ingredient. Authentic Italian beef starts with thin-sliced roasts like top round or top sirloin, slowly roasted until fork tender The meat is then soaked in a zesty broth bursting with flavors like
- Oregano, basil, garlic – Savory Italian herbs
- Red wine vinegar – Tart brightness
- Pepperoncini – Tangy spice
- Giardiniera – Crunchy pickled veggies
This combo of rich meat, zippy broth and spicy pickled flavors plays well in everything from soups to sandwiches The pre-cooked beef also makes a handy pre-seasoned protein to build meals around
Now, let’s look at some mouthwatering ways to repurpose leftover Italian beef!
Hearty Italian Beef Main Dishes
For easy weeknight meals, try using leftover beef in one of these satisfying entrees:
Italian Beef Casserole
Combine beef with pasta, marinara sauce, mozzarella and bake
French Dip Sandwiches
Pile beef on crusty rolls and serve with hot au jus dipping sauce.
Italian Beef Stir Fry
Toss beef with broccoli, bell peppers, garlic, and teriyaki sauce. Serve over rice.
Italian Beef Pot Pie
Simmer beef in gravy, then use as filling for flaky pie crusts.
Italian Beef Enchiladas
Roll beef and cheese into tortillas. Top with salsa verde and more cheese.
Italian Beef Lasagna
Layer pasta, beef, ricotta, and marinara sauce. Bake until bubbly.
Savory Italian Beef Soups and Salads
For easy lunches and starters, try these tasty soups and salads:
Italian Wedding Soup
Simmer beef meatballs in chicken broth with spinach and pastina noodles.
Italian Beef and Orzo Soup
Sauté beef with carrots, onion and garlic, then simmer in broth with orzo pasta.
Italian Chef’s Salad
Top mixed greens with beef, tomatoes, olives, peppers, cheese, and Italian dressing.
Italian Beef Tortellini Soup
Boil cheese tortellini in beefy broth with kale and carrots.
Italian Beef Tortilla Soup
Add shredded beef, tomatoes, onion and tortilla strips to vegetable soup.
Fun Italian Beef Appetizers
For parties and game day, whip up crowd-pleasing Italian beef bites like:
Italian Beef Sliders
Pile beef on mini buns with provolone cheese and pepperoncini.
Italian Beef Egg Rolls
Wrap beef, provolone, and giardiniera in wonton wrappers. Fry until golden.
Italian Beef Nachos
Top chips with beef, tomatoes, black olives, onion and melted mozzarella.
Italian Beef Meatballs
Shape leftover beef into balls, coat in marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Italian Beef Flatbread Pizza
Top flatbread crusts with beef, marinara sauce, peppers, and Italian seasoning.
Creative Italian Beef Breakfasts
Wake up to Italian beef flavors in morning faves like:
Italian Beef Breakfast Burritos
Scramble eggs with beef, onions, peppers, cheese. Stuff into a tortilla.
Italian Beef Hash
Sauté beef with potatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and eggs.
Italian Beef Strata
Layer bread, beef, spinach, and cheese. Pour egg mixture over and bake.
Italian Beef Omelet
Make omelet with beef, tomato, basil, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce.
Italian Beef Breakfast Sammy
Fry an egg and sandwich it between bread with beef, cheese and pepperoncini.
Simple Italian Beef Side Dishes
Round out meals by serving leftover beef in these tasty sides:
Cheesy Italian Beef Rice
Stir beef into risotto or tomato-seasoned rice. Top with Parmesan.
Italian Beef Panzanella
Toss beef with tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, and bread cubes.
Italian Beef and Vegetables
Sauté beef with zucchini, squash, eggplant, oregano and garlic.
Italian Beef Polenta
Stir beef into creamy polenta. Top with marinara and mozzarella.
Garlic Bread with Italian Beef
Pile beef onto cheesy garlic bread for an easy snack or light meal.
International Flavors
Add global flair to Italian beef in dishes like:
Italian Beef Banh Mi
Fill a Vietnamese baguette with beef, cucumber, carrot, cilantro and sriracha mayo.
Italian Beef Bibimbap
Serve beef over rice with kimchi and sesame-sautéed vegetables. Top with egg.
Italian Beef Empanadas
Fill dough rounds with Italian beef, olives, raisins, chili powder and cumin.
What to Serve It With
A salad and garlic bread always go well with a hearty pasta dinner. This Prosciutto Parmesan Salad with Basil Dressing or this Italian Mixed Greens Salad with Crispy Prosciutto are two of our favorites.
A green vegetable side dish like this Balsamic Glazed Asparagus would also be a delicious addition!
No. There is some gluten in the Ragu Sauce Pasta Bake because the Simply Perfect Beef Roast that was left over is cooked with a little flour to make the sauce thicker and sear the beef. This also applies to gluten-free pasta. You could make the beef roast gluten-free by omitting the flour.
Simply Perfect Beef Roast has simple flavors that make it easy to use in other pot roast recipes. You can heat up the leftovers for lunch the next day, freeze them and then thaw them in a saucepan with a little water, or make them into a whole new dinner! Warm up some chili powder and cumin with the ground beef to use in tacos, nachos, or burritos. Add Pico de Gallo Salsa, shredded cabbage, and guacamole on top. For a tasty sandwich night, put the leftover pot roast on hoagie buns, melt some provolone cheese, and top with jarred giardiniera. Another option is to make this Ragu Sauce Pasta Bake with ziti and melty cheese, which is my favorite of the two.
Bell peppers, onions, and other hot peppers are often found in Italian beef sandwich meat that has been saved over. This Ragu Pasta Bake goes well with that meat. If you have extra shredded Italian beef, you could make paninis, rice bowls, shepherd’s pie, beef stew, tater tot hot dish, or nachos?
Ragu is a hearty sauce so youll want a hearty pasta to hold up to it. Use a short pasta like ziti or rigatoni or a long pasta like pappardelle and tagliatelle.
You can make this very easy tomato ragu sauce with 1 pound of ground beef or Italian sausage instead of shredded beef roast if you don’t have any left over.
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Italian Beef Sandwiches Chicago’s Best Loved Secret Made with Leftover Roast Beef
FAQ
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