If you have made excess, and you are asking what to do with leftover Italian beef, then you are on the right page.
Made with roasted, thinly sliced meat, Italian beef features a mouth-watering taste that is carried by delicious Indian spices and herbs that are truly divine.
It is mostly used in making delicious sandwiches but the tasty dish does present other finger-licking options.
In this article, we discuss what to do with Italian beef leftovers, do read on till the end.
Leftover Italian beef can be used to make Italian beef burritos as well as Italian beef soup with vegetables, the possibilities are huge.
Can You Freeze Italian Beef Leftovers?
Let’s say you made excess Italian beef for your sandwiches, and you can’t seem to figure out what to do with the leftovers. Can you store it in the fridge or freezer?
Well, depending on how long you plan on using it, the tasty Italian delicacy can be stored in both options.
Ideally, storing in the fridge should be for a much shorter use than in the freezer.
But you can’t just open the freezer or fridge and store them inside, you have to ensure that you place them in a proper manner, to avoid easy spoilage.
This would involve using a freezer bag or an airtight container.
Once you have gotten any of these, empty the leftover Italian beef gently into it and zip or cover it tightly with no air trapped inside.
Once done, place them in a separate compartment in the freezer, this is so as to avoid a transfer of smell that could ruin the Italian beef.
Note: Always ensure you pour in the juices of Italian beef together with the Italian beef. This would keep it Juicy.
How Long Can Italian Beef Leftovers Last in The Freezer or Fridge?
Depending on how well you store your Leftover Italian beef in the freezer or fridge, they can last a decent time.
As stated earlier, storing it in the fridge would mean you intend to use it only after a few days.
Storing in the freezer would present you with a much longer duration.
In the fridge, expect to use your leftover Italian beef within 3 to 5 days. If it stays longer then you risk it spoiling and being completely unusable.
However, a freezer should present you with a maximum of 3 months. This depends on how well you store it.
Always use a heavy-duty airtight container or bag to avoid spoilage.
If you notice a different unappealing texture or smell, then your Italian beef leftover would have most likely gone bad. At that point, do ensure you dispose of it properly.
Tip: Never taste food (Italian Beef or not) that you suspect to have gone bad or spoiled. They could be poisonous and you risk your health in doing so.
What To Do With Leftover Italian Beef
Now that you know your leftover Italian beef can be stored properly in the freezer or fridge, the next and most important thing to do is to figure out what to do with them.
Luckily, Italian beef is a very diverse food type or dish. It presents lots of options or recipes that would definitely be lovely to your refined palate.
Here are some leftover Italian Beef Recipes you can try.
Option #1. Italian Beef Burritos
Ever had burritos made with yummy Italian beef? Well, they are quite delicious. They make a great option for your leftover Italian beef.
With the Italian beef already made, It would require just a few ingredients, these are:
Required Ingredients
- Leftover Italian beef
- Flour Tortilla
- Chili powder
- Rice
- Mozzarella cheese
- Pasta sauce
Description
With your leftover Italian Beef out and ready to use, heat it up with chili powder in a pot for a maximum of one minute.
Once done, you can add the pasta sauce to the mix to make it extra juicy.
Tip: This should be stirred and left to boil for 5 minutes on medium heat.
Next is to add uncooked rice. Add this while you keep stirring until it is sufficient.
Let the mix simmer in the pot for another 5 minutes but this time, it should be on low heat.
Once the rice is soft, you can proceed to serve, wrapping each tortilla with a cup of the Italian beef mix and then adding a quarter cup of the mozzarella cheese, and there you have it.
Option #2. Italian Beef Stew
Italian beef stew would be a little bit more difficult to make than the Italian beef burrito, but I can assure you that it definitely is worth it.
To make a yummy Italian Beef stew with your Italian Beef leftovers, you would need the following:
Required Ingredients
- Italian Beef Leftover
- Chopped Onions
- Celery
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Red wine
- Mushroom
- Tomato sauce
- Spices (basil and thyme)
- Chopped Potatoes
- Olive Oil
Description
With your Italian beef out and ready to use, the first step would be to cook the chopped onions, carrots, and celery in a pot with olive oil for about 3 minutes.
Keep stirring until the mix is crispy. Add the onion and garlic mix to the pot and continue stirring at medium heat.
Next, you would need to pour in the bottle of red wine while stirring. Do this for at least 7 minutes while the red wine evaporates.
Then proceed to add your tomato sauce into the mix and keep stirring.
After a maximum of 5 minutes, pour in your Italian beef, chopped potatoes, and the seasoning for taste.
Keep stirring, then add in more tomato sauce and let it simmer on low heat for a while.
Keep stirring, then leave it to simmer for at least 4 hours until the potatoes and leftover Italian beef are tender.
Tip: The Olive oil in the dish can be substituted for regular groundnut oil.
Option #3. Italian Beef Soup With Vegetables
The Italian beef soup is kinda like the Italian Beef Stew.
You would be needing slightly similar ingredients; however, they are prepared differently and taste different too.
Here are the required ingredients for making tasty Italian Beef Soup With Vegetables;
Required Ingredients
- Leftover Italian Beef
- Garlic
- Chopped Onions
- Celery
- Tomato sauce
- Carrots
- Seasoning (basil, oregano, salt, thyme, pepper)
- Cheese
- Chopped Cabbages
Description
Get your Italian beef leftovers ready to use. Heat it in a large pot alongside the onions and chopped garlic. This should be with medium heat.
After 8 minutes would have elapsed, add the chopped celery, carrots, and some water into the pot and leave to boil on medium heat.
Keep stirring, and then proceed to add the tomato sauce to a boil. You can add the seasoning or spices now and leave it to boil.
Once you notice the soup boiling, start stirring until properly mixed, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes till you notice the carrots are soft and tender.
You can then add the chopped cabbages to a boil and keep them uncovered on low to medium heat for about 5 minutes.
As a vegetable, the cabbage shouldn’t be allowed to sit for more than 5 minutes.
Once the 5 minutes have fully elapsed, you can then proceed to serve. Just before serving, the cheese can be added on top as a yummy topping.
All this should not take more than an hour or an hour and 30 minutes.
Note: You can easily place the Italian Beef soup in the freezer for later use. If stored properly, they can stay fresh for close to 3 months.
Bottom Line
When it comes to Italian beef, there is a lot you can do with it, as the recipes listed above are just a few good examples.
So next time you have leftovers, you should have no problems figuring out what to do with leftover Italian Beef.
That’s all we have for you in this article, do check out our website for more engaging content like these. Remember to always eat healthily.