Herby Beef & Caramelised Onion Sambos
with Sweet Potato Fries & Creamy Pesto
- Gluten
- Soy
- Wheat
- Eggs
- Walnut
- Milk
- May contain traces of allergens
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sesame
- Lupin
- Almond
- Hazelnut
- Cashew
- Macadamia
Thanks to quick-cooking beef strips and our ready-to-go creamy pesto, these loaded ciabattas will be on the table in a dash, with crispy sweet potato fries completing the perfect pair to a perfect meal.
Ingredients
2
Sweet Potato
1
Brown Onion
1
Beef Strips
1
Tomato
1
Bake-At-Home Ciabatta
(Contains: Gluten, Soy, Wheat May be present: Eggs, Milk, Sesame, Lupin, Almond, Hazelnut)
1
Italian Herbs
1
Creamy Pesto Dressing
(Contains: Eggs, Walnut, Milk May be present: Cashew, Almond, Macadamia)
1
Baby Spinach Leaves
Not included in your delivery
1
olive oil
1
balsamic vinegar
1
water
1
brown sugar
Cooking Steps
• Set air fryer to 200°C. • Cut sweet potato into fries. • In a medium bowl, combine sweet potato, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. • Place sweet potato into an air fryer basket and cook for 15 minutes. Shake the basket, then cook until golden, a further 10-15 minutes. • Divide fries between serving plates.
TIP: No air fryer? Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Place fries on a lined oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Bake until tender, 20-25 minutes. TIP: Cook in batches if necessary!
• Meanwhile, thinly slice brown onion. • Thinly slice tomato.
Little cooks: Don your goggles and have a go at peeling off the onion's outer layer!
• In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, stirring regularly, until softened, 5-6 minutes. • Reduce heat to medium. Add the balsamic vinegar, water and brown sugar, then mix well. Cook until dark and sticky, 3-5 minutes. • Transfer to a small bowl.
• When fries are done, place bake-at-home ciabatta in the air fryer basket and cook until heated through, 2-3 minutes.
TIP: No air fryer? Place ciabatta directly on a wire rack in the oven. Bake until heated through, 5 minutes.
• While ciabatta is heating, in a medium bowl, combine Italian herbs, a good pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Add beef strips, tossing to coat. • Wipe out frying pan, then return to high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. When oil is hot, cook beef strips in batches (to keep them tender!), tossing, until browned and cooked through, 1-2 minutes.
• Slice each ciabatta in half, then spread with creamy pesto dressing. • Top with beef, caramelised onion, tomato slices and baby spinach leaves. Top with other ciabatta half. • Serve with sweet potato fries. Enjoy!
Little cooks: Take the lead and help build the subs!
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on July 2026- Flavour: The beef and creamy pesto combination is a clear crowd-pleaser, with the caramelised onion adding rich depth. Some found the Italian herb seasoning a little overpowering and suggest using half the packet for a more balanced result.
- Ease of prep: Most found this a quick and straightforward meal to pull together, especially using the air fryer. A few noted that caramelised onions took longer than the recipe suggests, so allow extra time at that step.
- Suggestions: Several customers recommend adding cheese, or swapping the pesto for mustard or barbecue sauce if pesto is not to your taste. One tip for the pesto dressing: try serving it on the side as a dipping sauce to keep the bread from going soggy.
- Leftovers: A number of customers enjoyed the sambos cold the next day for lunch, and found they held up well. One reviewer noted the bread makes great breadcrumbs if not used in full.
- Portions: Most found the meal generously sized and very filling, though a few felt the meat quantity was a little light relative to the size of the ciabatta.
- Beef quality: Tenderness varied noticeably across reviews — some found the strips beautifully tender, while many others found them tough, chewy, or gristly. Several customers noted that receiving a whole rump steak to slice yourself produced a much better result.
- Chips: Many customers enjoy the sweet potato chips, particularly from the air fryer, though a large number would prefer the option to swap to regular potato chips. A few found the sweet potato chips did not crisp up well when cooked in the oven.
