French Dip Sandwiches are filled with tender, slow-cooked roast beef, cheese, and onions then served with homemade au jus sauce for dipping! Prep this easy-to-make recipe in just 30 minutes!
Make it a complete meal by pairing these tasty sandwiches up with a couple of easy sides! I love serving ours up with crispy Homemade French Fries and a fresh garden salad!
Break up the monotony in your dinner time by serving up these delicious French Dip Sandwiches! French rolls are layered with melt in your mouth roast beef that’s been slow-cooked to delicious, tender perfection!
Pile on some onions and cheese before dipping your finished sandwich in the au jus sauce that’s leftover in the crockpot for the ultimate French Dip Sandwich experience! All it takes is one bite into these easy-to-make sandwiches and they’ll instantly land a permanent spot in your meal rotation!
Why I Love This Recipe!
- Great Weekend Dinner Option! I love crockpot meals, especially on the weekends! They allow me to have a slow, relaxing day while still being able to have a tasty dinner!
- Easy Crockpot Meal! This French Dip Crockpot Recipe is incredibly easy to make! Simply sear the meat and then toss it in the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients! The crockpot then does the rest of the work for you!
- Make It Ahead! Make the beef a day or two in advance! When you’re ready to enjoy it just place the beef and its juices back in the crockpot to heat up!
- Assemble Them Buffet Style! Set out the sliced meat, au jus, onions, and choices of cheese! Then let everyone make their own sandwich exactly how they like them!
Ingredients For French Dip
Begin making this French Dip Sandwich Recipe by first rubbing salt and pepper all over a beef roast. Afterward, the roast is seared in a skillet with olive oil before moving onto the slow cooker.
Once in the slow cooker, the beef roast will combine with sliced onions. Lastly, beef broth, minced garlic cloves, beef bouillon powder, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme are mixed together before being added in.
While the roast is cooking you can make French Baguettes to use to make these French Dip Sandwiches! Made with only 4 ingredients they’ll add great, fresh flavor to this already delicious recipe!
However, feel free to also use any sturdy bun! When I want to make these sandwiches easier I just grab hoagie buns, crusty rolls, or torpedo rolls.
How To Make Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature before cooking. Then season it with salt and pepper.
- Sear the roast in a skillet over medium high heat with olive oil.
- Add the beef and sliced onions into the slow cooker.
- Next, mix together the beef broth, garlic, beef bouillon powder, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme and then add it into the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook the roast on low or high heat.
- Transfer the roast from the crockpot to a cutting board. Cover with tin foil and allow it to rest.
- Thinly slice the beef.
- Assemble the French Dip Sandwiches by placing the beef onto the rolls, topping with onions, and cheese if desired.
- Serve the au jus sauce on the side for dipping, enjoy!
How Do I Store The Leftover Beef?
Place the leftover beef into an airtight container with the au jus. This will ensure the meat remains nice and moist! Then place it in the refrigerator and enjoy it for up to 5 days!
You can also freeze the leftover meat by placing it into a heavy-duty freezer bag with some of the juices. Then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Toast The French Dip Sandwiches After Assembling Them?
Yes, I love doing this to melt the cheese! Just place the open sandwiches on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F.
What Other Kinds Of Cheeses Go Well With French Dip Sandwiches?
If you don’t prefer provolone cheese you can also try swiss as a great substitution! However, cheese is totally optional on your sandwiches so feel free to skip it if you’d like.
Can I Just Use Sliced Deli Beef For This French Dip Recipe?
Of course, that’s a great shortcut! To do so I’d suggest making the au jus on the stovetop. First, fry the onion in olive oil in a dutch oven and then add the garlic. Afterward, add the beef broth, beef bouillon powder, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme.
Bring this mixture to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes, uncovered. Then simply serve this French Dip with your sandwich!
How Do I Know The Beef Is Thoroughly Cooked?
Check the internal temperature of the beef with a kitchen thermometer. When the beef is finished cooking the internal temperature will be 145 degrees F.
The beef will also be noticeably tender and easy to slice after 8 hours in the slow cooker!
Why Do I Need To Bring The Roast To Room Temperature Before Cooking It?
I find this easy step produces much juicier meat and cooks more evenly.
Do I Have To Sear The Meat Before Putting It In The Slow Cooker?
If you’re in a rush feel free to skip this step. However, it does add an extra depth of flavor to the meat that totally makes it worth it!
What Cut Of Beef Should I Use For This French Dip Recipe?
I find that using a rump or chuck roast yields the best results for French Dip Sandwiches. Though any 3lb beef in your favorite cut should work just fine.
French Dip Sandwiches are a great way to mix up those meat and potatoes meals that we always turn to! Add another tasty sandwich to your meal plan rotation by grabbing another crowd-pleasing recipe!
- Club Sandwich – Packed with hickory smoked turkey breast, swiss cheese, thick-cut bacon, and veggies!
- Ham and Cheese Sliders – Hawiian dinner rolls layered with honey ham, cheddar cheese, mustard, and mayo!
- Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches – Your favorite BBQ sauce combines with shredded chicken and colesaw!
- Weight Watchers Apple Cider Pulled Chicken – Shredded chicken breasts slow cooked with chopped apples, onions, mustard, apple cider, and vinegar that’s then served up on rolls!
- Taco Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Everything you love about grilled cheese and tacos collides into one delicious sandwich!
- Crockpot Italian Chicken – A deliciously easy dinner idea that goes well with pasta, wraps, and more!
Let’s Connect!
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!
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French Dip Sandwiches
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- Garlic press
- Sharp knife, electric knife, meat slicer
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 3 pound beef roast trim off excess fat
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 yellow onions sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ Tablespoon beef bouillon powder or one cube
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 french baguettes/hoagie buns toasted if desired
- 12 slices provolone cheese optional
Instructions
- Allow your roast to come to room temperature. (Remove it from the fridge at least an hour before you are planning to cook it.)
- Season the roast with salt and pepper. (rub this all over the meat)
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Add the roast to the skillet and sear it on all sides. Leave it on one side for about 5 minutes until it is browned, then turn to another side, and continue until all of the meat is browned.
- Place the beef and sliced onions into the slow cooker. Mix together beef broth, garlic, beef bouillon powder, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, rosemary and thyme in a bowl then add to the slow cooker as well.
- Cook the roast for 8 hours on low heat, or 4 hours on high.
- Remove the roast from the slow cooker, place it on a cutting board, and cover it with tin foil. (The roast should rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.)
- While the roast is resting, skim any noticeable fat from the juice left in the slow cooker.
- Slice the beef thinly, across the grain. (It may be so tender that it pulls apart easily, this works perfectly, too!)
- Prepare the sandwiches by slicing open the rolls, piling on the thinly sliced beef, the onions (I remove these from the slow cooker as needed with tongs), and cheese if desired (I like to use 2 slices per sandwich). If you would like to toast the sandwich and melt the cheese, place the open sandwiches on a baking tray into a 350°F oven and bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve the au jus on the side for dipping.
Notes
- How Do I Store The Leftover Beef? Place the leftover beef into an airtight container with the au jus. This will ensure the meat remains nice and moist! Then place it in the refrigerator and enjoy it for up to 5 days! You can also freeze the leftover meat by placing it into a heavy-duty freezer bag with some of the juices. Then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Can I Toast The French Dip Sandwiches After Assembling Them? Yes, I love doing this to melt the cheese! Just place the open sandwiches on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- What Other Kinds Of Cheeses Go Well With French Dip Sandwiches? If you don’t prefer provolone cheese you can also try swiss as a great substitution! However, cheese is totally optional on your sandwiches so feel free to skip it if you’d like.
- Can I Just Use Sliced Deli Beef For This French Dip Recipe? Of course, that’s a great shortcut! To do so I’d suggest making the au jus on the stovetop. First, fry the onion in olive oil in a dutch oven and then add the garlic. Afterward, add the beef broth, beef bouillon powder, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme. Bring this mixture to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes, uncovered. Then simply serve this French Dip with your sandwich!
- How Do I Know The Beef Is Thoroughly Cooked? Check the internal temperature of the beef with a kitchen thermometer. When the beef is finished cooking the internal temperature will be 145 degrees F. The beef will also be noticeably tender and easy to slice after 8 hours in the slow cooker!
- Why Do I Need To Bring The Roast To Room Temperature Before Cooking It? I find this easy step produces much juicier meat and cooks more evenly.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Patricia Vinson says
Excellent Recipe! especially the Au Jus, & done in a Slow Cooker! Perfect – with the Roast Beef. & juices. It was de-licious!!! 👌😋
Would love to show my photo of the result! 😁. It was THAT good. Used an Italian loaf and toasted it all together-with some Smoked Provolone, them dipped in the Jus, & took a big bite. 😍.