These Easy French Dip Sandwiches come together quickly with only 6 ingredients and your slow cooker! Tender shredded roast beef seasoned with Lipton Onion Soup mix and served on hoagie rolls with melted Provolone cheese and a side of Au Jus! Classic restaurant quality made in the convenience of your own home!
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If you’re like my family and love a quick and easy dinner option, look no further! Comfort food at its finest! The crockpot does all the work and you get to layer as much tender roast beef as desired and enjoy ooey gooey melted cheese in every bite!
Jump to:
- What is a French Dip Sandwich?
- What is French Dip Sauce made of?
- Ingredients needed for Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
- How to make a French Dip Sandwich
- Tips for Easy French Dip Sandwiches
- Recipe FAQ’s
- Storing Easy French Dip Sandwiches
- More Sandwich Recipes
- Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas
- Easy Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches Recipe
What is a French Dip Sandwich?
A French Dip Sandwich is a delicious and classic American sandwich that features roast beef placed between slices of a fresh French baguette or roll. What makes it unique is the way it’s served – with a side of flavorful au jus sauce for dipping. This combination of tender roast beef and savory au jus creates a mouthwatering taste sensation that’s hard to resist. It’s often served with accompaniments like French fries or a pickle, making it a satisfying and beloved choice for those looking for a hearty and flavorful meal. Most of the time, its thinly sliced, however, you can also enjoy it with shredded beef or use sliced deli roast beef meat. The combination of toasted bread, tender beef, melted cheese, and an incredible au jus just can’t be beat!
What is French Dip Sauce made of?
This savory sauce is typically made from a rich and flavorful broth, often created by simmering beef stock or broth with aromatic ingredients such as onions, garlic, and herbs. While the exact recipe may vary, the key elements of a delicious au jus sauce include the deep beefy flavor and a touch of seasoning, creating a dipping experience that elevates the sandwich to a whole new level of yumminess. It’s a must-have for any French Dip sandwich, adding moisture and an extra layer of flavor to each bite. This shortcut version is just as tasty as any other version you may try, just half the work!
Ingredients needed for Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Using only a handful of ingredients, these sandwiches come together easily and are perfect for meals, game day, parties, gatherings, and more! See printable recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and step by step instructions.
- Beef Roast– 3-4 pound, Chuck Roast or Rump Roast is best
- Onion Soup Mix– I use Lipton, but homemade version works great too
- Au Jus Gravy Mix– any brand of au jus mix works
- Beef Broth– low sodium is best
- Buns– hoagie buns, sub buns, French rolls, etc. work great as you just want a hard, crusty bread as it softens when dipped into the au jus
- Cheese– Provolone cheese or Swiss cheese adds all the cheesy goodness to every bite
Variations to try
- Bread– in place of the French bread or hoagie rolls, you can use sourdough.
- Cheese– if you don’t like Swiss or Provolone, Havarti cheese and Pepper-jack are great alternatives.
- Roast Beef– for an added shortcut, you can use sliced deli meat. Simply omit the slow cooker portion of this recipe and warm the roast beef up in the beef broth. Serve with a side of the Au jus.
- Mushrooms– you can cook these with or without some onion and add to your sandwiches.
- Onions– caramelized onions are a great addition to these sandwiches. Caramelizing onions just means sautéing onions slowly at a low heat to bring out their natural sugars and turn them golden brown in color. Such a flavor packed addition!
- Worcestershire Sauce– this is a great addition to the broth. Add about 1-2 tablespoon to the liquid as you assemble in the crockpot.
How to make a French Dip Sandwich
- Season your roast with salt and pepper. Place roast in bottom of slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, combine the onion soup mix, Au Jus gravy mix, and beef broth. Pour mixture evenly over roast.
- Place lid on slow cooker and allow to cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for about 4 hours.
- Shred meat using two forks.
- Cut buns in half lengthwise and scoop meat onto bottom slice.
- Place one piece of provolone cheese on top (I tore the cheese in half and placed the two halves on the bread to cover sandwich better).
- Turn on your broiler and place sandwiches under broiler for about 2-3 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
- Place top slice of bread on top to create sandwich.
- Ladle liquid from slow cooker into small bowls and serve aside sandwiches for dipping.
Tips for Easy French Dip Sandwiches
- Toast your bread first. Yes, its optional, but I highly recommend it. Cut bread in half horizontally and the easiest way to toast it to place the bread in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes before adding any meat.
- Make sure your roast is fork tender. You don’t want tough meat for this recipe. Cook it in your slow cooker until it easily shreds using two forks.
- Ladle the juices on top of the beef before placing beef onto toasted rolls. This adds lots of moisture and flavor to the meat before it gets served.
Recipe FAQ’s
What goes with a French Dip Sandwich?
We love to enjoy our sandwiches with crispy fries, chips, pickles, veggies, coleslaw, or some potato salad. If I have leftover pasta salad from another meal, I will serve that as well!
What is a French Dip Sandwich made of?
A French Dip Sandwich typically consists of tender Roast beef, melted cheese, some type of hard crusty bread, and an au jus. Variations would include onions and or mushrooms!
What’s the difference between French Dip and Philly Cheesesteak?
A French dip is thinly sliced or shredded roast beef served on a baguette bread whereas Philly cheese-steak is made with thinly sliced steak, cut-up bell peppers, and onion, all served on a hoagie roll.
What is the best bread for a French Dip Sandwich recipe?
There are many types of buns that are used for a French dip sandwich, but the best option is a sturdy, crusty bun. Soft buns will quickly become soggy from the juices of the meat, making it difficult to eat. A crusty bun will hold up better and provide a nice contrast to the tender meat. Hoagie rolls are my fav, but you can’t go wrong with French bread, sourdough, or even Foccacia!
Storing Easy French Dip Sandwiches
- Once fully cool, place leftover meat into an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep all the juices with the meat to ensure the meat stays moist and tender.
- When ready to reheat, place leftover meat and liquid into a pan over medium high heat until heated through. You can also microwave leftovers until heated through.
- Keep bread and meat separated as to avoid sogginess of the bread.
More Sandwich Recipes
Easy Funeral Sandwiches– delicious ham and cheese sliders you can make as an easy appetizer recipe or as a family friendly meal.
Sloppy Joe Sliders– an easy ground beef recipe perfect for a family friendly weeknight dinner or as a party snack.
Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders– an easy, affordable meal option packed with flavor! Shredded BBQ Chicken on a Hawaiian Roll with some cabbage slaw for an added crunch. Perfect for an appetizer, meal, or tailgating!
Roast Beef and Swiss Sliders– melt-in-your mouth delicious! With a buttery savory outside to a melty cheese and beef inside, every bite is packed with flavor!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders– sweet Hawaiian rolls with chicken, cheese, bacon and ranch dressing covered in a savory butter sauce.
Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas
Pull Apart Pizza Bread– comes together in no time and makes a great appetizer, snack, or even meal option! Add your favorite ingredients and have fun with it!
Best Ever Tuna Casserole– comes together in no time and makes a great appetizer, snack, or even meal option! Add your favorite ingredients and have fun with it!
Creamy Beef Stroganoff Casserole– tender noodles smothered in a luscious ground beef stroganoff sauce made from simple ingredients
Pesto Chicken Pasta– packed with flavor and easy to prepare! Perfect for quick dinner options.
Chicken Piccata Pasta– light and zesty pasta dish made with lemon juice, capers, and cream. It’s the perfect comfort food dish to enjoy anytime.
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Easy Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 beef roast (3-4lbs)
- 1 envelope onion soup mix (I use Lipton)
- 1 packet au jus gravy mix
- 4 cups beef broth
- 8 sub buns
- 8 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Season your roast with salt and pepper.
- Place roast in bottom of slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, combine the onion soup mix, Au Jus gravy mix, and beef broth.
- Pour mixture evenly over roast.
- Place lid on slow cooker and allow to cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for about 4 hours.
- Shred meat using two forks.
- Cut buns in half lengthwise and scoop meat onto bottom slice.
- Place one piece of provolone cheese on top (I tore the cheese in half and placed the two halves on the bread to cover sandwich better).
- Turn on your broiler and place sandwiches under broiler for about 2-3 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
- Place top slice of bread on top to create sandwich.
- Ladle liquid from slow cooker into small bowls and serve aside sandwiches for dipping.
Nutrition
Gloria Wallace says
Question, if I were to use deli roast beef how much would I use per hoagie roll?
Kristin says
Whenever I use deli slices, I add about 3-4 full slices on so it stacks up nicely! You want to add enough to make it substantial given that the bread is pretty thick too! Enjoy!
Candy says
What kind of beef roast dd you use?
Kristin says
I used a chuck roast!