These toasty Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches are made with slow cooked roast beef served on crusty rolls with melty cheese and savory au jus. The prep is less than 15 minutes and then the crockpot does all the work for you. These are so good!
There is something amazing about savory, shredded beef with melted provolone cheese on a crusty ciabatta roll that soaks up the rich au jus sauce served on the side. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
Pile your roast beef up thick on your roll and top with swiss or provolone cheese (whatever floats your boat) and stick them under the broiler for a minute or two to melt the cheese and toast the roll. Oh my. It’s the stuff dreams are made of. At least my dreams.
We love a good hot sandwich! Some of our other favorites are Indiana Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, Slow Cooker Applesauce Pulled Chicken Sandwiches, and Monte Cristo Sandwiches.
Why this recipe works
- The meat cooks in a savory au jus made of beef broth and french onion soup mix, adding it’s own delicious meat juices, and then once it is fall-apart-tender you pull it out and shred it.
- What makes it even better is that these are slow cooker french dip sandwiches so 90% of the work is done in the morning and then you don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner later in the day!
- Little to no prep work, especially if you opt not to sear the meat first before sticking it in the slow cooker.
French dip sandwiches actually originated in Los Angeles in the early 1900’s. It’s name is a reference to the original type of bread used than the sandwich actually being brought here from France.
Some of the lore behind the sandwich is that it was invented when a chef or server dunked a beef sandwich into a pan of meat drippings after receiving a complaint that the bread was stale!
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast: Look for a well-marbled piece of meat for the best flavor and the most tender results.
- Dry onion soup mix: I always have a few packages of this floating around in my pantry, but you could make your own onion soup mix at home if you don’t have some.
- Beef broth: I often will just use Better-than-Bouillion’s beef bouillion mixed with water to make beef broth if I don’t have cans of it on hand. Beef consomme will also work.
How to Make French Dip Sandwiches
Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, generously season all of the sides of the chuck roast with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
When the oil starts to shimmer, carefully place the roast in the hot pan. Sear it on all of its sides by letting it sit without moving for about a minute or two on each side before flipping it. Searing won’t take very long – you just want to quickly brown the roast to add in the flavor and seal in the juices.
Transfer the roast and the juices and brown bits from the bottom of the pan to your slow cooker and sprinkle the dry onion soup mix over the meat. Add in the water and the beef broth. Cook the meat on HIGH for 4-6 hours or on LOW for 8-10 hours.
When the meat is tender enough that it can shred easily with a fork, remove the roast from the slow cooker and then shred it. Serve it by piling the shredded meat onto sliced, crusty rolls with a slice of provolone or Swiss cheese.
Toast the cheese and top bun under the broiler until the cheese melts and the bun starts toasting. Serve with the juices from the slow cooker as au jus for dipping in individual bowls.
Recipe FAQ’s
Some of our favorite sides to serve with these sandwiches include a nice green salad with Olive Garden copycat dressing, coleslaw, or french fries.
Yes, you can! If you have some brisket available use it up. While it may not shred as easily when it’s finished cooking, you can still slice it thinly. Either way, you’ll have a delicious French dip sandwich to enjoy.
No, you do not. You could just season it with salt and pepper, then stick the roast in the slow cooker with the other ingredients and you will still get pretty darn fantastic French dip sandwiches at the end of the day. But it does add a layer of flavor that we enjoy and takes little time, so I almost always make the little bit of extra effort.
Yes, you could use a roast straight from the freezer, but it will increase your cooking time by at least a couple of hours.
Recipe Tips
- Use a fat separator to remove the layer of fat from the top of the au jus broth before transferring it to individual bowls for serving.
- Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Remember that it’s quite a bit of meat so you want to provide enough seasoning so the sandwiches and au just sauce aren’t bland.
- I love using these crockpot liners (affiliate link) in my slow cooker to make cleanup ridiculously easy. I also use them when making Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches. And if you like using your slow cooker, check out my slow cooker archives for even more recipe ideas!
- Feel free to serve your sandwiches on crusty artisan or ciabatta rolls, as I have done here, or on softer hoagie rolls, if you prefer.
Instant Pot Instructions
If you prefer to make this in the instant pot, follow the same process as the slow cooker except sear the roast in the Instant Pot using the saute function. Then remove it to a plate and add the water, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
Add the roast back to the pot with the remaining ingredients and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes with the valve set to sealing, followed by a 15 minutes natural pressure release.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Kalua Pork (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)
- Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs (Kalbi)
- Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork
- Crispy Mexican Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas with Escabeche
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ½ to 3 pounds beef chuck roast
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 (1-ounce) packages dry onion soup mix
- 2 cups water
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans beef broth
- 6-8 slices swiss or provolone cheese
- 6-8 crusty rolls (we like ciabatta)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, generously season all sides of the chuck roast with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
- When the oil starts to shimmer, carefully place the roast in the hot pan and sear it on all sides by letting it sit without moving for a minute or two on each side before flipping it. Searing won’t take very long – you just want to quickly brown the roast to add flavor and seal in the juices.
- Transfer the roast and the pan juices to your slow cooker. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the roast and add water and beef broth. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
- When the meat is so tender that it shreds easily with a fork, remove the roast from the slow cooker and shred. Serve by piling the shredded meat onto sliced, crusty rolls with a slice of Swiss cheese. Toast the cheese and top bun under the broiler until the cheese melts and the bun starts toasting. Serve with the juices from the slow cooker as au jus for dipping.
Video
Notes
- Using a frozen roast: You don’t have to thaw the chuck roast if using it straight from the freezer. Instead, just add it to the slow cooker with the other ingredients, including salt and pepper for seasoning. Cook as directed, but be aware that you will need to increase your cooking time by at least a couple of hours in this case.
- Searing the meat: You do not have to sear the meat first. Instead, you could just season it with salt and pepper, then stick the roast in the slow cooker with the other ingredients and you will still get pretty darn fantastic French dip sandwiches at the end of the day.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and are excellent for using in other dishes like chimichangas, shredded beef tacos, or beef and gravy.
- Freezing: The meat and au jus sauce can be frozen separately in airtight containers for 2-3 months, then reheated before serving.
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches: If you prefer to make this in the instant pot, follow the same process as the slow cooker except sear the roast in the Instant Pot using the saute function. Then remove it to a plate and add the water, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the roast back to the pot with the remaining ingredients and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes with the valve set to sealing, followed by a 15 minutes natural pressure release.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in June, 2016. The photos and content were updated in September, 2021.
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My whole family is going to love this one, making it next week!
love a good french dip! adding this to the menu for next week!
Another yummy recipe from Amy. My husband didn’t like me experimenting with new recipes until I discovered House of Nash Eats. Now all I have to say is “It’s one of Amy’s recipes.” and he knows it will be delicious.
Oh my goodness that is the best compliment ever! You are so nice to say that! I love making this recipe for company because it always turns out so good! Thank you for all of your support!
My husband and son loved these sandwiches. I will definitely make them again…love this recipe…
Thank you for sharing,
This recipe is a keeper! No need to tweak. Just make sure you have awesome bread.
I seared the meat and also sautéed a very thinly sliced onion to put it in. My husband and kids all raved about it and even split extra sandwiches! Great recipe!
Wow! Thank you! Yum! This is such a good one! We love it. Glad your family enjoyed it too!
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Amy! I used a venison roast that needed to be used up, and it was absolutely delicious in this recipe! My husband and I both loved this meal 🙂
Is there anything I can use to replace the dry soup mix? My son is gluten free. It looks delicious. Thank you
Hi! I haven’t tried anything gluten free for this recipe but you can make your own homemade onion soup mix. I don’t have a homemade onion soup mix recipe but you can google one that works with your needs. Also, Clean Monday Meals makes a gluten free onion soup mix you can buy. You can find it on Amazon. Hope that helps!
The Best French Dip Sandwich I ever made or eaten. Thank you so much for this simple but wonderful recipe. Second to none for certain.
Oh wow! Thank you for such a nice comment! Everyone should have this easy and delicious recipe in their backpocket! It’s so good!
This was AMAZING! Super simple and easy to make with a newborn in my arms. Tossed it in and voila, a few great meals for the week. We used leftovers with salads and other sandwiches. My husband loved it!
Oh thank you! This is such a good easy meal! I’m glad it worked for your family!
I was excited to try this recipe after reading the reviews. I love French dip with as jus. However, I was disappointed. I followed the recipe exactly using the instant pot. I did not taste any flavor except the fat from the meat. Which kind of turned my stomach. The piece of meat I had was not overly fatty either. I’m not sure what went wrong.
Hmmm Sorry I don’t know what went wrong? Maybe it was the meat? This recipe usually has a lot of flavor because of the dry onion soup mix packets. Have you tried making it using the slow cooker method? I have made this recipe A LOT and it’s always full of flavor. Don’t give up on it and try again!
Hi. Would beef consomme add more flavor? Or is there really no difference?
Thank you,
Camilla
I don’t think you need to add any beef consomme. With the beef broth and onion soup packs, there is a good amount of flavor. This is always a hit whenever I make it!
This is similar to a recipe my Mom used to make in the oven. If I use about double the roast amount (5lbs) would I have to double all the liquid? It just seemed like it would be too much liquid. I don’t plan on using the juices for dipping.
No, you do not have to double the liquid.
I wish I could give this 10 stars!
I had to use “beefy onion” soup and dip mix because my store was out of the kind in the recipe.
I added 1T Worcestershire sauce to the liquid.
Not only is this a delicious French Dip but it’s probably my most flavorful and tender roast I’ve ever made.
Christmas Eve dinner was a success!
I made this for a family dinner. I was having 7-8 people so I doubled the ingredients, it did make a lot of broth but the meat was so tender and easy to pull apart. Everyone loved it!
Such an easy yet DELICIOUS recipe! I serve the meat on homemade ciabatta bread with homemade garlic aioli sauce. One my husbands favorite recipes!
Excellent recipe!
This recipe was so flavorful and super easy to make. I highly recommend and will definitely be making it again. Leftovers are just as good the next day.
This was delicious. I cooked mine in slow cooker and skipped the extra 2 cups water. Turned out great! Thank you!
I love how simple yet delicious this recipe is! I only used one onion soup packet and one cup of water. I also subbed some of the beef broth with broth from a beef ramen noodle packet because I didn’t want to go to the store haha. It still turned out great. I also added some Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor. The jus was remarkably better the second day after I was able to remove the cooled, hardened fat from the top of the container I stored it in in the fridge. I’m wondering if there would be a way to remove that fat before serving the first night.
You can use a fat separator! They are super handy and work really well. Just pour all the jus into the fat separator and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Mine has a handle that you squeeze to release the jus from the bottom since the fat rises to the top.
Earlier in the year, my family and I started making French dips at home. I have tried a few recipes and they were ok. One day I came across this recipe and thought I’d give it a try. We love this one so much. So much flavor and tastes amazing. To this day months later we still go to this recipe for the dips. Thank you so much for this recipe. My family and I all love it.
That is great to hear this recipe is so well loved! Thank you!
The recipe calls for 2 – 1 oz pkg onion soup
Does that mean 2 pkg? I’m not sure if they’re 1oz or not.
Also instead of beef broth could I use 2 pkg au jus with water?
I’m planning to make this on Sunday so your quick reply is appreciated. Thank you.
Yes, it is 2 packages of the onion soup mix. And yes, I think you would be fine using au jus packages with water. Or you could use beef bouillon with water if you have that.
Love it! It’s a new family favorite
Thanks Alanna. I love making this when I have company over because it’s always such a big hit!
I’m super excited for this for dinner, but while putting it together I noticed wha might be a discrepancy? The written recipe lists 29 oz of beef broth. However in your video you say 2 cups, so that would really just be 14.5 oz. I thought the 29 oz looked like a lot, so I removed a little less than a cup of liquid.
I’m sorry! I totally misspoke in the video. It two 14.5-ounce cans (or about 4 cups) of beef broth, not 2 cups. Honestly, it’s a pretty forgiving recipe and I have made it with just 2 cups of beef broth – it just doesn’t result in quite as much a jus for dipping.
I’ve seen a lot of recipes call for 12oz beer in theirs. Have you tried adding it? I’m going to make this tomorrow night so we’ll see how it comes out!
I have never tried that! Let me know how it goes!
How should I adjust the cook time for 6 pounds of boneless chuck roast? Is 10 hours enough?
Honestly when I have a bigger piece of meat I will just cut it into two or three big chunks and I will cook on high for 6 hours and I have never had an issue with it not being done. If you don’t want to cut it up, you will most likely need to add more time. I would say 8 hours should be good.
6 hours on low or high? I’m cooking it on low…
Yeah I would do 8-10 hours on low. But definitely keep an eye on it. If it is done sooner, just keep it on warm.
So my fiance is crazzzzzy about french dips, it’s easy to say that it’s one of his favorite sandwiches. I’ve looked up recipe’s before and it seemed pretty daunting for me, but last week I decided that if I was going to put in the effort then I might as well choose a recipe from a website I’ve tried before.
So I checked your page and I was immediately excited. Crockpot? Less then 10 ingredients? Sign me up.
It was sooooooo easy. This was easily one of the most “low effort” meals I’ve made in awhile and WOW. I did not use rolls since we enjoy a good sub, but I made sure the bread was going to have that “bite” to it. We baked our “bread” with some processed swiss cheese, added the meat and another slice of cheese, and baked again.
I knew I had made a banger of a meal when my man got up to turn the oven on for seconds. We ate it again on Sunday and it’s just soooo good.
Oh wow thank you so much! This is one of my favorites as well! I’m glad you tried it! Now you know how easy it is you can make it again. I always have a frozen chuck roast so I can make this recipe when guests or company come over. It’s well loved by all!
Fantastic sandwiches! My grocer only had a London broil cut available and it turned out very tender cooked on low following the recipe. Ciabatta for the bread is great as it doesn’t get that slimy kind of soggy like soft breads do from the au jus. Great recipe! Thank you
Thanks for making it! I have found it’s a pretty forgiving recipe with several different cuts of meat. And yes, I agree, I like using Ciabatta bread as well.
Wow! Easy and 100% delicious!! Only added 2 cups of beef broth, a couple good splashes of Worsteshire and only 1 package of dry soup mix along with one onion cut up; the onion pretty much dissolved during cooking but added so much flavor. Served on ciabatta rolls with swiss cheese. Perfect for a simple dinner or a fancier affair. Thank you!
Great! I love this recipe. It’s a great one to make when company come over!