Classic French dip sandwiches were a staple in my house growing up. You slow-cook a beef roast all day long until it’s so tender that you can shred it with one hand and a fork. The real beauty is how simple the ingredients are and how easy it is; it comes together in a matter of minutes in the morning and then you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. It’s also one that works great for a make-ahead meal in the freezer, perfect for times when you know you’re going to be busy. You can also make it in an electric pressure cooker, which is a total game changer.
Ingredient and Recipe Notes
- Beef roast – For best results, use a chuck roast. You could also use top or bottom round. The one roast to stay away from is eye of round; it is dry and flavorless.
- Onion soup mix – Regular or beefy onion flavor will work.
- Beef broth – You’ll notice the recipe calls for 4 cups of beef broth, which is 1 32-ounce box. 2 cans of beef broth will also work, even though they don’t equal a full 4 cups.
- Rolls or bread – How you serve these is totally up to personal preference. Crusty bakery rolls, baguette thirds, or ciabatta rolls all work great.
- Cheese – Take your pick when it comes to cheese! I like Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella, shredded or sliced.
How to Make French Dip Sandwiches
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, high-sided pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. While the oil is heating, season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Sear the roast on all sides, then transfer to the pot of a slow cooker.
- Sprinkle with onion soup mix, then add in water and beef broth.
- Cook for 8-10 hours on low or start it on high and cook for 2-3 hours on high (until it comes to a boil), then turn it to low and cook for another 4-5 hours on low. It’s hard to mess this part up, but you’ll know it’s done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When the meat is done cooking, shredded it with two forks.
- Place the meat on crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open face in the oven or for 1-2 minutes or until the bread is golden and the cheese is melty. And don’t even think about walking away–things can go from lightly toasted to on fire in a matter of seconds when it comes to bread and broilers. Ladle au jus (the juices, skim off fat as necessary) into small cups for dipping and enjoy!
Freezer Directions
Prepare roast through the searing step. After the meat has cooled, place in a plastic freezer-safe container, cover with onion soup mix, broth, and freeze. When ready to cook, pop it straight into the crockpot, add 2 cups of water, and set to high until simmering, then turn to low; cook for a total of 8-10 hours.
Instant Pot Directions
Prepare meat through the searing step (you can sear it in your Instant Pot.) Transfer the roast to a cutting board and slice it into 1″ slices. Place the slices back in the pot and add onion soup mix, broth, and water. Use the manual setting to cook on high for 30 minutes. Allow it to release naturally (so don’t release the pressure valve); it will take about 10 minutes. Remove lid and shred with forks. Serve as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes! See the freezer meal notes for instructions on prepping ahead.
Related Recipes
If you think French Dip sounds delicious, you may also be interested in these other Our Best Bites favorites:
French Onion Soup
Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches
Kalua Pork Sliders with Pineapple-Mango Slaw
Did You Make This?
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PrintFrench Dip Sandwiches
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-10 hours
- Total Time: 6-10 hours
- Yield: 8-10
Description
Classic French dip sandwiches, dipped in au jus, are no fuss and super easy, using only a handful of pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
1 2.5-3 pound beef roast (see note below)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 cups water
4 cups (1 box or 2 cans) beef broth
8–10 crusty rolls or baguette thirds (ciabatta rolls work great)
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella, shredded or sliced
Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, high-sided pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. While the oil is heating, season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Sear the roast on all sides, then transfer to the pot of a slow cooker. Sprinkle with onion soup mix and add in water and beef broth. Cook for 8-10 hours on low or start it on high and cook for 2-3 hours on high (until it comes to a boil), then turn it to low and cook for another 4-5 hours on low. It’s hard to mess this part up, but you’ll know it’s done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart.
When the meat is done cooking, shredded it with two forks. Place the meat on crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open face in the oven or for 1-2 minutes or until the bread is golden and the cheese is melty. And don’t even think about walking away–things can go from lightly toasted to on fire in a matter of seconds when it comes to bread and broilers. Ladle au jus (the juices, skim off fat as necessary) into small cups for dipping and enjoy!
Notes
BEEF ROASTS
For best results, use a chuck roast. You could also use top or bottom round. The one roast to stay away from is eye of round; it is dry and flavorless.
FREEZER DIRECTIONS: Prepare roast through the searing step. After the meat has cooled, place in a plastic freezer-safe container, cover with onion soup mix, broth, and freeze. When ready to cook, pop it straight into the crock pot, add 2 cups of water, and set to high until simmering, then turn to low; cook for a total of 8-10 hours.
INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS: Prepare meat through the searing step (you can sear it in your Instant Pot.) Transfer the roast to a cutting board and slice it into 1″ slices. Place the slices back in the pot and add onion soup mix, broth, and water. Use the manual setting to cook on high for 30 minutes. Allow it to release naturally (so don’t release the pressure valve); it will take about 10 minutes. Remove lid and shred with forks.
Is there anything I can do to make it more flavorful if I am using a roast that has less fat? Love your site!!
Top and bottom round roasts are both a good compromise between the fatty chuck roasts and lean eye of round. You can always add 1-2 tablespoons of butter, which sounds kinda weird, but it’s still not nearly as fatty as a chuck roast. Also, subbing about 1/2 cup of the water with dry red wine will boost the flavor.
We love this one! Nice and easy! So yummy and the leftovers can be used so many ways.
Where did the ingredient list go?
It’s back—-little glitch!
I made this tonight in the Instant pot and it was so tender and delicious! Thank you!
I made these Sunday for dinner. They were so yummy and easy. A big hit with the whole family! I cooked them in my instant pot for 3.5 hours (on slower cooker setting) then pressure cooked on manual for just a few minutes (maybe 3) to cook some carrots.
Could you cook the frozen roast in the instant pot? How long?
It’s not typically recommended for safety reasons. You could, however, slice the roast and cook it from frozen that way, but I’m not sure for how long.
Wow, this french dip sandwich looks so delicious!! I can’t wait to try it myself. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’m planning on making these for a family gathering of about 7 adults and 8 kids this weekend. If I double the recipe, do you think there would be enough meat?
Yep!
Just curious as to what cut of beef did you use? This looks really good.
I personally always use a chuck roast!
Hello. I’m a big fan of your blog. I’ve been following for years – thanks for all the awesome recipes!! I finally jumped on the instant pot bandwagon and was wondering if you had adapted this recipe yet? If so, would you please share? I’m still intimidated by pressure cooking! Thanks!!
I have done this one in the Instant Pot. I used all the same ingredients and then used the manual settings to cook it for 35 minutes on high pressure and it’s amazing! Hope that helps!
thank you for the quick response. 🙂
Your french dip sandwiches: I know there are so many different types of roasts… What kind of beef roast should i get??
I like chucks or either top or bottom round roasts (steer clear of the eye of round). Chucks are fattier but tasty and cheaper. Hope that helps!
Love your website and have two of your great Cookbooks…Thanks!!!
Just checking on this recipe and the freezer instructions…do I just add beef boullion
to the seared meat of do I add the two cans of beef broth with the onion soup mix???
Sounds like a winning recipe!
Can I use the leftover beef from this in your beef taquitos or would the onion soup mix give it an off flavor?
It would be amazing! 🙂
Kate- thank you so much for answering back so quick! This recipe is a little older and has a lot of comments so I didn’t think I’d get a response so soon. You are awesome 🙂 Oh, and this stuff is good!!
LOVE this recipe!! We make it probably once a month.
We always have tons of left over beef though. Any recipe suggestions for the left over beef??
I am using a beef rump roast. Do you think that will be a good meat for this recipe? If its not tender enough to pull apart, should I just try slicing it? Thank you for this recipe it really does look fantastic.
Just had this for dinner. DELICIOUS!
So this happened. I’ve made this yummy meat quite a few times. Everyone LOVES it. I try to keep it in the freezer for a weekend when we are busy and I can just pop it in the crock pot in the morning and it’s all ready to go for dinner.
However, this time instead of putting it in the freezer when instructed, I put it in the fridge. Brain fart. A few days later, I realized my mistake. It had been marinating for 3 days. The next night would be a great night to have to anyway so in the morning, I popped it in the crockpot for dinner.
This meat is really delicious every time. This time, being seared and marinaded – out of this world yummy!
By the way, I do not use that typical onion soup mix found in most stores full of MSG. I only use Simply Organic French Onion dip mix. It’s organic and has no msg. I find it at Whole Foods but you can also buy it at amazon.
I’ve always struggled making a good roast, of any kind. It’s always dry and tough. Is it the cut of roast that makes a difference? I thought beef roasts were best cooked to medium, so when I make one in the crock pot and cook it all day mine turn out dry, not tender. The longer I cook it the more dry, not the more tender like you say in the recipe. What am I doing wrong?
The cut definitely makes a difference, and I’ve been meaning to post about this for awhile. Chuck roasts work great, but they’re pretty fatty. My favorite is probably a top round roast, followed by a bottom round roast (also called a rump roast, which I remember from some Brady Bunch special, hahaha), then a chuck roast. The one you really want to stay away from is the eye of round. It’s a really tricky cut of meat, but it’s pretty much always available near all the beef roasts, so it’s easy to grab. It just comes out dry and bland and stringy and tough.
I just made this yesterday and it was fabulous! I had never (ever) used a crockpot before and was a little nervous. (Funny, I know, but I have some really good cooks around me who really dislike crockpots.) Thank you so much for this recipe! My husband loves French Dip Sandwiches at restaurants and he said this was so amazing.
I hope you get to this comment!! I am making this for a meal exchange. Under the freezer directions it says to sprinkle on the and the soup mix bouillion. So I guess you use beef boullion instead of the beef broth. Is that right? Is that what I should do? How much? Could you just add the 2 cans of beef broth when you cook it like in the regular recipe? Thanks for everything! You two are great!
I was wondering the same thing! Do you use bouillon when freezing or were you referring to the beef broth? Thanks! I love your blog, it is my go-to when meal-planning.
This is a new favorite, thank you Kate! I tried to print the recipe and it said I didn’t have permission to do so. I haven’t had problems printing other recipes on your blog before. Any suggestions?
Chefdugan…it appears as though you may have your chef coat on a bit too tight. Loosen up that top button – I do that with mine and find that simple things don’t get under my skin. Give it a go – ‘eh?
Your sandwich might be called a shredded roast beef sandwich but it is not even close to a French Dip. The beef should be thinly sliced and medium rare. I’m sure your sandwich is good but I just hate it when people depart from tradional ways of doing things and start adding things like french onion soup mix, lettuce (ugh!) and other crap and then steal the name. What’s next, adding lemon pepper mix to a filet and calling it Steak Ou Piouve? The proper dip, by the way, is homemade beef stock and red wine. Otherwise, go to Subway and order one of their awful concoctions.
You are going to be okay.
If I were to have like 1.5 pound roast should I half the recipe??
You can, but you could just use the full recipe and you’ll just have extra ajus.
Hi! Are these sandwiches made with your French bread recipe?
Going to add chuck roast to my shopping list. I have what they call a Philly cheese steak sandwich at the food court in the Mall and always add caramelized onions and pickled jalapenos. I’ve never made it at home but this slow cooked chuck roast sounds good to me, too!
How do you toast your bread? Do you butter them and broil it till their crunchy, then add the meat and cheese and do it again?
I just lightly butter them, broil until golden brown and then put everything on. Then you can pop them in there again really quickly to melt the cheese
I have a question about the onion soup mix. I try to avoid packaged foods, so I’m curious if you have any substitutions for it? I searched online and found a dry onion soup mix recipe on allrecipes (which seemed to work OK – they were yummy!), but I also wondered if you had tried anything like that before, and what seasonings you might use if you didn’t have a package of onion soup mix on hand. Thanks!
My question is similar to #56 “Joanna and Chris”, and after reading through the other comments I didn’t see a response to it and thought I’d ask again. The recipe says you can use a frozen roast. Does that mean you can just put the roast in the crockpot frozen, or sear it while it’s frozen and then put it in the crockpot? Or do you need to thaw it first? Hopefully that doesn’t sound dumb, just new at this and trying to clarify. Thanks!
You can sear it while it’s frozen and then pop it in the crockpot, just cook it for a couple hours more.
Hope that helps! 🙂