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Get ready for one of the best sandwiches you’ll ever make at home. These Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches are piled high with tender, thinly sliced beef and sweet caramelized onions, tucked into toasted rolls with melty cheese, and served with a rich, savory au jus for dunking.
The slow cooker does almost all the work. You just sear the roast, soften the onions, and let it simmer away until it’s fall-apart tender. It’s perfect for game day, a casual weekend dinner, or feeding a hungry crowd. And if you’re short on time, there’s an Instant Pot option too.
You’ll find more hearty beef dinners in my beef recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Melt-in-your-mouth beef: Slow cooking turns a chuck roast incredibly tender.
- Homemade au jus: The cooking juices become the dipping sauce.
- Mostly hands-off: The slow cooker does the hard work.
- Instant Pot option: Get it done in a fraction of the time.
- Crowd-pleaser: Everybody loves a dunkable sandwich.
Ingredients Breakdown
Here’s what goes into these French dip sandwiches. You’ll find exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Beef chuck roast: Two to three pounds, trimmed. Rump roast works too, and sirloin or bottom round are leaner options.
- Low-sodium beef broth and Worcestershire sauce: The base of the flavorful au jus.
- Olive oil: For searing the roast.
- Yellow onions and garlic: Cooked down until sweet and savory.
- Bay leaf, salt, and pepper: For seasoning.
- Sandwich rolls: Choose sturdy rolls that won’t fall apart when dipped.
- Cheese: Provolone, Swiss, Havarti, or Monterey Jack.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Season the roast
Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. In a large measuring cup, mix the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and set it aside.
2. Sear the beef
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven (or an Instant Pot on sauté) over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until well browned, then move it to the slow cooker (or leave it in the Instant Pot).
3. Cook the onions
Turn the heat to medium and add the onions to the same pot. Cook for 5 minutes, adding a little more oil if needed. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Pour in a couple of tablespoons of the broth mixture and scrape up all the browned bits.
4. Cook the beef
Slow cooker: Add the onions and juices to the slow cooker with the rest of the broth and the bay leaf. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 5 to 6 hours, until tender. Instant Pot: Add the rest of the broth and the bay leaf, seal, and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, then let it release naturally for 20 minutes.
5. Slice the meat
Lift out the roast and slice it thinly against the grain, or shred it.
6. Make the au jus
Strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. This is your au jus. Discard the bay leaf and set the onions aside.
7. Moisten the meat
Return the meat and onions to the pot and moisten them with a little au jus. Season with salt and pepper. Save the rest of the au jus for dipping, and stretch it with a little extra broth if you want more.
8. Build and serve
Toast the rolls, fill them with the meat and onions, and top with cheese. Melt the cheese in a 375°F oven or under the broiler for a few minutes. Serve with the au jus on the side for dipping.
Tips and Variations
- Don’t skip the sear: Browning the roast builds deep, rich flavor.
- Scrape up the browned bits: They give the au jus so much flavor.
- Slice against the grain: It keeps every bite tender.
- Choose sturdy rolls: Soft rolls can fall apart when you dip them.
- Toast the rolls: A toasted roll holds up better to all that juice.
- Add peppers: Sautéed green peppers make it Philly-style.
How to Serve This Recipe
Serve each sandwich with a little bowl of warm au jus for dipping. Add a pickle spear on the side for a deli feel.
For sides, you can’t go wrong with Air Fryer Carrot Fries, The Best Potato Salad, or a crunchy Best Cucumber Salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cut of beef is best for French dip?
Chuck roast or rump roast are traditional because they’re tender and flavorful. For a leaner option, use bottom round or sirloin roast.
How long do I cook it in the slow cooker?
Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, until the meat is tender.
Can I make it in the Instant Pot?
Yes. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes.
What is au jus?
It’s the strained cooking liquid from the roast, served warm for dipping the sandwiches.
How do I store leftovers?
Store the meat, onions, and au jus separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat before assembling sandwiches.
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Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb beef chuck roast (or rump roast, sirloin roast, or boneless bottom round for leaner options), trimmed of excess fat
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 yellow onions quartered and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4-6 sandwich rolls (avoid overly soft rolls to prevent them from falling apart when dipped)
- 8-12 slices cheese (provolone, Swiss, Havarti, or Monterey Jack)
Instructions
- Season the roast generously with salt and pepper.
- In a large measuring cup, mix the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven (or an Instant Pot on sauté) over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until well browned, then move it to the slow cooker (or leave it in the Instant Pot).
- Turn the heat to medium and add the onions to the same pot. Cook for 5 minutes, adding a little more oil if needed. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Pour in a couple of tablespoons of the broth mixture and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Slow cooker: add the onion mixture and juices to the slow cooker with the rest of the broth and the bay leaf. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 5 to 6 hours, until the meat is tender. Instant Pot: add the rest of the broth and the bay leaf, seal and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes.
- Lift out the roast and slice it thinly against the grain, or shred it.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. This is your au jus. Discard the bay leaf and set the onions aside.
- Return the meat and onions to the pot and moisten with a little au jus. Season with salt and pepper. Keep the rest of the au jus for dipping, stretching it with a little extra beef broth if you want more.
- Toast the rolls and fill them with the meat and onions. Top with cheese and melt it in a 375°F oven or under the broiler for a few minutes.
- Serve with the au jus on the side for dipping.
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Tips:
- Meat Selection: For a traditional French Dip, use a chuck roast or rump roast, which offer tenderness and flavor due to the fat content. For a leaner option, try a boneless bottom round or sirloin roast.
- Storage: Store any leftover meat, onions, and au jus separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat before assembling sandwiches.
