French Dip Sandwiches with tender beef, melty cheese, and garlic rolls. The slow cooker does the work, and you dip in the juices for flavor.
author’s note
Toasty, Cheesy, Dunkable Perfection!
I’ve been making my viral French Dip Sliders for years now. Millions of you have saved, pinned, and made them. After seeing how much you loved those little sandwiches, I knew I had to finally share my go-to recipe for the classic, full-sized French Dip Sandwiches.
I tested these for months to get them just right with fall-apart tender beef, rich au jus, and rolls that stay crisp.
The slow cooker does the work while searing locks in big flavor. They remind me of diner sandwiches I loved growing up, only better because I get to enjoy them at home with my family.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps / Tips |
|---|---|
| Beef Chuck Roast | Look for a well-marbled chuck roast—it gets ultra tender in the slow cooker. If needed, you can swap in brisket or rump roast, but chuck is best. |
| Onions | Caramelized onions are another great option if you want a sweeter flavor. |
| Beef Broth | A low-sodium broth gives you more control over seasoning. For an extra boost, add a splash of Worcestershire or soy sauce. |
| Sub Rolls / Hoagie Rolls | The sturdier the roll, the better! Spread with butter and a sprinkle of garlic powder before broiling for a crisp, flavorful bite. |
| Cheese | Provolone is classic, but mozzarella or Swiss melt beautifully too. Add a slice right before broiling so it turns gooey. |
How To Make French Dip Sandwiches
- Sear the beef: Brown it in a hot pan to lock in flavor.
- Sauté onions + sauce base: Scrape up browned bits for max flavor.
- Slow cook: Transfer everything to slow cooker and let it cook until fall-apart tender.
- Toast the rolls: Butter and sprinkle with garlic powder, then broil.
- Assemble: Pile the beef onto rolls, top with cheese, broil again until melty.
- Serve with au jus: Ladle juices from the slow cooker into small bowls for dipping.
Featured Comment
“Oh my gosh. This is restaurant quality!! Definitely putting in the rotation! This was an amazing Saturday night dinner that felt like we were at a restaurant ordering it.”
– RGP
What To Serve With French Dip Sandwiches
French Dip Sandwiches are rich and hearty, so lighter sides balance them well. Some of my favorites:
- Crunchy salads like Cucumber Salad, Panzanella, or Caprese
- Fresh salads like Garden, Italian, or Olive Garden Salad
- Roasted veggies such as Cauliflower, Green Beans, Broccoli, or Asparagus
- Potato chips
- Coleslaw
- Sweet potato fries or onion rings
Quick Tip
Thoroughly drain the meat before adding to the sub roll to avoid soggy sandwiches. Watch very closely as the sandwiches broil — they can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds!
Storage
To store French dip sandwiches, store the components separately before assembling them. They can last in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
More Slow Cooker Recipes:
French Dip Sandwich
Equipment
- Dutch oven or oven-safe heavy-bottomed pot
- 6-quart Crock-Pot 5 or 6-quart
- Sheet pan (15" x 10")
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2-1/2 pounds beef chuck roast see note 1
- Salt and pepper
- 2 small yellow onions very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce see note 2
- 2 cups beef broth see note 3
- 1 bay leaf optional
- White sub rolls with softened butter, for serving
- Slices of provolone cheese or shredded Gruyere, for serving, see note 4
Instructions
- Remove beef from packaging and pat dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with salt and pepper. I add 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (or 1 tablespoon Kosher salt) and 1 teaspoon pepper. Gently press seasonings into the meat.
- Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven (or oven-safe heavy-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat. Once you can feel the heat when you hold your hand 6 inches above the pot, load in the beef. Brown for about 5 minutes or until you get a nice crust and it releases easily from the pan when lifted. Flip and brown for another 5 minutes. Don’t skip this step. We are adding layers of flavor here. Once the beef is nicely seared with a good crust, remove it and place it in the slow cooker.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 3–5 minutes. Sprinkle in the seasonings: beef bouillon powder, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme) and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine. Pour in beef broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits at the bottom with a wooden spoon or spatula as it bubbles. (This is where we get loads of flavor.)
- Pour all the contents of the pot into the slow cooker, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add bay leaf. Cover and cook for 7–9 hours on low or until meat is fall-apart tender. I don’t recommend cooking on high, as it doesn’t get nearly as tender. (But if you do, about 5–7 hours is how long it will take.) Pull out some butter now too so it will be nice and soft come time to make the sandwiches!
- Use a sharp bread knife to slice sub rolls in half. Butter the insides of both pieces and lightly sprinkle with garlic powder (optional, but yum!). Place on a sheet pan and broil for 20 seconds, watching to avoid burning. Remove. Use a slotted spoon to remove meat from the slow cooker (shake off excess liquid) and place it on the bottom half of the rolls. Add cheese on top. Return to the oven and broil for 30 seconds to a minute or 2, until cheese is melted and tops are light golden brown. Watch very closely—they can go from perfect to burned in seconds! Sandwich the 2 sides together. Spoon out liquid from the slow cooker into bowls and serve alongside (for dipping) with the sandwiches. Enjoy promptly out of the oven.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Chuck Roast French Dip Sandwich FAQs
It’s simply the cooking liquid from the beef, enhanced with broth and seasonings. The result is a savory dipping sauce that makes the sandwich irresistible.
Provolone is mild and melty, but Swiss and mozzarella are both delicious options.
Yes! Store the beef and au jus separately. Reheat slowly to keep the beef tender, then assemble sandwiches just before serving.
These are a delicious mess! If you don’t have au jus dripping down your arms as you eat, you’re doing it wrong. Don’t skip the butter and garlic powder on the rolls. It is such a simple trick that really takes the recipe to the next level. For being so easy, this recipe has amazing depth of flavor. Thank you, Chelsea!
Hahaha I completely agree with this! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed! Thanks so much Briana! 🙂
Looks great! Do you think the recipe could be scaled down/halved for a smaller serving size? If that’s not an option, would leftovers keep/freeze well?
Absolutely! So much of this is just like making a regular sandwich you can make as much or as little as you’d like, you just might have a little bit of extra roast beef or cheese that you can use for another day!
Beef bullion is listed in the ingredient list but not in the instructions. Is the beef bullion supposed to be added in addition to the beef broth? Thanks!
I’m sorry, yes! I’ve updated the recipe. Thank you!
Oh my gosh. This is restaurant quality!! I followed the instructions with the exception of beef boullion (I didn’t have it). Definitely putting in the rotation! This was an amazing Saturday night dinner that felt like we were at a restaurant ordering it.
I am thrilled to hear this! Thank you so much! 🙂
This looks so delicious Chelsea! I was wondering if it would be ok to cook the meat overnight, put in fridge in the morning before I go to work, and then reheat the sandwiches for dinner later?
Thanks so much Michelle! So I actually did just that and we didn’t love it as much — the meat tasted a bit soggy (not sure how to describe it). What I have done is fully shred the meat, removing fat and liquid then adding it to a separate container from the liquid (au jus) and then reheated both gently over the stovetop. Not as good as right out of the crockpot, but better than letting the meat sit in the liquid in the fridge for an extended period of time! Hope that helps 🙂
Thank you Chelsea! That’s helpful! I just put everything in the crockpot this morning and super excited for lunch time!
I completely missed the bouillon powder and threw it in crockpot afterward. I hope it taste ok.
I am thankful for your recipes!!! They are fantastic🙂