Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

These Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches have tender, melt in your mouth beef, and are cooked with savory onions. Perfect for sandwiches!

Pair this slow cooker chuck roast sandwiches with creamy my Instant Pot Potato Salad or a Simple Macaroni Salad for a complete meal.

French Dip sandwich in glass pan.

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If you’re looking for a comforting and satisfying meal that requires minimal effort, slow cooker French dip sandwiches with onion soup mix are the way to go.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

This classic dish features tender and juicy beef that’s been slow-cooked in a savory broth until it’s falling apart, piled high on a soft roll, and served with a side of rich au jus for dipping. With just a handful of ingredients and a few hours of cooking time, you can enjoy a restaurant-quality sandwich in the comfort of your own home. 

What Are French Dip Sandwiches? 

French Dip Sandwiches are hot sandwiches, made with shredded or thinly sliced roast beef and commonly served with cooked onions and melty cheese inside, along with a dish of the cooking broth produced from the beef  – “au jus” or “with juice”. 

Ingredients for French Dip Sandwiches

A few simple ingredients go in the crock pot with a chuck roast to make the beef for the sandwich! The rest is for sandwich assembly. Make sure to check the recipe card for the printable recipe! 

  • Onions – a sweet variety such as white or yellow 
  • Chuck Roast
  • Black pepper
  • Au Jus Gravy Mix
  • Onion Soup Mix
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Beef Broth – can be regular or low sodium 
  • Hoagie Rolls
  • Butter
  • Provolone Cheese – 
  • Parsley – fresh for garnish

Ingredients for french dip sandwiches on white plates and blue dish on marble surface.

How To Make French Dip Sandwiches

Don’t let the seven-to-eight-hour cook time intimidate you; most of that is the slow cooker working its magic on the beef.

Prepare Beef

Place the sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker, then season the chuck roast with black pepper on both sides.

I know it’s tempting to also salt the roast, but there is plenty of sodium from the seasoning mixes and beef broth, so no extra salt is needed.

raw chuck roast, salt and pepper on white platter with green towel.

Add Seasonings

Add the roast on top of the onions. Sprinkle the au jus mix and onion soup mix over the top of the beef. Mix together the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and then pour into the slow cooker.

PRO TIP: Use more beef broth if you want more gravy for dipping at the end. 

Pouring beef broth into black crock pot with raw chuck roast.

Slow Cook Beef

Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 7 to 8 hours, till the beef is really tender and falls apart easily.

Carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the bottom and place them in a separate bowl for later use. 

Cooked chuck roast on white platter with glass bowl of onions and forks on marble surface.

Strain Au Jus

Using a fine-mesh strainer, pour the dripping from the slow cooker into a bowl or gravy boat. This is the dipping sauce for the French Dip Sandwiches. 

Black ladle straining beef drippings in steel strainer.

Assemble Sandwiches

Cut the sandwich rolls open and spread butter (if desired) in the middle and toast until lightly browned. Top with the shredded beef, onions, and provolone cheese. Garnish with parsley if desired. 

Black tongs placing shredded cooked beef on toasted buns.

Dip the toasted warm sandwiches in the dipping sauce and enjoy! 

Which Cut of Beef To Use

Many cuts of beef are used to make French Dip sandwiches, including rump roast, steak, prime rib, shaved deli beef, or a chuck roast. We’re going with a beautifully marbled chuck roast, because it’s tender and flakes beautifully when cooked, and it’s easy to find in most grocery stores and meat counters! 

french dip sandwiches in casserole dish with cheese and sauce.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

  • The provolone Cheese can be substituted with gruyere, swiss, or smoked gouda
  • If you don’t have beef broth, you can substitute it with 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of beef bouillon. 
  • The hoagie rolls can be swapped with crusty ciabatta bread or sliced french baguettes.

French beef sandwich on toasted roll on white plate.

More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

There’s nothing better than easy beef recipes for a slow cooker, especially in the summer! Here are a few of my favorites. 

Cooked french dip sandwich dipping into white dish of au jus sauce.

I hope you enjoy these tender and juicy easy french dip sandwiches as much as we do! 

French Dip sandwich in glass pan.
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4.89 from 9 votes

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Chuck roast is slowly cooked with onions and butter to create a luscious and tender, melt in your mouth beef, perfect for sandwiches!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 743 kcal
Author: Shawn

Ingredients

  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 4 lb chuck roast, trimmed
  • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 oz au jus gravy mix, (1 packet)
  • 1 oz onion soup mix, (1 packet)
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups beef broth

For The Sandwiches

  • 8 medium hoagie rolls
  • 3 tbsp butter, softened
  • 8 oz provolone cheese, sliced
  • freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

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Instructions

  • Place the sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker, then season the chuck roast with black pepper on both sides. Add the roast on top of the onions.
  • Sprinkle the au jus mix and onion soup mix over the top of the beef.
  • Mix together the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and then pour into the slow cooker. *Use more beef broth if you want more gravy for dipping at the end.
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 7 to 8 hours, till the beef is really tender and falls apart easily. Carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the bottom and place them in a separate bowl for later use.
  • Using a fine-mesh strainer, pour the dripping from the slow cooker into a bowl or gravy boat. This is the dipping sauce for the French Dip Sandwiches.

Assemble Sandwiches

  • Cut the sandwich rolls open and spread butter (if desired) in the middle and toast until lightly browned. Top with the shredded beef, onions and provolone cheese. Garnish with parsley if desired.
  • Dip the toasted, warm sandwiches in the dipping sauce and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 743kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 1258mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 414IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 16mg
Keywords: Beef Sandwiches, French Dip, Slow Cooker Beef
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4.89 from 9 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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13 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I haven’t made this yet, but I have been looking for this recipe for some time. I will purchase a chuck roast next shopping day. It looks yummy and I can’t wait. Thank you! Bob

  2. 4 stars
    Making a second time. The only difference I found a low sodium onion soup mix. Definitely a keeper

  3. 5 stars
    This was spectacular! I have to do gluten free, so I used a gluten free packet of AuJus gravy mix and Onion soup mix. Added a little extra beef broth. It will be in our rotation!

  4. So it’s not necessary to brown the meat before putting it in the crockpot? Thanks!! Look forward to trying it!

  5. 5 stars
    Thank you Shawn for sharing this recipe!!
    Delicious! I have made this several times, great for a get together!
    Believe me these will be gobbled up quickly.
    I always get many compliments as well as recipe requests!!!
    Donna Lombardo

    1. I have one from Hamilton Beach and one from CrockPot. Both have been wonderful for several years. Here is a link to the Hamilton Beach one that has a nice “stow and go” lid (perfect for traveling with). https://amzn.to/3MsqxUZ

    2. 5 stars
      Thanks for the recipe, Shawn!

      Cook on LOW heat correspond to what temperature if using a conventional cooking equipment instead a slow cooker ?