Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches That Feel Like Home

Let Me Tell You About Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches…

I can’t count how many chilly Sunday evenings I’ve thrown one of these babies together, only to have the smell of slow-cooked beef waft through the house and lure my teens out of their rooms (which honestly feels like a small miracle). First time I tried this recipe, I got a little overconfident and used a fancy, crumbly roll — bad move, so much beef-juice lost to the plate. Rookie mistake. Anyway, it’s become my go-to whenever I just want something hearty but can’t be bothered to hover over the stove. Grab your slow cooker and let’s get into it!

Why You’ll Actually Like This—Or At Least I Do

I make this when my need for laziness is only outmatched by my family’s need for something beefy. Everybody seems to go wild for the juicy meat and those drippy, cheese-melted rolls (my son claims it’s the only way he’s willingly eating onions). If I’ve had a long day, or am trying to catch up on emails without burning dinner, this is my secret weapon. Plus, you can walk away for hours and it just gets better. Only thing, the bread situation can be… finicky, but we’ll get there.

What You’ll Need (Give or Take a Few Things)

• 3-4 lbs of chuck roast (sometimes I’ll use bottom round if it’s on sale; flavor’s still good, just maybe a little less tender)
• 1 packet onion soup mix (honestly, any brand is fine—my grandma swore by Lipton, but it’s all similar)
• 2 cups beef broth (if I’m in a pinch, I’ll just do water and a bouillon cube—don’t come at me)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce—a healthy splash, really
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder (fresh garlic’s nice, but I never remember to buy enough)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or skip it if you don’t like)
• 6-8 hoagie rolls or anything sturdy; once used ciabatta and regretted it—I’m just being honest
• Slices of provolone or Swiss cheese (I swap for pepper jack when I’m feeling spicy)
• Optional: sautéed onions, peppers, or mushrooms for topping

How I Usually Pull This Off—Step by Step

1. Trim most of the fat off your roast (some is fine). Plop it in the slow cooker—no need to brown it first. I know some recipes say you should, but honestly, I never noticed much difference in the end.
2. Dump in the onion soup mix, broth (or water plus bouillon—I actually do this more than I should), Worcestershire, garlic powder, and thyme. Give things a quick stir if you can.
3. Put the lid on. Set the slow cooker to low for about 8 hours. If you forget and it’s on high for a while, just take an hour off the time. The house will smell amazing, just ignore any noises your stomach makes.
4. About halfway through, I usually flip the roast, but if I’m not home—eh, it’s fine.
5. When it’s fork-tender, pull the beef out and shred it up with two forks. Try not to eat half of it at this stage. Actually, who am I kidding, I always do.
6. Skim any big globs of fat from the cooking liquid. That liquid = the all-important au jus for dipping. If you want it less fatty, let it sit for 10 min, then skim more off.
7. Layer the shredded beef onto the rolls. Top with cheese and whatever extras you like. I zap them open-faced under the broiler for a minute so the cheese melts into that beautiful, golden state (keep an eye on them, I’ve burned more than one batch chatting with a neighbor).
8. Ladle some of the cooking liquid into small bowls for dipping, serve up your sandwiches, and prepare for utter silence at the table. Or, sometimes, a chorus of “can I have seconds?”

Some Notes (AKA “What I’ve Figured Out the Messy Way”)

• If you go for super lean beef, it’ll be dry—sorry, but there’s no way around it
• Au jus is salty; I sometimes water it down if someone in the house complains (not naming names, but it’s usually my mother-in-law)
• Use bakery rolls if you can—they don’t disintegrate as fast! Although hot dog buns seriously work in an emergency, but you didn’t hear that from me
• Don’t overstuff the rolls. I get greedy, but then you just have a forkful of disaster

Variations I’ve Tried (and a Couple I Regret)

• Added a splash of beer in place of some broth—for a deeper flavor, or maybe just to feel fancy
• Caramelized onions right in the slow cooker—easier than you think, but they tend to disappear into the broth, just so you know
• Veggie version with portobello mushrooms instead of beef… I wanted to like this, but, nah, it wasn’t for me. Meat really is the star
• Sometimes I toast the rolls on the skillet with a little butter—unnecessary, but honestly, pretty nice

So, About Equipment (What If You Don’t Have It All?)

Obviously, a slow cooker or crock pot is the easy route. If you don’t have one, you can totally use a Dutch oven in the oven at 300 F for about 3-4 hours, just check it off and on. Or, I actually once used a big stockpot simmering on very low heat, but you’ll want to stir more so nothing sticks.

I use two big forks for shredding, but if you have those meat claws, you’ll feel so much cooler (here’s a link to the set I bought after I saw them on a BBQ show). Not essential, but fun.

Storing the Leftovers (If You Even Get That Far)

Supposedly, you should keep the beef and jus in separate airtight containers in the fridge and finish within 3 days. But honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day; the sandwiches basically vanish overnight. I do actually think this tastes better the next day, as the flavors meld and, weirdly, the bread situation improves after reheating (maybe that’s just me). You can totally freeze the shredded beef and broth too, just wrap things up tight.

How We Serve Ours (and a Little Odd Tradition)

I always do a pile of potato chips on the side, which isn’t very French but works for us. My crew likes pickles and some horseradish sauce, too. Oh, and for some reason, we started dunking the chips in the au jus—don’t ask, it’s oddly addictive. I usually make some sort of easy green salad, but if I’m being honest, nobody cares except me.

If you want a fancier spread, check out these sandwich side dish ideas from Serious Eats.

Pro Tips I’ve Learned the Hard Way

• I once tried to rush and crank it to high for 4 hrs—beef was tough as old boots, don’t do it
• Let the shredded beef soak in the juice for 5-10 minutes before assembling; it picks up extra flavor (learned this form a friend, and it’s true!)
• If you’re reheating leftovers, splash in some extra broth. The sandwich gods will thank you

Questions Folks Have Actually Asked Me

• Can I make this with chicken? You can, but then it’s not quite the same; I’ve done it with thighs and it’s still tasty, but you’ll want to up the seasoning a bit.
• Does it freeze well? Yes! Shred the beef, store with some jus. Just defrost fully before reheating or it tends to get a weird texture.
• Is there a gluten-free option? Sure, use GF rolls. The beef and jus are gluten-free as long as your soup mix is. (Double-check, just to be safe!)
• What if I don’t have soup mix? Try a mixture of dry minced onions, a bit of garlic powder, and some bouillon—it’s a fair stand-in, although honestly, half the flavor comes from the meat anyway.
• What cut of beef is best? Chuck roast is classic, but I’ve used brisket and it turned out even richer. Just don’t use something too lean.

Okay, that’s pretty much everything I know about Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches—probably more than you wanted, but hey! If you want another beefy slow cooker idea, Smitten Kitchen’s brisket recipe is another winner I like. Hope your sandwiches turn out as messy and glorious as ours always do. (And if you accidentally drop beef on the floor like I did, three-second rule totally applies… most of the time.)

★★★★★ 4.40 from 51 ratings

Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

yield: 6 servings

prep: 15 mins

cook: 20 mins

total: 50 mins

Tender roast beef cooked in a savory broth, served on toasted hoagie rolls with melted cheese and a side of flavorful au jus for dipping. This easy crock pot recipe makes the perfect comforting dinner.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chuck roast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• 6 hoagie rolls
• 12 slices provolone cheese

Instructions

1. 1
   Season the chuck roast with salt and black pepper on all sides.
2. 2
   Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until browned.
3. 3
   Place the seared roast in the crock pot. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and onion soup mix.
4. 4
   Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the beef is tender and shreds easily.
5. 5
   Remove the roast and shred the beef. Return shredded beef to the crock pot to soak in the juices.
6. 6
   Serve shredded beef on toasted hoagie rolls, topped with provolone cheese, with a side of au jus from the crock pot for dipping.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 510 caloriescal

Protein: 42gg

Fat: 23gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 37gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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