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This French Dip Sandwich is one of the most popular recipes we have published! It’s such an easy recipe and it’s made in the crockpot. Your whole family will love this one and your house will smell amazing while these are in the slow cooker.
These slow cooker French dip sandwiches will just melt in your mouth! They’re so easy to toss together in the morning and you’ll come home to a delicious smelling house and the most amazing French dip sandwich ever!
We love this 3 ingredient french dip recipe! The meat turns out so tender and flavorful and it’s delicious on a hoagie roll with some cheese!
We shared this recipe on Facebook and it instantly went viral. The video now has over 80 million views and the recipe was so popular that one of the ingredients was sold out in many grocery stores for over a month!
We’ve also shared a version of this that’s quite a bit quicker. Check out our Instant Pot French Dip!
What is French Dip?
This popular sandwich is made with slow roasted beef, either shredded or thinly sliced, and best served on a French roll with a side of au jus.
The au jus is a savory broth made from the juice of the roasted beef and seasonings and it’s excellent for dipping the sandwich into.
Ingredient Notes:
Beef – We like to use chuck roast for this recipe, but rump roast works as well.
French Onion Soup – We’re using canned French onion soup to add flavor. It’s a simple way to get that savory flavor.
Beef Consomme – Consomme is similar to beef broth, but more concentrated with a richer texture. You can find canned beef consomme with the canned soups.
What We Love About This Recipe:
- It’s Easy! Open up a couple cans of soup, add them to your slow cooker with a roast, and walk away!
- It’s Tender! The crockpot does all the work and the meat turns out fall apart tender!
- The Dipping Sauce! The liquid from the slow cooker makes the best dipping sauce. Just reduce it on the stove to concentrate the flavors and dig in!
What Readers are Saying!
“I’ve been making your recipe for years and my family loves it. This is our favorite French Dip recipe. So yummy! I make exactly as written. I like to add horseradish to my sandwich. MMMM! Thank you” -Staci
How To Make Slow Cooker French Dip:
Add the chuck roast, soup, and consomme to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or until the beef is tender.
Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it up with two forks.
Transfer the liquid in the crockpot to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let the liquid reduce down by half to concentrate the flavors. This will make a delicious dipping sauce for your French Dip.
Build your sandwiches by spooning the meat onto hoagie rolls and topping them with slices of provolone cheese. Pop them in a hot oven or under the broiler for just a minute or two to melt the cheese.
Fat Separator!
If you enjoy making your own gravies and sauces, this fat separator makes it so easy! The built in strainer catches the leftover bits and the broth comes out the bottom, leaving the fat behind.
Helpful Tip!
Amp Things Up!
- Flavor Boost: Add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce or a cube of beef bouillon to amp up the flavor a bit.
- Au Jus: Use a fat separator to remove the fat from the broth before you boil it down.
- Rolls: We’re obsessed with crusty French rolls for this recipe, but you can use any type of hoagie roll you like. A good french roll really soaks up the juices without falling apart too much though.
Crockpot Recommendation!
In the market for a new slow cooker? We love this 7 quart Crockpot. It’s simple to use, cooks evenly, and is very budget friendly. Plus, it has a 4 1/2 star rating with over 5,000 reviews on Amazon!
Karly’s Tips:
All slow cookers cook a bit differently – some run hotter than others! If your roast is not fall apart tender after cooking, it’s just not done yet. Keep cooking until it’s tender enough to easily shred with a fork. It’s very difficult to overcook a roast in the crockpot, so just keep cooking until it’s tender!
If you want a less greasy au jus for dipping your sandwiches, trim the fat from your chuck roast before cooking. You can also remove the fat from the liquid using a fat separator! This tool comes in handy any time you’re making gravy!
You may notice that we add a packet of Au Jus seasoning to our Instant Pot French Dip sandwiches. This is because we find things need extra seasoning when cooked under pressure. You may add it to this slow cooker french dip sandwich recipe as well, if you like a bolder flavor.
Freezing & Storage Instructions:
I don’t think we’ve ever cooked a chuck roast without having some leftovers. They’re a large cut of meat and perfect for feeding a crowd! And if you’ve got extra, it’s just as good the next day.
You can keep any leftovers stored well covered or in an airtight container in your refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.
The meat can also be frozen for up to a few months. Let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe bag or container. Thaw overnight before reheating.
???? More Slow Cooker Favorites:
- Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
- Pulled Pork with Pickle Slaw
- Pulled Pork & Pintos
- Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Beer Cheese Chicken Sliders
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Crockpot Sausage and Peppers
wprm-recipe-video
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast
- 21 ounces condensed French Onion Soup (2 10.5 ounce cans)
- 10.5 ounces Beef Consomme (1 can)
- 8 sandwich rolls
- 8 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Place the roast in a slow cooker. Pour the soup and consomme over the top.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, or until the beef easily shreds apart with a fork.
- Remove 3 cups of the liquid from the slow cooker with a measuring cup or ladle and add to a small sauce pan. Turn heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce to a hard simmer and let cook until reduced by half, about 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer the beef to a shallow dish and shred with a fork.
- Place the sandwich rolls on a baking sheet and spoon meat into each roll. Top with provolone cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately with the sauce on the side for dipping.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in March 2016. It was updated in January 2023. Original photo below:
Alison Gilliatt says
Second time making this for husband and I and we love it .I love how easy it is ..my daughter who lives in Florida also has made it ..I am making it today and I am making a bigger amount so I can bring my son some also he lives in assisted living facility so I’m sure he would love a home cooked meal …super super easy recipe and so delicious..thank u
Karly says
Glad this one is a hit in your family.
Ian says
I tried this using a bolar roast, Campbell’s beef stock and Campbell’s Mushroom soup (Condensed ) because we can’t get French onion soup in NZ. I sprinkled packet French onion soup over it and cooked for 2 hrs in a pressure cooker, and it was awesome. We had it over Kumara (sweet potatoes )mash.
Brandi says
That sounds really good!
Marcia says
What is a bolar roast?
Ian Lloyd says
The bolar blade comes from the shoulder and is the ideal cut for a beef pot roast. It is an inexpensive cut which is easily carved. A rolled and tied beef brisket is also suitable. They both have a lot of connective tissue that softens and becomes tender when simmered gently for a long period of time.
Ethel says
Sounds delish Ian. Which setting on the pressure cooker? TIA
nat says
Did you need to thicken it so you could use the juice as well as the meat?
Karly says
I just reduce the liquid as mentioned in the recipe.
Matthew Lukowski says
Tried this and I loved it. Super delicious and basically idiot-proof. I followed the recipe exactly and used some crusty Italian bread, tasted just like the French Dips I’m used to in restaurants. Only thing was that my wife found the dip/juice to be a bit greasy. Should I reduce it even longer while simmering?
Michelle says
No, just chill the liquid in the fridge and the fat will harden so you can remove it. Then reheat it just before serving. Problem solved!
Sharon says
Can you use frozen chuck roast or does it have to be thawed?
Karly says
You will likely need to cook it longer if you start with frozen meat.
Victoria says
Please help me figure out how to get the fat out of the dip. There is just a layer of oil on top of it
Chef Stein says
Put in fridge till fat hardens then remove
Karly says
Put in the fridge to allow the fat to harden and then remove it with a spoon. Heat again before serving.
Sallie says
Or cut fat off meat before cooking. It helps a lot!
Tricia says
Do you add water to the soups as per directions on the can?
Ken says
Nope! Just add the cans as they are.
Monique Gesin says
I am going to try to make this today. Will I need to add water to the cans of soup?
Karly says
Nope!
Linda says
Making this for dinner tonight.
Kayla Bigelow says
Do you have any recommendations on making a smaller portion of it? I didn’t want to use 3 to 4 pounds of Chuck roast it is just me and my husband.
Karly says
I would just omit one can of soup. You really can’t mess this up.
Patricia says
Try freezing the leftovers and reheat them in the crock pot but make sure you also save the dipping sauce in a couple of small freezer containers to reheat with the meat to save the flavor.
Sharon says
My crock pot has a slow cooker setting and a stove top, which do I use
Karly says
You want to slow cook these on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Claudia says
I tried this recipe and it was delicious. The beef consommé and French onion together gave the beef a very savory taste. I don’t have a crock pot so I cooked it my usual way by baking it in the oven on 300 for 1 hr per pound It was scrumptious. I put it on the Italian bread and added an Italian sausage and hot peppers for a yummy combo sandwich. Dipped the bread before adding the meat etc. um um um. Sooo good! Thanks for sharing.
dale says
gonna try this for the holiday.
Karly says
It’s perfect for a big crowd! 🙂
Lauren says
Should I covet the pan with foil?
Karly says
Yes.
Forest Weber Sr says
11:44 p.m. Central time and I just put mine in the Crock Potter smells amazing.
Karly says
Hope you enjoy it!
Kathy says
Cook I make this the day befor needed and save the juices and warm it up?
Mistee says
Bummer, but mine wasn’t able to be shred…
Karly says
Sounds like it needs to be cooked longer. Every slow cooker is different and some cook slower than others. Any meat from the slow cooker will shred if you keep cooking it. 🙂
Barbara Dailey says
Oh my gosh this meal was awesome thank you will be making it again for sure thank you
Chris says
Made these yesterday for fathers day. Absolutely delicious! I didn’t reheat the juices in a sauce pan & just used what was in the crock pot. Helpful hint……toast your buns!!
Stephanie says
This is a wonderful Sunday meal for my family. Sunday is my longest work day and I try to make something easy for dinner after a long day. I could smell this outside and of course it smelled so much better and stronger outside. This was SOOOO good! Made it just as the recipe called for, and had some mixed veggies for a side. This will be in my Sunday crock pot rotation dinners for sure.
Karly says
Glad to hear that. 🙂