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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:
Richard La says
It would help if you could put the Nutritional values of the things made like the calories, carbs, proteins, sodium, etc,
Karly says
You’re welcome to calculate that information yourself using any of the numerous free online calculators.
Tash says
Hi karly we struggle to get your suggested ingredients in SA… could I use a beef stock pot diluted in water instead and powdered brown onion soup diluted in water? What ratio is your recipe. I.e. Weight of been vs liquid?
Karly says
Hi Tash,
Yes, I think those changes would be fine. I’m using 3 pounds of chuck roast with about 30 ounces of liquid, but I would only add in a cup or so of your beef stock. I’m not sure how much onion soup mix to suggest, but I’d probably just add the amount you’d use to make one batch of soup.
D says
Sounds delicious but kinda bad for you if you are a careful, healthy eater. It’s canned so probably filled with metals, processed, and super high in sodium. I’m going to try to make French onion soup from scratch, use organic beef broth from a carton, and use my pressure cooker to speed up the process.
Megan says
This is now one of our go-to crock pot recipes, sooo delicious!
Katie says
So I tried making this for my family for dinner tonight… and it ended with us getting pizza for dinner! =( Was so disappointed. The meat was way too tough to shred, even after cooking on high for two extra hours in a brand new Crockpot and following all the instructions. The chuck roast given to me at the butcher was round (4lbs), not flat like in a video, but I thought it would be okay since some of the comments here mentioned it still cooks fine. I guess the shape of the meat does matter? =(
Karly says
Sorry you had trouble with this one, Katie. It sounds like maybe you didn’t get a chuck roast? I hope you kept cooking the meat until it was able to shred – it sounds as if it just needed more time in the slow cooker.
Jennifer says
Any alternative to French onion soup? I can’t stand onions but the rest of the dish looks completely wonderful?
Karly says
This dish is only a few ingredients, so swapping one out is going to make a pretty big difference in flavor. You could use just consomme and add in some Worcestershire, but it’ll change the flavors.
Romain says
I have a slow cooker that I never use. This recipe is totally making me rethink that. Those pics make me want to lick my screen. Seriously!
Karly says
Bust out that slow cooker!
Tara Grimes says
Made this last night and it is DELISH!!! I used the Hawaiian Sub rolls because my bunch love soft bread (which is hard to find in Utah being a dry climate) and of course cannot forget about Boars Head Provolone cheese (we love our Boars Head). It was a HUGE HIT here at our house, it’s now a favorite. Thank you so so much!!!!
Karly says
So glad you guys enjoyed this! I bet it’s great on Hawaiian bread!
Amber says
It’s great on Hawaiian rolls, and the jalapeño Hawaiian rolls! Made this tonight for the first time…..amazing! Added onion soup mix and worchestire sauce, amped it up! No leftovers!
Ruth Cotten says
Goodmorning was wondering about how much worshire sauce to use I have a 3pd roast
Karly says
I think a tablespoon or two would be great.
Roy L. Ellison, Jr. says
HI!! KARLY! I am 74 years old. This is my first time cooking . I learning for how to made a FRENCH DIP SANDWICH. My wife just came home at 5:30 pm. SHE LOVED IT!!! YAY!! YAY!! I am better cooking.
Karly says
I am so happy to hear that Roy! After all this time and you’re still surprising your wife and making her smile! Way to go! 🙂
Ashley Skipper says
I just have to comment that this made me smile so big! Not only was Roy inspired to cook for his wife, but also that you took the time to reply with such a lovely sentiment. You are a class act, and I look forward to trying your recipes, starting tomorrow with the French dip!
Candida Kennedy says
I am making this for about 16 people on Saturday. So I may use two crockpots and double the receipe. I will report back later to let you know how it went.
glenda says
I have tried a few of your recipes but the crock pot ones seem to call to me. The French dip is awesome…the Cuban sliders three my daughter and grandchildren into ecstasy. Thanks for your wonderful recipes
Karly says
You’re welcome! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a sweet comment!
Melissa says
Is it just one can of both?
Stephanie says
You literally just put the meat in the slow cooker and add the soups and that’s it? No spices on the meat, even just a little salt and pepper?
Tim Shaw says
Believe it or not that’s all you have to do and it turns out absolutely amazing every single time!
Stephanie says
I am a spice fanatic, haha. It just seems so strange!
Tim Shaw says
I’m the same way lol. I was a bit skeptical when I first tried it but believe me this recipe yields some of the best French Dip sandwiches you have ever tried.
Karly says
The soups have a lot of salt and seasoning in them, but you can certainly add salt and pepper if you’d like.
Paula says
Has anyone tried making it in an electric pressure cooker to speed it up?
Karly says
I’ve made this in the Instant Pot and cooked for 70 minutes at high pressure with a natural pressure release.
Carolina Bautista says
Wow 70 minutes seem so like a lot. Is this because you used 4lb as recipe calls for. I only have about 2.5lb and was thinking to cook it on high for 55min. I’ve done 2lb of bottom round roast cubed this way on my power pressure cooker XL, I think if I left it longer the meat starts to disintegrate. Is the time longer because it’s a different type of cut? I don’t normally make chuck roast. Advise appreciated.