These Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches are an easy dinner the whole family will love. Tender and flavorful beef served on rolls with melted provolone and au jus for dipping is always a welcomed comfort food meal.
The beef slow cooks in a delicious broth with thyme, oregano, garlic and a couple of bay leaves that results in the most savory au jus… mouthwatering is an understatement here!
This smells absolutely heavenly while it’s slow cooking. It’s difficult to wait but trust me, the wait is totally worth it.
How To Make Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
You’ll start by browning the seasoned chuck roast in a nonstick skillet, then transfer to your slow cooker insert with beef broth, condensed French onion soup, root beer, soy sauce and herbs.
Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours, then remove the roast and slice on a cutting board. Return the sliced beef back to your slow cooker to cook for an additional 1 to 2 hours (or until desired tenderness).
Once the beef has reached your desired tenderness, place on French rolls or hoagie buns, top with provolone cheese and bake until the cheese is melted.
Ways to Remove Fat from Au Jus Before Serving
- Use a large metal spoon and skim off fat that has risen to the top of the broth (more fat will rise if you wait 10 to 15 minutes).
- I like to use this fat separator – it’s quick, convenient and more precise than using a spoon.
Enjoy!
More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 (3 to 3 ½ pound) chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
- 2 cups beef broth low sodium
- 1 cup root beer*
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 French rolls or hoagie buns
- 12 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from roast. Season roast with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown roast on all sides (about a minute each side).
- Place roast in your slow cooker insert and add French onion soup, beef broth, root beer, soy sauce, garlic powder, bay leaves, thyme and oregano.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours. Carefully remove roast, place on a cutting board and thinly slice across the grain. Place sliced meat back in slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for an additional 1 to 2 hours (until desired tenderness). Remove and discard bay leaves.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Slice buns and place on a rimmed baking sheet (sliced side up). Place sliced beef on one half of each bun and top with 2 slices of provolone cheese. Bake until cheese is melted (about 3 minutes).
- Serve with au jus from slow cooker.**
Notes
- *Cola (such as Coke or Pepsi) can be substituted for root beer.
- **Skim fat from au jus before serving by using a fat separator or a large metal spoon.
- This recipe was tested using a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Adapted from Valeries Kitchen and Carlsbad Cravings
Nutrition
If provided, nutritional info is a courtesy, is not guaranteed and should only be considered as a guideline.
Originally published January 2017. Updated with new photos, helpful tips, recipe slightly revised and republished on February 20, 2020.
What could I substitute the French onion soup with, as my husband is allergic to onions? Any suggestions?
Hi Maureen, you could replace it with extra beef broth, but I read on my beef broth container that it contains onion juice, so please use your best judgement as I’m not a nutrition expert. Let us know how it turns out if you make it! 🙂
I love what you’ve done with this recipe! Don’t you just love them??? This was one of my boys’ favorites through the high school years. So easy and always a hit. Gorgeous photos, Amy!
Thanks, Valerie! I absolutely loved this in the slow cooker, they were delicious!
What a great party dish! OMG! Easy to prep ahead and then serve yourself. Great for football parties.
Thanks so much, Al! Hope you enjoy if you make them… they were delicious! 🙂