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This Slow Cooker French Dip is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it dinner! Tender, juicy beef is piled onto hoagie rolls and served with a rich, savory au jus dipping sauce.
This Is the Most Requested Sandwich in My House
I love meals like these Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches that only takes a few minutes to prep and then the slow cooker does all the work. It's a no-fuss dinner–just grab some good quality hoagie rolls and toast them with melty provolone. The juice from cooking the beef turns into your au just for dipping.
My biggest tip, don't skip the searing step! It makes a big difference in flavor. I like to add a packet of onion soup mix to the slow cooker for extra depth. When you strain the au jus, taste it and add salt, if needed. Don't throw the au jus out, it freezes great for future meals!
Make sure to try more of my sandwich recipes, like a Cuban Sandwich, Sloppy Joes, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Meatball Subs, Patty Melt, Salmon Burgers, and Lobster Rolls.
How to make Slow Cooker French Dip:
Sear the Roast: Season a chuck roast with salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme then sear on all sides in a hot skillet with a little olive oil until lightly browned.
Slow Cook: Place the roast in the slow cooker with onion soup mix, garlic, beef broth, cola, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low for 4 hours then slice the meat thin and return it to the slow cooker for 1 more hour.
Broil and Serve: Butter and load hoagie rolls with sliced beef and cheese, then broil until melted and golden. Ladle the au jus from the slow cooker into bowls for dipping. Serve with a salad recipe like a Wedge Salad, Burrata Salad, or Potato Salad.
To Make French Dip Sandwiches in the Oven:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Sear the seasoned meat in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the remaining ingredients (garlic, onion soup mix, beef broth, coke, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce) directly to the pot. Cover with a lid and bake for 3 to 4 hours, or until the roast is completely fork-tender. Slice the meat, return it to the pot with the hot au jus, and proceed with assembling and broiling the sandwiches as directed.
French Dip Sandwiches
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3.5 pounds chuck roast
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 packet Onion Soup Mix, (dry), or homemade
- 3 cloves garlic, , minced
- 2 1/3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup coca cola coke, (not diet)
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
For serving:
- 16 slices Swiss or provolone cheese, or your favorite kind
- 8 hoagies or sub rolls
Instructions
- Season all sides of the chuck roast with salt and pepper, oregano, and thyme.3.5 pounds chuck roast, salt and freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Add olive oil to a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add meat to the pan and sear on high heat for 30 seconds or so on all sides, just until lightly browned.1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Place meat in the slow cooker and sprinkle with French onion soup mix and garlic. Pour broth, coke, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce on top.1 packet Onion Soup Mix, 3 cloves garlic, 2 ⅓ cups low-sodium beef broth, 1 cup coca cola coke, 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Cook on LOW for 4 hours and then remove meat to a cutting board. Thinly slice the meat and then return it to the slow cooker and continue to cook on LOW for one more hour.
- When ready to serve, preheat oven to High broil. Slice rolls in half and lightly butter the top side. Add a few slices of meat to the bottom halves and top with two slices of cheese.16 slices Swiss or provolone cheese, 8 hoagies or sub rolls
- Broil for a few minutes, just until the cheese its melted and bread is golden. Ladle the au jus sauce from the slow cooker into small bowls for dipping. Enjoy.
Notes
- Make it healthier: serve on a whole wheat bun and leave off the cheese.
- Make it “Philly style”: add caramelized onions and bell peppers
- Add some heat: jalapeños, yellow pepper, diced chilies, or crushed red pepper.
- A Salad: Cucumber Avocado Salad or Classic Wedge Salad would both taste great.
- Coleslaw
- Fries
- Potato Salad
- Veggies and dip
- Chips
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe September 2016. Updated April 2020 and September 2026.
Best French dip sandwiches ever! Everyone went back for seconds and thirds, including two picky grandsons. I followed the recipe exactly (using your recipe for homemade onion soup mix) and cooked the chuck roast in the slow cooker for 9 hours on low. Absolutely awesome! I’ve pinned your recipe and will be making it again and again!
This sounds great! I have loved everything I’ve tried thus far from your site.
Is there a way to substitute the Coke? No one in my house drinks soda and I don’t think I can buy just one cup. Not sure what I would do with the leftover Coke. I understand it might be a key ingredient, but just thought I’d ask. 🙂
You could buy a can from the vending machine at Walmart or a convenience store. The carbonation in the soda tenderizes the meat.
Can the roast be cooked in the instant pot i stead of slow cooker? If so what would the time estimate be? Thanks 😊
Sure, the meat will need to cook on high pressure for 50 minutes with a natural release.
I forgot to get this going first thing this morning, can it be cooked on high? For how long?
The beef is the most tender and tastes best if cooked on low.
We’re making this, this week! I saw under your notes that it says “Beef consommé can be found on the Campbells soup section in your grocery store, near the beef broth.” I don’t see beef consommé listed under ingredients or in the recipe. Should it be included?
Excited to try this!
It should be the “name” of the soup, right on the soup can. Campbell’s usually carries it.
Hi Lauren! I made this today for my husband and he loved it! I like how your instructions add little tips for success because I’m not a super experienced cook and the more information about what to expect in a recipe help a lot. Thank you!!
Hi, after it’s done cooking that last hour does it have to be removed from the crockpot right away? If I’m not ready to serve it yet can it still stay in there on low? And for how long? My husband sometimes works late but he doesn’t know til the end of the day so I’m just wondering about the timing if it will still be good and best way to reheat it. I’m a vegetarian and I’ve just started to try to cook meat since I got married so I’m just learning as I go. Thankyou. I’ve been pinning your recipes. So many good ideas here.
Thanks Courtney! It could continue to cook on low for up to 8 hours–it will just get more and more tender and will be more like shredded beef, but will still taste great. Otherwise, if your crockpot has a “keep warm” setting you could just leave it there until ready to eat 🙂 Hope your husband loves these French dips!
This is a family favorite at our house. I make it for my brothers family when they were in town and now he makes it all the time at home. So so so good!! We use mini French rolls from Costco and Costco provolone.
Really yummy! This is great when time to make dinner is short — it cooks during the day, then there’s minimal prep to serve.
I was so disappointed to find Coke and French Onion Soup Mix in this recipe. These are not “real” or “homemade” and I honestly expected better from a website called, “Tastes Better From Scratch.” With these ingredients, this is actually far more along the lines of “Processed and Semi-homemade.”
Waaaahhhhhh….so many cry babies on the internet.
Recipe sounds legit, I will definitely report back once I am done this evening. Something tells me K has never made, nor understands the time consumption and magnitude of, French Onion Soup. the Coke will break down the roast and tenderize it, as well as add flavor to the broth. Maybe think before commenting snowflake? This is a solid recipe!
I agree
I made these on Sunday. They were simply amazing and so good we are doing them again this Sunday!!!