Easy French Dip Sandwiches - EASY GOOD IDEAS (2024)

Learn how to make a French dip sandwich at home! This is the easiest recipe that tastes just like a French dip you get at a restaurant complete with the au jus dipping sauce on the side. You will love how easy it is to make this classic sandwich.

Have you ever ordered a dish at a restaurant and then realized you could probably make it at home for a lot less? That’s how I feel about French dip sandwiches – I used to order them when we’d eat out, but once I figured out how easy they are to make I stopped ordering them.

My easy French dip recipe is super easy and you don’t have to cook a whole roast beef to make them. They’re quick and easy but you’d never guess – they taste just like one off a restaurant menu.

What is a French Dip Sandwich?

It’s a classic hot sandwich made with sliced roast beef that is piled onto French rolls. Sometimes they’re served with cheese melted on top and every French dip I’ve had has a side of beef broth for dipping, which is called au jus.

Traditional French dip meat is thin-sliced beef that has been roasted in the oven. My French dip is made with deli meat which makes it so easy. So, instead of spending hours roasting a big cut of meat, I just use deli roast beef. It’s the best shortcut and makes these sandwiches easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

What is French Dip Sauce Made of?

If you’ve ever had one in a restaurant it was probably served with a thin beef broth sauce on the side. The sauce is basically the drippings from the meat as it cooked that is served in a little bowl for dipping.

For my version, we are making our own au just with premade beef stock and a few other ingredients to make it taste like it was cooked all day. My shortcut version only takes a few minutes to make!

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Diced onion
• Minced garlic
• Low-sodium beef stock
• Worcestershire sauce
• Soy sauce
• Bouillon cubes
• Deli-sliced roast beef
• Salt and pepper
• French rolls

How to Make French Dip

For my recipe you start by making the au jus sauce first by heating olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook it for a few minutes or until it’s semi-translucent.

Add the garlic and cook it with the onion for a minute and then add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and bouillon cubes. Bring it to a boil cook the sauce for about five minutes or until the cubes are dissolved.

At this point, you will want to give the sauce a taste test (carefully! It will be hot) and add salt and pepper to your taste.

Place the sliced roast beef in the saucepan with the au jus and let it warm up. Once it’s hot place it on your rolls and it’s ready to serve.

Recipe Tips and Suggestions

I highly recommend that you toast your rolls first, but it’s optional. What I do is slice them and then place them sliced-side up under the broiler. Toast them for a few minutes until they’re nice and golden in spots.

Sometimes I add a slice of cheese on the bread before toasting it. That way you get melted cheese in every bite. We love to use provolone but Swiss cheese works well, too.

One way to switch up this recipe is to make hot turkey sandwiches instead of roast beef. Instead of beef stock, use chicken stock (plus the other sauce ingredients) and swap the beef for deli-sliced turkey.

Add some French fries or potato chips on the side and everyone will think you ordered French dip sandwiches for take-out! Your secret is safe with me – know one will ever guess how easy it was to make these hot sandwiches. Enjoy!

Mel’s Tips:

• Dip your french fries in the sauce. They pair great
• I freeze the left over sauce and even though it isn’t gravy, I like putting over potatoes or steak I might cook in the future for some added flavor. It can be the base of gravy if you want.
• You can even use the sauce as a base for French Onion soup.

Other Dinners You’ll Enjoy

• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Easy Pesto Flatbread
• Apple Walnut Salad

These Easy French Dip Sandwiches are a 20 minute meal! Use deli meat to make an easy French Dip with the best au jus from scratch. These are the perfect easy dinner or weeknight meal.