This is such a warm and comforting meal, and honestly one of my personal favorites. If you’ve been around here for a little while, you probably already know that I love a good sandwich. And don’t worry — there are definitely more sandwich recipes coming soon that I’m really excited to share!
One of the things I love most about French dip sandwiches is how versatile they are. You can keep them super simple or go all out depending on the day. Sometimes I make a quick version using deli roast beef and an au jus packet for an easy dinner, but making them this way with slow-cooked beef takes them to another level. If you want to make them even more indulgent, try brushing the buns with garlic butter before toasting them… it’s so good.
Another thing I love about this recipe is that it usually makes a little extra meat, which is perfect for leftovers. I’ll often use it for lunch the next day or incorporate it into dinner the following night. It also freezes well if you want to save some for later. The leftover beef is great in quesadillas, or we love using it to top homemade mac and cheese (another recipe I’m excited to share soon!).
I’ve also been loving my Instant Pot lately. It makes meals like this so much easier and cuts down on the number of dishes at the end of the night, which I always appreciate. You can definitely make this in a slow cooker, but then you usually have to brown the meat in a separate pan first — and that’s just one more dish to wash. If there’s an easier way, I’m all for it!
These sandwiches are especially perfect during the winter months or on a cold day. There’s just something about a warm sandwich dipped into rich, savory au jus that feels so cozy. It’s the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out, especially when it’s dark, rainy, or snowy outside.
One last tip: grab a few extra napkins before digging in. These can get a little messy when you’re dipping them in the au jus… but trust me, it’s totally worth it.
Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cut the chuck roast into 4 equal pieces. Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then season all sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and add the oil. Once hot, add the roast pieces and brown them on all sides.
- Pour in about half of the beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.
- Add the sliced onion, remaining beef broth, onion soup mix, and au jus mix.
- Close the lid and make sure the pressure release valve is set to Sealing. Cook on Manual/High Pressure for 50 minutes.Allow a 15 minute natural pressure release, then carefully release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the meat from the pot and shred it to your preferred texture. You can also remove the onions to use in the sandwiches.
- Preheat the oven to broil. Butter the hoagie rolls and toast them under the broiler until lightly golden.
- Add shredded beef and onions to each toasted roll. Place about 1½ slices of provolone cheese on each sandwich (I like to cut the slices in half).
- Place the sandwiches back under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
- Pour the broth from the Instant Pot into small ramekins and serve alongside the sandwiches for dipping.
- Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!
Notes
Tips
• Chuck roast works great because it becomes incredibly tender when pressure cooked.• If you prefer a stronger au jus flavor, you can add an extra ½ packet of au jus mix or try the liquid concentrate.
• Leftover beef is great for sliders, quesadillas, or we like to top our homemade mac and cheese for extra protein (recipe coming soon!).
These are the best! Seriously so good, especially on a cold day.